The mayor of a ritzy Bay Area town spoke out against his city council after a vote banned all short-term rentals on Airbnb or Vrbo ahead of the World Cup.
Chuck Page, who was voted in as Saratoga's mayor in 2025, admitted that he felt the ban wasn't solving community issues at their source as all short term rentals face fines of up to $5,000.
The City Council's 4-1 vote to enact a complete ban on short-term rentals in Saratoga was implemented on February 4, following multiple residential complaints over parties, trash and overcrowded parking on the streets, SFGate reported.
Officials of the city said that the ordinance was an effort to combat 'increased traffic, noise and the high turnover of short-term renters on quiet streets where residents value stability and privacy,' according to the outlet.
Now, listing or promoting a rental property is a punishable crime in the wealthy city, including fines ranging from $1,500 to $5,000. A third-party agency is set to investigate and keep tabs on rental property listings, the outlet reported.
'I’m just a little leery that the ban itself will not prevent some of the bad actors,' he said.
'I guess if they’re making enough money, they don’t care about the fine … It’s one city’s approach, and I think we’ve done what our neighbors have expressed a desire for. We’ll just have to find out what happens.'
The FIFA World Cup, set to begin in June, will hit Los Angeles on June 12 before reaching Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara - which recently hosted the Superbowl LX -for six matches.
Chuck Page, voted in as Saratoga's mayor in 2025, admitted that he felt the ban wasn't solving community issues at their source as all short term rentals face fines of up to $5,000
Officials of the city said that the ordinance was an effort to combat 'increased traffic, noise and the high turnover of short-term renters on quiet streets where residents value stability and privacy'
Saratoga City Council's 4-1 vote to enact a ban on short-term rentals was implemented on February 4, after complaints over parties, trash and overcrowded parking on the streets
Saratoga is home to a population of around 30,000 people, with a median household income of over $240,000, according to census data. The mayor told the outlet that an average of five to ten short term rental properties are rented out at any given moment.
Yet, he said while there have 'never been a lot' of rental properties arising on Airbnb or Vrbo, 'you don't need a lot to cause an issue.'
'Some people have homes with subdivided bedrooms they’ve been renting out, and they’d have 20 people living in there. It’s not a hotel, and they made it into one, which is illegal,' Page added.
'I’m concerned because it doesn’t stop any of the behavior residents are complaining about,' Page said regarding the ban.
'I’d much rather work together with people to help make things better from the beginning than slam a stick down.'
Ahead of the criminalization of short term rentals, Page said it had been more of an unspoken rule. Yet, following an uptick in residential complaints, he felt it was 'prudent' to discuss the matter with the city council.
'A lot of people came up and complained,' he said. However, he told the outlet that there could be more productive and effective ways to target local complaints instead of an outright ban.
Page proposed solutions such as a ban on non-residents parking on the streets, for example, and allowing a limited number of locals to continue renting out their properties.
The FIFA World Cup, set to begin in June, will hit Los Angeles on June 12 before reaching Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara - which recently hosted the Superbowl LX -for six matches
Argentine former footballer Oscar Ruggeri, a member of Argentina's 1986 FIFA World Cup-winning team, unveils the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy in Montevideo, Uruguay
'But that wasn’t to be,' the mayor said, after a follow-up meeting with the planning commission during which he voted against the ban.
'That did not fly with the rest of the council. It’s unfortunate, because it doesn’t fix the behaviors people don’t want to see, and now we can’t put a law in about people parking on the street,' Page continued.
Alex Lleras, an Airbnb policy associate, even wrote a letter to Page asking for reconsideration. Lleras proposed a compromise which would follow the company's commitment to 'fair, reasonable rules,' and the 'unintended impacts of caps on short-term rentals,' the outlet reported.
The Airbnb associate pointed to company policy requiring guest contact information in the event of such disturbances that locals are reporting, which would be handed to local officials if necessary. Lleras also noted a 24 hour neighborhood support line, intended to help nearby residents with complaints.
'We recognize the need for a municipality to regulate activities within its borders and believe that short-term rentals should benefit the communities in which they operate,' the letter, obtained by SFGate, said.
'However, we believe that the current version of the ordinance you are considering would be difficult or impossible for hosts in Saratoga to comply with, could have a negative impact on your small business community, and impose financial hardships on your residents who rely on additional income from sharing their home.'
Alex Lleras, an Airbnb policy associate, even wrote a letter to Page asking for reconsideration and proposed a compromise following the company's commitment to 'fair, reasonable rules,' and the 'unintended impacts of caps on short-term rentals'
Despite the ban, Airbnb promoted its 'biggest new host incentive program ever,' which would award new hosts an additional $750 if they listed their homes during the World Cup.
A spokesperson for Airbnb told SFGate that Saratoga's zip code, which was originally eligible for the promotion, was 'mistakenly included.'
'I never thought that Airbnbs or short term rentals would be a good thing here,' Page said. 'It’s a very small, residential, neighborhood-driven community.'
The Daily Mail reached out to Page and Airbnb for comment.
