new regulations of airbnb
37hastings
Boston has new regulations of airbnb in West Roxbury.
They take effect in 2019.
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A third approved amendment came from District 6 Councilor Matt O'Malley, who pushed for data collection system to track how the city's new ordinance will affect renters, home buyers and homeowners across neighborhoods. All but Flaherty himself voted in favor of the data-collection system.
O'Malley was a fierce supporter of the owner-adjacent unit 120-day rental cap, which was rejected by councilors in a 7-6 vote. O'Malley -- who represents the neighborhoods of West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and parts of Roslindale and Roxbury -- said he feared the absence of a rental cap would allow owners in Boston's outer neighborhoods to justify pushing out tenants in favor of tourists.
"By banning most Airbnbs in larger buildings while allowing unlimited Airbnbs in owner-adjacent units of triple deckers, we push the conversions, the rent increases and the evictions," O'Malley said. "From Chinatown to Roslindale, from the North End to Roxbury, from Back Bay to East Boston."
O'Malley compared the short-term rental and housing markets to Jenga: pull one at the wrong juncture, he said, and the whole thing can collapse. He said that by allowing owner-adjacent rentals 365 days a year, predictions found nearly 1,700 homes could change from renters to tourists, creating "de facto hotels" across the city.
Officials said earlier that the ordinance was created to put nearly 2,000 units back on the housing market.
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https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/boston-joins-other-cities-in-limiting-airbnb-rentals
Boston Joins Other Cities in Limiting Airbnb Rentals
https://northendwaterfront.com/2018/06/mayor-walsh-signs-short-term-rental-airbnb-regulations-grace-period-through-september-1-2019/
Mayor Walsh Signs Short-Term Rental / Airbnb Regulations; Grace Period Through September 1, 2019
http://www.wbur.org/bostonomix/2018/06/13/airbnb-boston-council-proposal-vote
Boston city councilors voted 11 to 2 Wednesday to approve an ordinance to regulate short-term housing rentals done through platforms like Airbnb. And Mayor Marty Walsh says he looks forward to signing the legislation.
The measure does allow people who live in a residence to rent it out on a short-term basis — either a room in the unit, the entire unit or an adjacent unit in a two- or three-family home. All such rentals would have to register with the city and pay varying annual fees.
The most notable change approved by city councilors is an amendment that allows people in two- and three-family homes to rent out their adjacent unit for 365 days a year. Walsh's proposal had capped such rentals at 120 days a year.
Short-term rental operators and residents who use these services have pushed for less restrictive rules. They say short-term rental platforms help people earn much-needed extra income and provide affordable housing options for visitors to the city.
Meanwhile, housing advocates worry about displacement and affordability due to the growing short-term rental industry. The hotel industry has long called for a more even playing field, arguing that short-term rentals operate like hotels and should be regulated. The industry praised Wednesday's vote.
https://boston.curbed.com/2018/6/13/17460760/boston-airbnb-regulations-what-are-rules
Boston Airbnb regulations target tenants, investors renting per night
Rules largely spare owner-occupied properties
The new regulations target tenants and investors who rent out apartments on a per-night basis. The rules largely spare smaller owner-occupied properties such as two- and three-family homes. Units in those can still be rented out if the owner is there.
The regulations also establish a city registry for short-term rental hosts, who will have to pay a $200 fee to join it. That registry will be publicly available, ostensibly making it easier for residents to know who or what is renting out space in their neighborhoods through Airbnb.
The rules take effect January 1, 2019.
https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/06/sign_of_the_times_massachusett.html
Boston City Council votes for Airbnb regulations, elimination of 'investor units'
Updated Jun 14
Members of the Boston City Council voted 11-2 on Wednesday to pass an ordinance that eliminates "investor units," creates a short-term rental data-collection system and allows owners to offer short-term rentals 365 days of the year.
Councilors wrestled with Mayor Marty Walsh's ordinance and a new draft proposed by City Councilor At-Large Michael Flaherty on Tuesday, adding three amendments to pass the ordinance that pro-regulation advocates have been pushing for over the last few years.
Following the vote, the Mass. Lodging Association was quick to say the council "demonstrated true leadership by acting to protect Boston from exploitation at the hands of wealthy, out-of-town interests."
Supporters of the ordinance say short-term rental companies like Airbnb are a main driver behind the affordable housing crisis in Boston, or what At-Large Councilor Ayanna Pressley called "a public health crisis."
Airbnb, on the other hand, called the council's vote "disappointing," saying it hurt Boston renters.
Airbnb said the ordinance's passing was "proof that our community's feedback and concerns were not heard. The new ordinance unfortunately creates a system that violates the privacy of our hosts, and prevents Boston families from making much-needed extra income in one of the country's most expensive cities."
Flaherty's new draft included similar language as the Walsh proposal, including the removal of "investor units," or properties that owners rent but do not live in. But Flaherty's revision did make some changes, namely the removal of Walsh's measure to cap "owner-adjacent" rentals (commonly double and triple-decker homes) at 120 days per year.
Flaherty also added language to require an annual report on the new short-term rental registry, which he said will be filed starting June 30, 2019.
At the end of the hours-long discussion, District 9 Councilor Mark Ciommo and District 3 Councilor Frank Baker were the only two to vote against the amended ordinance. The measure will now go on to Mayor Marty Walsh.
"It's one of those things where not everyone is going to be completely pleased, but I did the best to try to get and find that middle ground," Flaherty said at the City Council meeting on Wednesday.
Councilors approved several more amendments initiated during the meeting, including a proposal by At-Large Councilor Michelle Wu to allow owners to only rent out one full unit at a time when they're not on-site.
An approved joint amendment by Wu and District 3 Councilor Frank Baker created a "sunset period" to provide more time for those with pre-existing agreements or contracts. Such renters now have until September so they have the opportunity to run their leases out a few months longer.
A third approved amendment came from District 6 Councilor Matt O'Malley, who pushed for data collection system to track how the city's new ordinance will affect renters, home buyers and homeowners across neighborhoods. All but Flaherty himself voted in favor of the data-collection system.
O'Malley was a fierce supporter of the owner-adjacent unit 120-day rental cap, which was rejected by councilors in a 7-6 vote. O'Malley -- who represents the neighborhoods of West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and parts of Roslindale and Roxbury -- said he feared the absence of a rental cap would allow owners in Boston's outer neighborhoods to justify pushing out tenants in favor of tourists.
"By banning most Airbnbs in larger buildings while allowing unlimited Airbnbs in owner-adjacent units of triple deckers, we push the conversions, the rent increases and the evictions," O'Malley said. "From Chinatown to Roslindale, from the North End to Roxbury, from Back Bay to East Boston."
O'Malley compared the short-term rental and housing markets to Jenga: pull one at the wrong juncture, he said, and the whole thing can collapse. He said that by allowing owner-adjacent rentals 365 days a year, predictions found nearly 1,700 homes could change from renters to tourists, creating "de facto hotels" across the city.
Officials said earlier that the ordinance was created to put nearly 2,000 units back on the housing market.
In Boston and other cities, Airbnb is seen as both dangerous and beneficial. City councilors like Mark Ciommo said they have heard horrifying anecdotal stories of landlords vacating tenants to make room for short-term rentals.
Neighborhoods like Chinatown have seen a dramatic transformation in recent years as short-term rentals skyrocketed across the city.
"I support this ordinance and regulation of short-term rentals so we may ensure that areas like Chinatown remain a neighborhood of working-class immigrants," District 2 Councilor Ed Flynn said. "I want to ensure that immigrant workers and longtime residents will not be pushed out of Boston."
But others, like District 7 City Councilor Kim Janey who represents Roxbury, and parts of the South End, Dorchester, and Fenway, said she spoke to residents who use the additional income from short-term rentals as a way to subsidize lower rents for long-term tenants, or as a way to pay off mortgages.
Janey said "striking a balance" of protecting the small property owners and removing investor units was a win. All councilors agreed that time would tell what kind of impact the ordinance would have on the city's housing and rental markets.