NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Newport News is now allowing the “legal” operation of short-term rentals in the city for the first time.
They will be “legal” in the sense that they will now have to hold a business license and pay transitional occupancy taxes to the city. However, a quick search on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo reveals that there are already hundreds of rental homes in the city. Many have been working for some time already.
Many of those owners walked out of the city council chambers on Tuesday night saying the actions taken now would make their operations “illegal.”
“It’s an absolute travesty. It’s a complete injustice,” Greg Garrett, CEO of Newport News-based Garrett Realty Partners, said following the city council’s 4-3 vote to approve the rental regulations. in the short term (STR.) “Injustice for people who are entrepreneurs, people who are in the real estate sector, for citizens, for neighborhoods.
Garrett was one of more than 30 people who addressed the board ahead of the vote. All but one spoke out against provisions that would require an STR operator to: limit overnight guests to two per
bedroom; provide on-site parking in addition to the number of spaces required for the property by zoning and require the property to be the owner’s primary residence.
“They basically eliminated 80% to 90% of rentals,” Garrett said.
Mayor McKinley Price, who along with Vice Mayor Saundra Cherry and council members Pat Woodberry and Sharon Scott, voted to approve the settlement, said it was about striking a balance.
The city council first considered establishing bylaws in 2019. However, following concerns, they were referred to the planning commission and city staff for consideration.
“A lot of time, research and in-depth discussions took place with representatives from various organizations and the community,” Price said. “The effort going forward is to put in place balanced regulations that allow reasonable accommodations for short-term rentals without sacrificing neighborhood character and exasperating the city’s already tight housing supply.”
Price said he’s seen too many communities that have regulations in place to backtrack after seeing problems in neighborhoods. Virginia Beach and Norfolk have been debating STR regulations for years.
However, the meeting ended with City Manager Cindy Rohlf pledging to bring back proposed changes that may allay some concerns.
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