SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Representatives from several short-term rental companies and City Councilman Scott Sherman on Thursday announced they collected the required number of signatures to qualify a referendum on the city's short-term rental ordinance, which was approved last month.
The coalition had 30 days to collect signatures equivalent to five percent of registered voters in San Diego, or roughly 36,000 signatures.
"It's clear by the tens of thousands of signatures turned in today that voters in San Diego want their voice heard on this issue" said Jonah Mechanic, President of Share San Diego. "We have long advocated for reasonable regulations and through these efforts we have seen widespread support for traditional vacation rentals and the economic activity they generate throughout the community."
Airbnb, HomeAway and Share San Diego joined Councilman Scott Sherman, homeowners and small business owners to turn in the signatures.
"This signature gathering effort is a direct result of extreme government overreach by the City Council that took away the property rights of many San Diegans. If signatures are verified, the Council will be forced to scrap this knee jerk de-facto ban, or, I am confident San Diego voters will do it for them," said Councilmember Scott Sherman.
The petition gathering has not been without controversy. Some News 8 viewers claim voters are being tricked into signing the petition by gatherers giving them false or misleading information.
City councilmembers, along with those against short-term vacation rentals, said the petition gathering has been deceptive.
Trader Joe's recently filed a lawsuit against the PCI Consultants, a petition management firm that gathers signatures, and Airbnb. The complaint says Trader Joe's has received numerous complaints from customers who felt harassed and insulted and intimidated by the PCI signature gathers.
Once all the signatures are verified, the City Council can either rescind the de facto ban passed last month or put the issue to voters.
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