Game On: But Where Will Everyone Stay?

With the World Cup upon us this summer and the LA Olympics just two years away, the issue of housing and living accommodations has become a major topic of discussion.

With travelers flocking from around the world, we see people searching for hotels, apartments, and homes to rent in many of our major cities throughout Los Angeles and the South Bay. It was no coincidence that in June 2025, Airbnb and FIFA announced a multi-tournament partnership moving into the future. It is reported that over 380,000 guests are expected to use Airbnb for their housing needs during the World Cup 2026, generating an estimated impact of $3.6 billion for the local economies of host cities.

To examine how this will impact local housing, we will touch on what we are hearing and seeing in our own communities. To add some background, our own Peter Hazdovac has been named the committee chairman for Croatia House in San Pedro for LA28. This group, selected by LA City Councilmember Tim McOsker, is composed of individuals ranging from local government, the Port of LA, Chamber of Commerce, and other community advocates.

A country’s “House” is not a place where they actually sleep, but more a location for each country to share their culture, traditions, gastronomy, etc., with the Olympic spirit in mind. In our coastal town, this will feel more like a pavilion on our waterfront, with viewing screens and a place for the public to come together to celebrate athletes competing, while also hosting various community events.

San Pedro was the first city in LA to be named a “House” for a select country for LA28, and, with the large Croatian community, it is a perfect fit. As you can imagine, this will also attract people from around the world, boost our community’s economy, and offer a golden opportunity to share our fantastic town with many. But where will everyone sleep?

Eighteen months into our planning for LA28, we have come to realize that our options for short-term housing are extremely limited. We can also connect this on a broader economic scale, which exposes our lack of housing inventory and availability of new housing. This has been an ongoing theme in our past articles and is one of the primary reasons why our local housing prices remain stable.

To add to our need for local housing solutions, San Pedro’s outer harbor was named the sailing venue for LA28, which will attract another group of worldwide travelers coming to train, prepare, and eventually compete. These sailing teams do not just come for the actual Olympics; they begin traveling to the competition locations months and years in advance to acclimate to the conditions they will face in a real competition. With hotels in our area hovering at a 3-star level and prices rising due to high demand, travelers are looking for alternatives, especially those staying for longer periods.

So how can you possibly get involved, support, or even monetize these events coming to our area? Some home and condo owners are looking at this as an opportunity to jump into short-term rentals. Although you must meet certain criteria to rent a furnished property, the rents an owner can fetch for these events can sometimes be two to four times higher than the normal rents for long-term tenant rentals.

With ever-changing landlord-tenant laws in Los Angeles, we are hearing of more owners turning away from traditional rental models and considering the unique opportunities this presents. Have an Airbnb or furnished rental you would like to share with our local Olympic planning committee? Please email us at info@hhcoastal.com, and we can add it to our internal list of potential available housing. spt