Protecting Coastal Access: Why NBSTRA Is Opposing SB 1318

For decades, short-term rental owners and managers in California coastal communities have understood that the California Coastal Commission plays an important role in protecting public access to the coast. That access is not limited to roads, beaches, parking lots, or trails. For many families, access also means having a realistic and affordable place to stay near the coast.

That is why NBSTRA is concerned about Senate Bill 1318, a bill now moving through the California Legislature. SB 1318 would require the Coastal Commission to approve local coastal program amendments or coastal development permits that restrict or prohibit non-owner-occupied short-term rentals, if certain housing-related findings are made. The bill was most recently amended on April 27, 2026, and is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

To be clear, SB 1318 does not immediately ban short-term rentals in Newport Beach. Nor does it change the City’s existing STR ordinance by itself. But it would water down one of the most important safeguards coastal communities have relied on: the Coastal Commission’s independent role in reviewing local restrictions that could reduce visitor access to the coast.

Why This Matters in Newport Beach

Newport Beach is one of California’s iconic coastal communities. Visitors come here for the beach, the harbor, Balboa Island, the Peninsula, local restaurants, small businesses, and family vacations that often depend on short-term rentals.

In communities like ours, STRs are not simply a property use issue. They are part of the visitor-serving coastal economy. They provide lodging options for families who may not be able to afford multiple hotel rooms or luxury hotel rates. They support local restaurants, shops, service businesses, cleaners, maintenance workers, property managers, and many others who depend on tourism spending.

The Coastal Commission has historically served as an important check to make sure local regulations do not go so far that they undermine coastal access. SB 1318 would weaken that protection by making it easier for local governments to restrict or prohibit non-owner-occupied STRs based on broad housing claims.

Local governments already have significant authority to regulate STRs. Newport Beach has used that authority extensively through permitting, caps, operating rules, enforcement, inspections, fines, and potential permit revocation. NBSTRA supports reasonable regulation and responsible operation. But restricting or banning an entire category of STRs is a much bigger step – and one that should not be made easier by weakening Coastal Commission oversight.

NBSTRA’s Position

NBSTRA opposes SB 1318 because it risks reducing affordable coastal lodging, weakening statewide coastal access protections, and encouraging overly broad local restrictions that may not be supported by clear evidence.

We believe coastal policy should be balanced, data-driven, and respectful of the fact that responsible STRs help ordinary Californians experience the coast. In Newport Beach, STRs are part of coastal access.

SB 1318 is not an immediate crisis, but it is an important bill for STR owners, managers, and supporters to watch. It would change the legal and regulatory landscape in a way that could matter in future debates over STR restrictions in Newport Beach and other coastal communities.

Please Contact Newport Beach’s State Legislators

NBSTRA encourages members to contact Newport Beach’s state legislators and respectfully urge them to oppose SB 1318.

Because SB 1318 is currently in the State Senate, Senator Tony Strickland is the most immediate contact. If the bill advances to the Assembly, Assemblymember Diane Dixon would also have a vote.

State Senator Tony Strickland
California Senate District 36
Represents Newport Beach and other coastal Orange County communities.
Capitol Office: (916) 651-4036
District Office: (714) 374-4000
District Office: 301 Main Street, Suite 212, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Use the “Email Your Senator” option on Senator Strickland’s official website.

Assemblymember Diane Dixon
California Assembly District 72
Capitol Office: (916) 319-2072
District Office: (949) 798-7221
District Office: 4100 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 340, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Use the “Contact” option on Assemblymember Dixon’s official website.

Sample Email or Letter

Subject: Please Oppose SB 1318 – Protect Coastal Access

Dear Senator Strickland / Assemblymember Dixon,

I am writing to respectfully urge you to oppose SB 1318.

For coastal communities like Newport Beach, short-term rentals are an important part of public access to the coast. They provide families and visitors with lodging options that are often more practical and affordable than hotels, especially for families traveling together.

SB 1318 would weaken the California Coastal Commission’s ability to provide independent oversight when local governments move to restrict or prohibit non-owner-occupied short-term rentals. That oversight is important because coastal access is a statewide priority, not just a local land-use issue.

Local governments already have broad authority to regulate short-term rentals. Newport Beach, for example, has extensive STR rules, permit requirements, operating standards, enforcement tools, inspections, fines, and potential permit revocation. SB 1318 is unnecessary and risks encouraging broader restrictions without sufficient review or balance.

Reducing short-term rentals also reduces coastal lodging options for middle-class and working families, while harming local businesses that depend on visitor spending.

Please oppose SB 1318 and support a more balanced, data-driven approach that protects both responsible local regulation and meaningful public access to the California coast.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[City]

NBSTRA Will Continue Monitoring SB 1318

NBSTRA will continue tracking SB 1318 and other legislation affecting responsible short-term rental owners and managers. Our goal is to make sure Newport Beach STR owners, managers, guests, local businesses, and supporters have a voice in decisions that affect coastal access, property rights, and our local visitor-serving economy.

The State Capitol