Many cities popular with tourists are dealing with the effects of a proliferation of short-term rental properties (brokered through the use of online platforms like Airbnb). New Orleans just took steps to legalize, but limit, short-term rentals.

"The New Orleans City Council approved Thursday (Oct. 20) what were described as landmark short-term rental regulations, legitimizing a practice that has flourished in recent years through listing websites," reports Kevin Litten.
"Most notable in the new rules is a limit on whole-home rentals to out-of-town guests to 90 days a year, and an outright ban on them in most of the French Quarter."
The issue of whether and how to regulate short-term rentals has caused heated controversy in recent years in New Orleans. "City Council members said the issue was among the most difficult they have encountered in recent memory," according to Litten.
Litten also cites Deputy Mayor Ryan Berni, who was on hand at the deciding City Council hearing to make the case for the approved regulation as "a fair compromise that balances the significant economic impact -- Airbnb estimates $316 million in New Orleans short-term rental revenue last year -- with the "integrity" of New Orleans neighborhoods."
FULL STORY: New Orleans City Council legalizes short-term rentals, limits whole-home listings

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
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