New Fresno City ordinance can have squatters removed from rentals

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Squatters can soon be removed from hotels and short-term rentals in the city of Fresno.

"The root of the concern really comes from these property owners who have short-term rentals like an Airbnb or a hotel or a motel," Fresno City councilmember Nelson Esparza said.

The ordinance, passed Thursday by the city council, will allow the property owner to submit a complaint about the people staying unlawfully.

If verified, the Fresno Police Department will contact the unauthorized guest to vacate the property.

Both councilmembers Nelson Esparza and Garry Bredefeld sponsored the bill.

Bredefeld says this type of legislation was not possible before the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to enforce bans on unhoused individuals sleeping in public spaces.

"We haven't been able to help people who are running into problems with people who rent these areas and then they refuse to leave," Bredefeld said.

Esparza added that Fresno police officers raised the alarm as to the issues they encountered with unlawful guests.

"What they were seeing from a public safety perspective was that often there was suspicion of criminal activity overlapping with this specific type of squatter within the motels and so this ordinance will specifically address that issue," Esparza said.

The bill now makes this crime a misdemeanor.

"Now we have something on the books where we can basically impose penalties to take them to jail, fine them, we don't want people to violate rules and regulations that they have with short term rentals, Airbnbs and hotels, this puts an end to that," Bredefeld said.

This was the second reading of the ordinance, which will go into effect in 31 days.

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