The Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance takes aim at Coastal Commission in a new lawsuit.

The Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance has filed suit against the California Coastal Commission over its vote in August 2025 to approve the County of Monterey's local coastal plan amendment for the regulation of short-term rentals. The County of Monterey is also listed as a defendant.

The suit, filed in Monterey County Superior Court on July 29, asks a judge to to set aside the CCC's decision through a writ of mandamus. 

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors initially approved its vacation rental ordinances in 2024, after more than 14 years of work in crafting them. The ordinances limited the number of commercial STRs in unincorporated areas of the county and defined three types of rentals: homestays, limited rentals and commercial rentals.

While the Board has sole discretion over the inland areas, they needed the Coastal Commission to approve a local coastal program amendment. In August 2025, the Commission voted 6-2 in favor of approving the County's LCPA.

The MCVRA had already filed suit against the County in late 2024 for the Board's earlier vote. A year later in 2025 the organization amended its lawsuit contending that the County was violating the rights of STR owners under both the U.S. and California constitutions.

As a result, the County ceased enforcement of certain provisions of the ordinances. 

On June 3, Monterey County Superior Court Judge Thomas Wills upheld the ordinances but agreed with MCVRA on some points, striking down wording that prohibited companies or out-of-state individuals or trusts to own and operate properties used as short-term rentals.

The new MCVRA suit against the Coastal Commission argues some of the same points of the first suit, contending that the LCPA contains the very issues that Wills ruled against, namely that owners' rights are being violated.

The suit contends that the Coastal Commission "abused its discretion" under the California Environmental Quality Act and failed to consider evidence of other alternatives to the ordinances. It also argues that the Commission failed to require the County to amend its land use policy when it comes to STRs, among other complaints.

The MCVRA also contends that the Commission voted against its own mandate to provide access to the coast and with it, reversed a longstanding policy that vacation rentals do not need coastal development permits, which are required by the County.

The lawsuit asks for a preliminary and permanent injunction from the County engaging in an investigation or administrative process in enforcing the LCPA, as well as attorney's fees.