Two proposed ordinances under consideration get to the heart of the matter in Denver by requiring that short-term rental services like Airbnb only operate in "primary residences."
"Denver has been wrestling with the issue of short-term rentals — think Airbnb and VRBO — for two years but is finally poised to bring this outlaw economy into the legal light," begins an op-ed by the Denver Post Editorial Board.
The Denver City Council recently held the first public hearing on two ordinances meant to address the ongoing questions surrounding short-term rentals in the city. According to the op-ed, "One [of the ordinances] would amend the zoning code and the other create a licensing process."
The op-ed favors many of the most controversial provisions of the ordinance, including one that would limit short-term rentals to the "primary residences" of owners. "This rules out absentee landlords and the possibility of some neighborhoods transitioning into hospitality centers — or apartment buildings becoming de facto hotels." The editorial board favors that policy because it says Denver "is under no obligation to accommodate short-term rental empires that have grown up in the shadows."
FULL STORY: A sensible plan for Denver short-term rentals
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.