Manhattan Beach residents weighed in Tuesday night on whether the city should temporarily allow additional short‑term rentals (STRs) during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Currently, short-term rentals are only allowed in the coastal zone, which generally encompasses blocks west of Highland Ave. 

The community forum was held at the direction of the City Council, which last month asked staff to prepare a proposed ordinance and gather community input before bringing the issue back for a vote.

After city staff presented a draft framework for how such a process would be carried out, residents had a chance to weigh in on Tuesday about the economic promise and neighborhood risks of the proposal.

Staff Outlines Temporary Six‑Week Program, Proposed 450‑Unit Cap

The proposal under review would allow STRs city-wide for a limited window: a week before and a week after the 2026 World Cup matches scheduled in Los Angeles (which last from June 11 through July 19 in Los Angeles). A similar exception had been floated for the 2028 Olympics, but council members opted to narrow the scope for now.

The World Cup is the world's largest sporting event, said Manhattan Beach Community Development Director Masa Alkire, noting that in 2022 in Qatar there were 5 billion viewers of the games, and the final game had 1.5 billion viewers. In comparison, Alkire added, the Super Bowl has approximately 177 million viewers.

City staff presented the first detailed outline of a temporary STR program that would apply only to the non‑coastal zone. That draft includes a proposed cap of 450 licenses, a number that would mirror the 4% STR density currently allowed in the coastal zone. Staff said licenses could be distributed either through a first‑come, first‑served system or a lottery.

Other operational rules under consideration include prohibiting STRs in ADUs, requiring on‑site parking, setting occupancy limits tied to bedroom count, mandating a 24/7 local contact, notifying adjacent neighbors, and restricting outdoor activity hours.

Summing up the proposal, Alkire said, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime event occurring in the city. So do we want to provide relief for the portion of the city that currently does not allow for short-term rentals for that six-week period? And as part of that ordinance, do we want to put in any kind of requirements or limitations to maybe address some of the concerns that have come up over the years regarding allowing short-term rentals in the city?"

Supporters Cite Lodging Shortage, Revenue Potential

In two previous community surveys reporting back to City Council, more than half of the survey participants were interested in supporting short-term rentals temporarily in the city. And in a temperature-taking poll at Tuesday night's forum, when asked what concerns residents had about the short-term rental proposal, the most commonly received answers were "none" or "no concerns."

Supporters argue that the World Cup’s scale demands additional lodging options and that Manhattan Beach should capture the economic benefits rather than push visitors into neighboring cities. With only about 1,000 hotel rooms – and at least one major hotel already fully booked for the tournament – residents and business owners said STRs are necessary to meet demand.

At Tuesday night's meeting, several residents expressed concern that the proposed 450-permit cap was too low and might not give enough residents the opportunity to rent out their homes.

The potential revenue could be a boon to both homeowners and the city. Staff reported that the city’s 191 licensed coastal‑zone STRs generated $1.7 million in Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue last fiscal year. A temporary expansion, they said, could significantly increase that figure.

Opponents Warn of Noise, Parking, and Neighborhood Disruption

Meanwhile, opponents have focused on quality‑of‑life concerns, warning that even a temporary program could bring noise, late‑night gatherings, and parking congestion to residential streets. Staff confirmed that parking complaints make up “the bulk of calls” related to existing STRs.

Residents also raised safety concerns, including the risk of poorly vetted guests, property damage, and “squatters” who refuse to leave. Several questioned whether the city could realistically enforce rules during a high‑demand global event.

For many, the deeper issue was precedent. Residents asked what has changed since the city banned STRs in 2015, when the conversion of single‑family homes into “little hotels” was a major flashpoint.

STR Managers Argue Problems Stem From “Amateur Hosts"

Local STR operators pushed back on the idea that rentals inherently disrupt neighborhoods, arguing that modern professional management can prevent the problems residents fear. They described layered guest‑vetting systems, ID verification, background checks, noise monitors, Ring cameras, and even sensors that detect cannabis versus tobacco smoke.

Manager Zev Forrest of the Xenia Stays short-term rental management company, who manages homes in Manhattan Beach, said: “It’s not the home that is disrupting the neighborhood… It’s the unprofessional amateur hosts that are disrupting the neighborhoods.”

Forrest further elaborated in a written statement to City Council: "Poorly managed rentals create neighborhood disruption. Professionally managed homes do not. The difference is not the use. It is the operator."

The systems used in the homes that his company manages include guest screening, strict occupancy limits, zero-tolerance party rules, proactive monitoring, and a 24/7 local response protocol, according to Forrest. "If an issue were ever to occur, my team and I are accountable to resolve it immediately. That accountability does not end with one home. It affects my entire portfolio, my brand, and years of work building community trust. Because of that, I am financially and reputationally incentivized to prevent problems before they happen."

Key Questions Remain

Leading into the January 20 meeting, councilmembers will need to decide whether the World Cup’s extraordinary circumstances justify a temporary exception, or whether potential risks outweigh the rewards

Working from the draft proposed by staff, they will also need to consider several additional details, including whether the proposed cap of 450 licenses is too high, too low, or simply untested. (One resident called it an “artificial” number; another said starting small is “the smarter way.”)

The city has created a Short-Term Rentals page with more background information as well as an opportunity to sign up for email updates on the issue.