To Fee or Not to Fee—That Is the Question for Airbnb in Nashville

One side of an ongoing debate in Nashville wants to charge a fee for short-term rentals,; the other side wants to ban anything other than owner-occupied short-term rentals entirely.

1 minute read

January 23, 2018, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Nashville

ESB Professional / Shutterstock

"East Nashville Councilman Scott Davis has proposed amending legislation, BL-937, which is backed by Airbnb and short-term rental hosts, by adding a new $2 fee on to every short-term rental room night," reports Joey Garrison. "Proceeds would go to an entity called the North Nashville Consortium to benefit the construction of affordable housing."

According to Garrison, Davis's proposed Airbnb fee is highly controversial with supporters of another proposed bill, BL-608, "which would phase out short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods that aren’t occupied by owners." Garrison provides more of the detail of the political back and forth regarding the Davis's position, political future, and the short-term rental industry's support for the bill.

Hat tip to Rachel Dovey, who also covers the debate in Nashville and connects it to its precedents in other cities, like Seattle.

Thursday, January 18, 2018 in The Tennessean

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