Hermosa Beach has no local rent control, but a 2026 court ruling upended its short-term rental ban. Here's what applies to long-term, short-term, and 30-plus-day rentals in Hermosa Beach.
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About half of Hermosa Beach households rent. And in 2026, a court told the city it couldn't enforce its short-term rental ban across a big part of town. So which rules apply to your rental depends on how long your guest stays.
Key takeaways from the video
- Hermosa Beach has no local rent control, no just cause ordinance, and no rent registry, so long-term rentals follow AB 1482: an 8.7% maximum increase through July 31, 2027, and just cause after 12 months.
- In March 2026 a court ruled (Koerner v. City of Hermosa Beach) that the city could not enforce its short-term rental ban in the Coastal Zone, because the Coastal Commission never approved it, and the city chose not to appeal in May.
- In June 2026 the city opened short-term rental registration and began collecting its 14% hotel tax from operators.
- The 30-day line decides everything: a stay of 30 days or less is generally lodging and hotel-tax territory, while past 30 days it generally becomes a tenancy under landlord-tenant law and AB 1482 just cause after 12 months.
- For 30-plus-day furnished rentals, including traveling nurses and corporate housing, treat it like a tenancy from day one: a written lease with a clear end date, the exemption addendum if you qualify, and proper notices.
Chapters
- 0:00 A court just changed the rules
- 0:38 Long-term rentals: just the state law
- 1:04 The short-term rental fight
- 1:32 The 30-day line
- 2:01 Mid-term rentals
- 2:19 Your Hermosa Beach checklist
Read the full transcript
About half of Hermosa Beach rents, and this year, a court told the city it couldn't enforce its ban on short-term rentals across a big part of town. So which rules apply to your rentals? It depends on how long your guest stays. Hi, I'm Tony Self broker, property manager, more than 30 years in real estate here in the South Bay.
Every day, one city, one question. Is it just the state law here, or is there more on top? Today, Hermosa Beach. A little history about Hermosa Beach.
It was incorporated in 1907. It's less than a square mile and a half, and it's a renter's town. Roughly half the households rent Now, Hermosa has no local rent control, and no just cause ordinance, and no rent registry. But back in late 2019, the city passed a short emergency ordinance to stop no-fault evictions before the state law kicked in.
That ordinance is long gone. So today, it's AB 1482, 8.7% max, through July 31st, 2027, and just cause after 12 months. Now the story. In 2016, Hermosa banned short-term rentals in residential zones.
In March of 2026, a judge ruled the ban couldn't be enforced in those coastal zones because the Coastal Commission never approved it. In May, the city decided to not appeal. And in June, the city launched registration and started collecting hotel tax from short-term rental operators. The mayor said it plainly, the courts forced their hand.
So here's what matters for landlords. Under California law, a stay of 30 days or less is generally treated as lodging, hotel tax territory. Now you go past 30 days and you're generally looking at tenancy. Landlord-tenant law, notices, eviction rules.
And once that tenant has been there 12 months, just cause under AB 1482. So a 30-day furnished rental that turns into a 60, 90, or a year can turn into a tenant you can't easily remove. A lot of beach owners are doing 30-plus day furnished rentals now, traveling nurses, corporate housing, families between homes. That's a legitimate business.
Just treat it like a tenancy from day one. Written lease clear end date, exemption addendum if you qualify, and proper notices. So if you own in Hermosa Beach, long-term rental, AB 1482, 8.7% max. Short-term rental, register, get a business license, pay the hotel tax, and know whether you're inside the coastal zone.
30-plus days, treat it like a tenancy. And watch this space. The city is still deciding what comes next. So Hermosa Beach, just the state law For long-term rentals, yes.
For short-term rentals, it's being rewritten right now. Tomorrow, Gardena. I'm Tony Self with Harcourts Hunter Mason. I'm a broker, not your attorney.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Transcript from the video's YouTube captions. Informational only, not legal advice.
What applies to long-term rentals
Hermosa Beach has no local rent control, no local just cause ordinance, and no rent registry today. A late-2019 urgency ordinance that paused no-fault evictions before AB 1482 took effect has long since lapsed.
So long-term rentals follow the state's Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482): 8.7% max in LA County for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027, and just cause once tenants have been in place 12 months.
The short-term rental fight
• 2016: Hermosa banned short-term rentals (stays under 30 days) in residential zones.
• March 2026: In Koerner v. City of Hermosa Beach, an LA Superior Court ruling held the ban couldn't be enforced in the Coastal Zone (roughly 40% of the city), because it never received Coastal Commission approval.
• May 12, 2026: The council voted not to appeal.
• June 2026: The city launched a registration and transient occupancy tax portal. Operators must register, get a business license, and pay 14% TOT, including back taxes to May 2022.
The ban still applies outside the Coastal Zone, and the city is still deciding on a long-term framework.
The 30-day line
Under California law, a stay of 30 days or less in a property subject to transient occupancy tax is generally treated as lodging, not a tenancy. Beyond 30 days, the arrangement generally falls under landlord-tenant law: notices, eviction procedures, and, after 12 months, AB 1482's just cause rules.
A 30-day furnished stay that turns into 60, 90, or 365 days can turn into a tenant you can't easily remove.
Mid-term rentals
Many beach owners now rent furnished units for 30 days or more to traveling nurses, corporate guests, and families between homes. That's a legitimate business. Treat it like a tenancy from day one:
• A written lease with a clear end date
• The AB 1482 exemption addendum if the property qualifies
• Proper notices, and a plan for what happens if the occupant doesn't leave
Your Hermosa Beach checklist
• Long-term: AB 1482, 8.7% max through July 31, 2027.
• Short-term: register, get a business license, pay the 14% TOT, and know whether you're in the Coastal Zone.
• 30+ days: treat it as a tenancy.
• Watch the city: the short-term rental rules are being rewritten.
Next up
Tomorrow: Gardena, the city with no rent control but a rent mediation board.
This article and video are for general educational purposes only and are not legal, tax, or financial advice. Tony Self is a licensed California real estate broker (DRE #01906720) with Harcourts Hunter Mason Realty, not an attorney, and reading this does not create a client relationship. Rent control and short-term rental laws change often and vary by city and county. Figures are current as of September 2026. Consult a qualified California landlord-tenant attorney about your specific property.
Sources
• Hermosa Review: Court rules Hermosa Beach short-term rental ban unenforceable
• Hermosa Review: City will not appeal short-term rental ruling
• City of Hermosa Beach: STVR registration and TOT portal (June 2026)
• City of Hermosa Beach: City facts
• U.S. Census QuickFacts: Hermosa Beach
• Patch: Hermosa Beach 2019 no-fault eviction ordinance
Questions about how this affects your rental?
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