Few things confuse South Bay homebuyers as much as Airbnb rules. Three neighboring cities, a few blocks apart, treat short-term rentals in completely different ways. In Hollywood Riviera, the confusion gets an extra layer: the neighborhood belongs to Torrance, but many homes have a Redondo Beach address.

In the episode, Dina Silveira sums up the point that matters: the city sets the rule, not the ZIP code.

"It's the city that sets the rule for renting. In Torrance, you can rent short-term, but you have to live in the house." — Dina Silveira, in the episode

Torrance: allowed, as long as the host lives in the property

Torrance approved its short-term rental law in 2019 (Ordinance O-3861), incorporated into the municipal code in section 92.43. In 2020, the California Coastal Commission approved the regulation for the city's coastal zone, and in May 2021 the city approved amendments (O-3890).

The rule works like this:

• In residential zones, which is the case for Hollywood Riviera, rentals of less than 30 days are only allowed as home sharing: the host hosts the visitor in the home where they live and keeps living there during the stay. Renting a room, or part of the house, is the classic example — the same one Dina uses in the episode.
• In commercial zones, the city allows rentals with or without the host present.
• In all cases, the activity requires city authorization, a business license, liability insurance and payment of the city's lodging tax (Transient Occupancy Tax).

What Torrance does not allow in residential zones is the model many people picture when they think of Airbnb: buying a house, not living in it and renting out the whole thing short-term. Anyone planning a purchase that counts on that income needs to know this before making an offer.

Redondo Beach: banned under 30 days

Neighboring Redondo Beach bans the rental of any residential property for less than 30 days and issues no permit allowing it. The city actively enforces against listings, and violations can be treated as a misdemeanor. Rentals over 30 days are ordinary leases and follow California's general landlord-tenant rules.

That's why Dina's point has practical value: a Hollywood Riviera home with a "Redondo Beach" address is not subject to Redondo's ban, because the property is in the city of Torrance. Torrance rules apply, with the conditions above.

Hermosa Beach: a ban that fell in court (in the coastal zone)

In the episode, Dina notes that Hermosa Beach only accepts rentals over 30 days. That had been the rule since 2016, when the city banned short-term rentals in residential areas, including advertising them.

The picture changed shortly before the recording. On March 26, 2026, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in Koerner v. City of Hermosa Beach that the ban cannot be enforced in the city's coastal zone, because it was adopted without approval from the California Coastal Commission. Under the state Coastal Act, a restriction of that kind changes land use on the coast and requires a permit from the commission. On May 12, 2026, the City Council decided not to appeal.

That doesn't mean everything is now allowed in Hermosa: the ruling applies to the coastal zone, and the city can seek commission approval for a new rule. Anyone looking at properties there should check the current situation directly with the city.

Before counting on the income: the checklist

• Confirm the property's city, not the address. The city limits map and the tax record show the jurisdiction.
• Confirm the lot's zoning. Torrance's rule changes between residential and commercial zones.
• Read the HOA rules, if any. An association can ban short-term rentals even where the city allows them.
• Check insurance and financing. Standard homeowners insurance may not cover paying guests, and some loan types restrict how the property can be used.
• Add up permit costs. Authorization, business license, insurance and lodging tax all come out of net income.
• Talk to the city before making an offer. Short-term rental rules are among the most frequently changed on the California coast.

This article is for information only and does not replace legal advice. The rules cited reflect the situation known in 2026 and may change; always confirm with the cities of Torrance, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach.

Sources and verification

• City of Torrance — Short Term Rentals: Ordinance O-3861 (2019), California Coastal Commission approval (2020) and amendments O-3890 (May 2021); Torrance Municipal Code, section 92.43. In residential zones, only home sharing with the host on site.
• City of Redondo Beach — ban on residential rentals of less than 30 days, with no permits issued; LAist coverage of enforcement.
• Koerner v. City of Hermosa Beach, Los Angeles Superior Court, ruling of March 26, 2026; Hermosa Beach City Council vote on May 12, 2026 not to appeal (Hermosa Beach Review, Easy Reader).
• California Coastal Act — coastal development permit requirement for changes in the intensity of land use in the coastal zone.
• Transcript and chapters of episode 13 of the Cadê Moradia podcast (May 2026), with Dina Silveira and Jason Lanzarini.

Watch this part of the episode:

Airbnb rules: Torrance vs Hermosa Beach — starting at 8:35 · CADÊ BRAZIL