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.
"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.
Read the full story: Nashville councilman’s short-term rental fee proposal blasted by Airbnb critics
Cincinnati Ponders Short-Term Rental Regulations
Controversies short-circuited similar legislation in 2018, but the Cincinnati City Council is taking up the issues surrounding short-term rentals again this year.
L.A. Adopts Strict Short-Term Rental Regulations
The Los Angeles City Council approved significant new regulation of short-term rentals, available on platforms like Airbnb, earlier this week.
Airbnb Suing Boston Over New Regulations
The front lines of the short-term rental wars shift to the city of Boston.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello