La Mesa is finally looking at short-term rental rules. Here's what hosts need to know.

La Mesa, California has no rules governing short-term rentals. No permits, no occupancy taxes, no operational standards. The city council voted at its July 14 meeting to change that, directing city staff to study the issue and return with a proposed regulatory framework within six months.

The motion was introduced by Vice Mayor Lauren Cazares in response to growing resident complaints about noise, traffic, and neighborhood disruption tied to Airbnb and vacation rental properties in the city.

La Mesa currently collects no revenue from short-term rental activity

Unlike most cities in San Diego County, La Mesa does not impose a transient occupancy tax on short-term stays. Across the county, that tax ranges from 8% to 14%, and neighboring cities including San Diego, El Cajon, and Lemon Grove all have STR ordinances in place. Every coastal city in the county has done the same.

That gap means La Mesa is foregoing a revenue stream that other municipalities have built into their budgets, while also lacking the enforcement tools available to those cities when complaints arise.

What city staff will consider as they draft proposed standards

The city has not yet determined what a final ordinance would look like. Staff have been asked to evaluate the existing STR environment in La Mesa and return with a draft policy. Based on council discussion, potential elements under consideration include quiet hour requirements, vehicle limits, and other operational standards.

Other San Diego County cities have taken different approaches. Many use permit caps, per-bedroom occupancy limits, and primary residency requirements. The announcement did not specify whether La Mesa would adopt any of these particular measures.

Residents and council members described a gap between complaints and enforcement

La Mesa resident Marie Knox addressed the council during public comment, describing how a short-term rental on her block had caused repeated noise, traffic, and safety issues. When she attempted to report the situation to the city, she learned there was nothing to enforce. "I went to the city about it, and I was surprised that there's no regulation," Knox said. "I could not even believe it."

Councilmember Laura Lothian called the current situation "the Wild West of short-term rentals" while also acknowledging the economic benefit vacation rentals can bring to a community. Lothian said she supports targeted regulation aimed at operators who cause repeated problems, rather than broad restrictions on the industry as a whole.

What the six-month timeline means for STR operators in La Mesa

City staff are expected to return with a draft proposal by early 2026, though the announcement did not specify an exact deadline for the council vote on any final ordinance. Once a proposed policy is presented, it would likely go through additional council review and a public comment period before taking effect.

For short-term rental hosts currently operating in La Mesa, nothing changes immediately. There are no new registration, permit, or tax requirements at this stage. However, operators should expect that a formal ordinance is now likely and that it may include licensing requirements, operational rules, and a transient occupancy tax once adopted.

This follows a broader pattern across California and the country. Cities that delayed STR regulation have increasingly moved to catch up, often implementing permit systems, tax collection obligations, and density limits in relatively short order once the process begins. San Diego's own STR ordinance took several years to finalize after early discussions, though the regulatory environment has since grown more active across the region.

Lodge Compliance tracks short-term rental regulations, licensing, permitting, zoning, and tax requirements across thousands of jurisdictions, helping hosts stay informed as local rules evolve.

Not sure what this means for your property? Get your free compliance report at lodgecompliance.com