Crime – Cathedral City Residents

Increasing Crime at STVRs in Cathedral City

CCR Reporter — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 21:05:47 +0000

Yesterday the Chief of Police reported to the city council on the criminal activities and fires that they have responded to at STVRs in Cathedral City. Today KESQ is reporting on a police raid taking place on a suspected illegal cannabis grow house in a permitted Short Term Vacation Rental property. Residents are fighting back – they are supporting the YES on Measure B campaign – a vote to uphold the restrictions that the city has in place to control full-house rentals in the major residential neighborhoods. More HERE

Man Accused of Stabbing at STVR in Cat. City

CCR Reporter — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 17:33:32 +0000

Last January, a man was arrested at 68355 Tachevah Road, a known Short Term Vacation Rental. (The property currently has a rental permit, #16179. Cathedral City provides a list of permits). Francisco Michael Fisher, 21, must proceed to trial on charges of attempted murder. More HERE

STVRs Opposed By “Stop Child Predators”

CCR Reporter — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 19:52:39 +0000

Stop Child Predators works to enact legislation throughout the US to counter the exploitation of children. They oppose unregulated STVRs in our residential neighborhoods, citing many abuses by Airbnb operators in particular. More HERE

Murder, violence at STVRs

CCR Reporter — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 13:55:03 +0000

Short term rentals across the country have become a focus not just for vacationers, but also for party organizers, gangs, and various illegal activities. Seen as an easy way to rent space that will not be supervised, STVRs are becoming problematic in many areas. At an illegal gathering in Los Angeles, one party goer was murdered. More HERE

STVR Burns Down – Violating COVID order

CCR Reporter — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 03:59:51 +0000

A short term rental was destroyed by fire in Indio. The building was still operating as a short term rental, even though the city had issued a moratorium, in line with Riverside County’s COVID restrictions. The owner was fined $1,500. More on the story HERE

Stabbing at STVR

CCR Reporter — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 04:00:38 +0000

Cathedral City police responded to a stabbing at a short term rental that had been advertised on Airbnb. The home in a family neighborhood had been rented to a group of Las Vegas young adults. This incident highlighted the danger of allowing STVRs to operate unsupervised mini-hotels in residential areas where families with young children live. More on this story HERE

Student Shot at Plano, TX STVR

CCR Reporter — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:16:32 +0000

Across the country, STVRs are providing unregulated, unsupervised venues for parties. COVID has driven a demand for party houses that allow young people to socialize. Those party houses generate problems of noise, trash, and over-parking in neighborhoods. But recently there has been a trend towards violence and illegal activies. This report from Plano, TX, highlights what can happen if STVRs are allowed in family residential neighborhoods. More HERE

Airbnb Rentals and Criminal Activity

CCR Reporter — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 14:29:29 +0000

There continue to be reports of violence and other crimes at Airbnb rentals. Airbnb is one of the largest online booking sites for STVRs. While they continue to try to mitigate these problems, the fact is they cannot screen all the people who will be present during a rental. They cannot know if those invited by the main renter are gang members, criminals, or sexual offenders. Screening should be the responsibility of owners, but they are not required to do this – and really, that would be impossible without on-site supervision of the guests. It is left to neighbors to call in problems if they see them. But illicit activity could be going on inside a rental without neighbors being aware. This is why limiting STVRs within family neighborhoods is so vital. More HERE

Sexual Assaults at STVRs

CCR Reporter — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 17:17:00 +0000

Owners of short term rentals are not required to check the backgrounds of renters. While some companies like Airbnb do run cursory background checks on the main renters, there is no way to determine who is actually at a rental, and no way to check their criminal background, or history of sexual assaults, predator activities, or similar crimes. Indio police have received multiple sexual assault reports at STVRs in the Coachella Valley area. More HERE

Murder at $1 Million Airbnb

CCR Reporter — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 14:40:04 +0000

Coachella Valley is seeing its own share of crime related to short term rentals. But this problem is not limited to Coachella Valley. Murder, violence, and other criminal activities are being reported all the time at properties listed through the Airbnb booking site. Local owners are responsible for screening guests – but in most cases, they have no way to know who is at their rental, because there is no on-site supervision. The result inevitably is criminal activity. Our family neighborhoods cannot be expected to act as the security guards for these business owners. And that is why the Cathedral City ordinance, restricting them to zones where there is local supervision through an HOA, is so necessary for the peace and security of our neighborhoods. The murder at this home in Massachusetts led to the first judgement ruling that cities CAN enforce restrictions on STVRs in their residential zones. More HERE