If housing availability were actually a problem then short term rentals would be impossible due to demand/occupation.
The kleptocrats and their media scribes don’t even try to lie convincingly these days.
I think this all boils down to class, location and haves vs. have nots, myself. The one thing you probably can count on is that any part of privileged California coast Dem Society is that gubmint gots to get their cut. Their goal (maybe public, maybe not) is to get revenue from this.