Monterey County officials warned residents that if they rent out a room, they will owe local hotel taxes. According to county auditors, many golf fans attending the U.S. Open next month at Pebble Beach will be staying in short-term rentals in Pebble Beach, Carmel Valley, Big Sur and other regions.
The county's treasurer-tax collector told The Carmel Pine Cone that a county ordinance requires homeowners who rent out a room for more than seven days to register with the county and obtain an administrative permit from the county's planning and building inspection department, and then pay the tax. Tax officials say their employees are currently reviewing travel websites and local newspapers to determine which property owners are renting out rooms.
Some listings throughout the Monterey Peninsula include $315 per night for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. Other accommodations can reach as high as $50,000 per week for a posh estate along the affluent 17-Mile Drive.
While the county has had a hotel tax for nearly 60 years, this is the first time its tax agency is actively searching for local residents who offer out their property or rooms for short-term rentals. (Source: The Carmel Pine Cone, May 14.)
Cal-TaxReports, June 1, 2010
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