PALM SPRINGS (CNS) – A temporary ban on all vacation rentals and hotel stays not related to coronavirus response went into effect today in Palm Springs.

“The health and safety of Palm Springs residents is our top priority,” City Manager David Ready said in a statement. “We continue to strongly urge our residents, unless they are an essential worker, to stay home and shelter in place per our emergency declaration mandate.”

The order applies to all temporary lodging including hotels and vacation rentals like Airbnb, unless those rentals are being used for “migration and containment measures related to the spread” of COVID-19, a city statement reads.

City officials urged visitors to cancel all bookings through April 30, although the order will remain in effect until an unspecified future date.

“Visitors currently staying in a vacation rental, homeshare or hotel should return to their home community immediately and shelter in place,” Ready said.

Ready declared a local emergency in Palm Springs due to the pandemic on March 14, which was later ratified by the City Council on March 19.

Rancho Mirage city officials on Monday issued a similar order that also barred temporary rentals, which is set to remain in effect until June 1 unless amended earlier.

As of noon Tuesday, there were 48 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Riverside County, with 25 in the Coachella Valley. Six people have died from complications associated with the disease, all in the Coachella Valley.

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If your vacation home has started to become more of a financial headache than a refuge, it might be time to consider renting out your property.

According to industry experts, an average vacation home can garner an owner an extra $30,000 of income per year.

“Renting out your vacation home can open up a significant stream of revenue,” says Mary Lynn Clark, president of Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America. “Understanding the business side, and all it entails, however, is a critical part of increasing your home’s value without adding hassle.”

Before listing your home for rent, it’s important to decide whether you will handle the details yourself (think booking, reservations, marketing, maintenance and management) or hire a vacation rental firm.

While doing it all yourself may sound like a good idea (and the Internet has certainly made that a viable option with hundreds of rental listing sites), a recent study shows that owners spend an average of more than eight hours per week marketing and managing their vacation properties. This translates to a heavy time commitment that few people have.

Clark likens it to performing maintenance on your car.

“The average car owner doesn’t change their own oil or replace their own brake pads,” he said. “They leave it up to the professionals to do that. Why should it be any different for managing your vacation property?”

To take advantage of the added income, without having to invest a significant amount of time, professionally managed vacation rental companies provide the perfect balance. Typically, these firms assume responsibility for marketing and managing your property and taking care of any requests by the renters.

Professional management companies, such as Wyndham Vacation Rentals, can help keep your property occupied by using its vast network of resources and commitment to take care of guests’ experiences.

Unlike other vacation rental companies, Wyndham offers a host of unique benefit programs along with dynamic pricing to get owners the most value possible. Most importantly, it offers a Vacation Rental Bill of Rights that assures guests that Wyndham will take care of their needs every step of the way.

To learn more, visit www.wyndhamvacationrentals.com.

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