What is the Sonoma County Coalition of Hosts ?

A voice for the Short Term Rental Community Since 2015 - For the past 8 years, we’ve been a volunteer advocacy organization that represents the interest of hosts, owners, property managers and affiliated businesses. Here are just a few of our accomplishments:

• Lifting of Unincorporated Moratorium - The Sonoma County Coalition of Hosts was instrumental in lobbying the Board of Supervisors to lift the moratorium on new permits/licenses.

• Santa Rosa Ordinance - In Santa Rosa, the City Council considered banning all vacation rentals and even looked at taking away people’s permits. Hosts across the county came out in force and we were able to safeguard the right to host for current permit holders, another big win. 

• 100 Alerts to the Community about Regulatory Events and Hearings - We’ve alerted the community to almost 100 events, hearings, regulations and hearings. In 2023 we monitored 31 events, in 2022 we monitored 52 events, and in 2021 15 events.

• Built a Coalition of over 400 Subscribers - We stand at over 400 subscribers and we are conducting outreach to the broader community of hosts, with your donation we will be able to conduct additional outreach via email, direct mail and phone. 

What is a Sonoma County Coalition of Hosts Founding Member?

A Founding Membership costs $150 and is good for one year. A Founding Member will become a voting member of the registered organization as soon as we file our 501(c)(6) founding bylaws with the state of California. 

Your Founding Member donation will help us hire an attorney to file our bylaws and become a registered 501(c)(6) organization, file with the IRS to obtain tax exempt status, and operate a paid email system, Mailchimp, to reach the entire Sonoma county hosting community.

If I am not a host, can I be a Founding Member?

YES! If you have an organization or business in Sonoma County with an interest in supporting Short Term Rentals in Sonoma County, you can join our group.

Whether you are a short term rental owner, host, or a business owner providing a service to hosts or property managers,  we welcome you. We are happy to have your voice along with ours. 

Who is leading the coalition now ?

Meet our volunteer founding committee members from across Sonoma County have been active for several years in helping the coalition get started, advocate, educate and are actively working to help the coalition grow by forming a 501(c)(6) organization.

Are donations to 501(c)(6) organizations tax deductible?

No, donations to 501(c)(6) organizations are not deductible as charitable contributions on the donor's federal income tax return. This includes donations made by vacation rental owners. 

501(c)(6) organizations are business leagues with unique requirements. 501(c)(6) organizations can accept donations, but these gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable donations. A 501(c)(6) organization must disclose in any fundraising solicitation that contributions to the organization are not deductible for federal income tax purposes as charitable contributions.

What benefits do I receive by becoming a Founding Member?

Advocacy 

We  monitor local governments and get the word out to you when it is time to have a united voice in keeping our right to host alive. We will lobby for the policies and people that create a win-win scenario for hosts and the communities we live in. A thriving economy and safe visitation is something we can all get behind. 

Community 

Want to share ideas with like-minded hosts? Do you ever want to check-in with a colleague on how to improve something about your short term rental? Looking for a vendor for a specific purpose? Chat with each other, connect online and at events, and find support for your short term rental activities.

Education 

Come to in person and online events and seminars that will help you be a better, more profitable host. Attend vendor events that just might have a solution for something that is difficult for you. Concerned about new platform rules and options, tune in and get educated.

Resources

Need an attorney, plumber, or window blinds? We are looking to build a database of vendors who understand what we do, and are eager to help.

Questions ?

If you have questions, visit our FAQ page or please email us.

Next Steps

Become a Founding Member today and help us organize officially as a 501(c)(6) so that we can maintain and broaden our ability to host short-term rentals in Sonoma County and its cities.

We are engaging with the law firm of Darryl Reese, Law PC, to help us draft and file our bylaws.

By donating, you'll also be subscribed to receive Sonoma County Coalition of Hosts emails and newsletters. You can opt out at anytime by clicking on unsubscribe in any of our emails.

Please help us get started and donate using our form on this page.

Warm Regards,

Sonoma County Coalition of Hosts