California Is Banning Short-Term Rentals. Why Can’t Travelers Get Refunds?
The state’s latest travel restrictions make most hotel or short term lodging illegal. But Airbnb and Vrbo, the biggest home-sharing companies, are sticking to no-refund policies.
The Highland Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, where short-term rentals are currently restricted to only essential workers. Credit.Beth Coller for The New York Times
By Julie Weed
Dec. 15, 2020
Travel and travel planning are being disrupted by the worldwide spread of the coronavirus. For the latest updates, read
.
California’s new travel restrictions, put in place to help prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by the pandemic, have thrown vacation planning into reverse as travelers start canceling their lodging reservations. From now until at least Dec. 31, it is illegal for all hotel and short-term rental lodging owners in California to make or honor reservations for people coming from out of state unless they plan to
Tahoe vacation rentals under lockdown: Some hotels offer refunds, while Airbnb is still open
FacebookTwitterEmail
Two homes in the Al Tahoe neighborhood on Sun. March 11, 2018, in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. The home on the left is a residential home while the one on the right is a rental, with the homes so close together in the neighborhood, calls from residents with noise complaints have come from around the neighborhood. The City of South Lake Tahoe has a strict Vacation Home Rental Ordinance (VHR) with fines of $1,000 for violations.Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2018
For more stories like this, check out The Chronicle’s weekly Travel newsletter!Sign up here.