On March 30, 2020, the Health Officer for the County of Riverside issued an Amended Order clarifying the Governor’s “Stay-at-Home” Order as related to Short Term Lodging Facilities prohibiting the rental or leasing of Short-Term Lodging Facilities within the County of Riverside, including the City of Cathedral City. This order by the City of Cathedral City’s Director of Emergency Services places additional enforcement actions against anyone operating a short term lodging facility, with the limited exceptions, in violation of this order. The order allows the police and code compliance departments to issue fines of $1,000 per violation per day, and immediate suspension or revocation of the owner’s permit or license.
Short term lodging facilities are defined as short-term rentals, vacation rentals, timeshares, hotels, motels, “vacation rental units” as defined in CCMC § 3.24.011(8), and any other similar short-term lodging for rent, lease, hiring or letting in any way.
Exemptions to this order are for the following uses:
(a)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Temporary lodging to protect the homeless pursuant to COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures;
(b)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Temporary lodging for persons who have been displaced and cannot return to their residence because there is a person residing at the residence that must isolate or quarantine or is at a higher risk of severe illness;
(c)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Temporary lodging for persons who need to isolate or quarantine.
(d)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Temporary lodging for essential workers performing functions that are essential to maintain the continuity of operations for critical infrastructure as identified in the Guidance memo issued by the Health Officer for the County of Riverside.
Use of a premise as a Short-Term Lodging Facility without an appropriately issued City permit pursuant to CCMC § 3.24.011 is subject to a fine of $5,000 per day.  Furthermore, any violation of this Order may be determined to be a misdemeanor and punishable by the aforementioned fine or imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both in accordance with California law including Health & Safety Code § 120295, and the Cathedral City Municipal Code.
Read the complete order here:
Emergency Order No. 2 Signed - FINAL
