Marin Halts Vacation Rentals, Limits Use to Covid-19 Reponse Needs

San Rafael, CA – While Marin residents continue to abide by the Stay At Home order and help flatten the curve, a stream of vacationers and visitors continue to occupy short-term rentals throughout the county. This increases the chance for community transmission of COVID-19 and is considered non-essential travel.

After substantial guidance from the Marin Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health, a new Health Order restricting the use of short-term lodging facilities will be in effect from 11:59 p.m. on April 9, 2020 through May 3, 2020.

The Order is based on evidence of increasing occurrence of COVID-19 within the County of Marin and throughout the Bay Area and scientific evidence and best practices regarding the most effective approaches to slow the transmission of communicable diseases generally and COVID-19 specifically. 

Traditional operation of short-term lodging facilities, which rely on a rotating clientele often from outside the County, impair efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Short-Term Lodging Facilities are defined as vacation rentals, short-term rentals, timeshares, hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and other lodging facilities rented for 30 days or less.

Short-Term Lodging Facilities within the County of Marin (“County”) are directed to cease all operations and services except as necessary to provide:

Lodging for the County’s homeless population;
Lodging for County residents who have been displaced and cannot return to their residence because there is a person residing at their residence that must isolate or quarantine or is at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19;
Lodging for County residents who need to isolate or quarantine;
Lodging to support Healthcare Operations, Essential Infrastructure, Essential Businesses, and Essential Governmental Functions as defined in the March 31 Order (e.g., lodging for traveling nurses or government contractors);
Lodging for County residents facing immediate displacement from their primary residence due to safety, sanitation, or habitability issues (i.e., inhabitable living conditions, violence, or threats of violence);
Minimum Basic Operations as defined in the March 31 Order.

“We all have a responsibility to do our part to flatten the curve,” said Dr. Lisa Santora, Deputy Public Health Officer for Marin County.  “Traveling to or within Marin for vacation is non-essential and puts our vulnerable populations are risk.”