- The pandemic sparked a boom in short-term rentals, and AirDNA found listings hit an all-time high in 2022.
- Some residents and officials in hot cities claim that these rentals deplete the housing stock or cause noise pollution.
- The following 24 cities across North America are looking to curb Airbnbs and short-term rentals.
Airbnbs and other short-term rental platforms have become a go-to for investors during the pandemic as high house prices and rising interest rates have made it unaffordable for regular buyers to enter the market.
Investors have sought to maximize their returns by renting homes to growing numbers of vacationers, traveling nurses and telecommuters. But as the calendar turns to 2023, there is more competition than ever for short-term rentals which will make it more difficult for investors looking to capitalize on the travel boom created by the pandemic.
But that hasn’t stopped a number of vacation rental owners and property managers from cashing in – in the US and Canada – which has frustrated some of their neighbors.
For many, it pays off. Airbnb reported that the average US host income rose to more than $13,800 in 2021, an 85% increase since 2019. At the start of 2022, there was an industry record of 1.5 million listings available, according to analytics site AirDNA.
Residents say the growing presence of short-term rentals in their neighborhoods can cause a variety of problems, ranging from mundane annoyances (noisy parties) to significant challenges (they make it harder for ordinary people to buy homes).
Towns and villages are caught in the middle, trying to balance these concerns with the income holidaymakers bring in and the rights of homeowners. From the beaches of California to the mountains of Vermont, communities are grappling with what the future of short-term rentals looks like.
Some local governments, like Honolulu, have passed regulations such as banning rental stays of less than 90 days, while others, like Aspen, Colorado, have proposed new taxes for landlords. Some cities simply called the timeout: Chattanooga, Tennessee, suspended new applications for non-owner-occupied units as it considered the future of short-term rentals there.
An Airbnb spokesperson said in an emailed statement that “short-term rentals have been part of the fabric of popular vacation destinations like these for decades, and our goal is to work with communities on balanced rules that support local tourism economies, provide certainty and clarity for hosts, and address community concerns.” Airbnb also maintains a page on its site called City Portal, which contains resources for local governments.
Here are 23 cities in the United States and Canada where residents and local politicians are fighting against short-term rentals. They are presented in alphabetical order.
Are you trying to pass regulations to limit short-term rentals? Do you own a short-term rental and want to talk about your experience with the regulations? Email reporter Dan Latu at [email protected].
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