We are a 100% volunteer organization comprised of homeowners, tenants, cleaners, mom & pop shops, single moms, empty nesters, families of all colors and many different walks of life. The one force that binds us - we are all Angelinos who have invested heavily in our neighborhoods because we call it home. We believe in maintaining the original charm of Los Angeles while contributing to its growth.

While we have invested in our homes, the rising costs of living in Los Angeles have made many of us turn to renting out our rooms and houses on a short term basis in order to make our mortgages and rent payments. For a great many of us, short-term rentals are a means of survival in this ever increasingly expensive city, and are the difference between a roof over our own head or being homeless.

We have housed other Angelenos in need of a place to stay. We have hosted guests from around the world, couples, families with babies, people with pets, and so many more. We have opened our homes to those who are looking for just that - a home, not some fancy expensive hotel.

We have created a local ecosystem of jobs for cleaners and landscapers who come from diverse, multicultural backgrounds. We pay on average 2-3 times the typical local wage- far higher than the minimum wage that hotel unions pay their own workers for the same kinds of work. Also in this ecosystem, we are a boon to local small businesses, as our guests always need a place to eat, drink, shop, and enjoy their time in Los Angeles - and this results in continued tourism spending that boosts the local economy.

Many Los Angeles short-term rental hosts have invested in homes built before 1978, putting our hard-earned dollars into capital improvements and bringing them up to code. Because they were pre-1978 homes, they fall under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) regulated by the LA Housing Community Investment Department (HCIDLA). Under the new Homesharing Ordinance, no RSO properties are eligible to participate in the program. Many of us were forced out of the very homes we worked so hard to acquire. Some others have rent their properties out at current market rates. We are not taking housing off the market because we live in our homes and either homeshare or rent it out while away. Short term rentals comprise less than 0.5% of the entire rental housing stock of Los Angeles. We are not the cause of the affordable housing crisis.

We continue to fight for our rights to responsibly open our houses to our guests without bureaucratic limits. We fight to promote and advocate for fair and just laws for Los Angeles homeowners to freely share their homes.

Our constitutional right to privacy and our right to life, liberty and property is fundamental as citizens of this country. We must stand firm in our fight for our inalienable rights to do what is right for ourselves within the sanctity of our own homes and owners of small properties. Having the freedom to invite guests into our home or onto the property in which we reside is one of the fundamental bundle of rights we have as homeowners. Homesharing is a centuries-old practice. Inevitably with the advent of 3rd party booking platforms the process has been streamlined and brought into modern times. While we understand the need for regulatory parameters, HALA has a strong conviction to fight against regulatory overreach. We don’t want to be told who we can or cannot invite onto our properties!

The LA Factor

LA is the entertainment capital of the world.  The nature of the work is often temporary. Many hosts have provided housing for temporary entertainment workers who are able to work on productions with lower budgets because they have affordable places to stay. Those workers bring in millions of dollars to the local economy.  This is already happening thanks to the emergence of the shared economy. This restrictive ordinance threatens this economy.

Hollywood may seem like an elite industry until you consider the magnitude of the impact it has on the local economy.  As the Writer’s Strike of 2007 proved, $2.1 billion was lost during the 100 day strike. That included many small businesses especially restaurants, house cleaners, janitors, nearly every sector of the economy is affected by the entertainment industry.  The local economy has also evolved along with the disrupting sharing economy brought about with AirBnB, Uber, Lyft and more. Regulations based on old models and mindsets will leave the city behind as the economy evolves, and create opportunities in other cities that have more evolved regulations.

We have hope that despite the political landscape, progress & innovation forward will prevail, and will benefit all Angelenos.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

At this moment we are actively seeking all homeowners, cleaners, tenants, tradespeople, small business owners- basically anyone who currently depends on the operations of short-term rentals for their income. Homesharing Alliance Los Angeles (HALA) is for everyone who is affected by unfair local legislation around homesharing.

Come join us in the fight! We increase in our strength with every new voice we gather.

We need you to join our alliance so your voice can be counted.