City leaders around the world are struggling to control the short-term rental market, which many fear is jeopardizing the housing supply and displacing longtime residents.
“Fearful of seeing long-term rental housing drain away to the tourist market, governments have experimented with a flurry of rules” to regulate short-term rentals (STRs), but no city has quite gotten it right, write Feargus O'Sullivan and Jessica Loudis in Bloomberg CityLab.
Some cities ban short-term rentals altogether; others focus on specific neighborhoods; yet others implement regulations such as owner occupation or caps on the number of nights a property can be rented. “But the effectiveness of these tools and rules have been brought into question in many cities that are struggling to overcome enforcement challenges — and outwit rental property owners who are determined to wriggle around the rules.”
The article describes the situation in cities including Copenhagen, Denmark, where short-term rentals have proliferated despite a ban on full-time STRs. Barcelona, Spain, which enacted strict regulations, still “struggles to control the market. Inside Airbnb estimated that 30% of the 15,655 Airbnb properties listed in the city at the end of June were illegal, having been posted with false license numbers.”
The article goes on to describe policies implemented in cities around the world, but concludes that the landscape will continue to shift as hosts seek out ways to circumvent rules and fees.
FULL STORY: Airbnb Hosts Try to Evade City Regulations, From Copenhagen to Catalonia
A ‘Black Market’ for Short-Term Rentals Grows in NYC
While many owners are listing their rentals on other websites, others are moving them back to the long-term rental market.
Study: Vacation Rentals Compounding South Florida Housing Crisis
A new study suggests that short-term rentals are contributing to the region’s housing shortage and helping drive up costs for renter households.
Op-Ed: We Shouldn't Rush to Regulate Airbnb
Is Airbnb a prime target for regulation, or is it just another way to expand the marketplace for bedrooms? Dan Bertolet urges caution. After all, couldn't less Airbnb just mean more hotels?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)