STR Eligibility

STRs that are ineligible to receive a permit should cease operations by September 1, 2025, or face penalties. STRs must be located more than 500 feet from a parcel containing a school. Home-based schools and daycares are not considered schools for this requirement.  ADUs are not permitted. For assistance determining if your STR is outside of the 500 foot line email our permitting team 

  1. Short-term rentals may be hosted by the property owner(s).
  2. Short-term rentals may be permitted in single-family detached, duplex, two-family, and three-family dwelling units, and townhomes.
  3. Short-term rentals may be permitted on properties with multiple dwelling units, apartments, condominiums with the following limitations:
    1. For multifamily housing developments of 2 to 50 units: 1 short-term rental permit;
    2. For multifamily housing developments of 51 to 99 units: 2 short-term rental permits;
    3. For multifamily housing developments of 100 units or more: 2% of total units or 5 short-term rental permits, whichever is fewer;
    4. A maximum of 25 short-term rental permits shall be issued citywide for units in multifamily housing developments. The city shall maintain a waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis if the number of short-term rental permit applications for units in multifamily housing developments exceeds 25;
    5. A short-term rental shall be included in calculating the total number of units for the purpose of determining allowable short-term rentals in a multifamily development. ADUs, Junior ADUs, units created utilizing an SB9 application, inclusionary housing or any other unit that is precluded from being used as a short-term rental may not be counted toward the total allowable number of units.
  4. The total number of short-term rental permits shall be limited to a maximum of two percent of the total housing units within the City of Escondido. The city or it's designee shall maintain a waiting list if the number of short-term rental applications exceeds this percentage.
  5. No short-term rental permit shall be issued for any housing unit if the unit's parcel is;
    1. Within 500 feet of a parcel containing a school. Distances shall be measured from the closest property line of the school to the closest property line of the proposed short-term rental unit measured using the Escondido Geographic Information System.
  6. Short-term rentals shall not be permitted in ineligible units. The definition of an ineligible unit can be found in Municipal Code section 16-414. “Ineligible Units” Shall mean accessory dwelling units (ADUs) or junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs); units created utilizing an SB9 application; in inclusionary housing or other income-restricted housing units; or any other ineligibility based on state law.
  7. No person shall offer as a separate short-term rental any property or portion of property not approved for residential use, including, but not limited to, a vehicle parked on the property, a storage shed, trailer, garage, or any temporary structure such as a tent.
  8. This article is not intended to allow any residential property owner to violate any private conditions, covenants, and restrictions applicable to the owner's property that may prohibit the owner from using their property as a short-term rental unit, as defined in this article.