Joes letter to the City regarding changing the zoning code to legalize short term rentals (like AirBnB): Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the subject proposal. I have reviewed the proposed zoning code amendments to legalize short-term rentals of rooms in Portland residential units and strongly support the code amendments as proposed by city staff. As someone who has stayed in airbnb properties around the world, I can vouch for the positive effect they have on neighborhoods, local businesses, and the traveling public. I also believe short-term rentals are crucial to our tourism economy as they accommodate travelers who are not interested in or can’t afford staying in a hotel. And from a neighborhood perspective, its nice to have short-term housing options for family and friends that cant fit in your own home during their stays. North Tabor neighborhood has several current airbnb hosts – one just a couple doors down from my house – and I find the impacts to be non-existent to minimal. I see new people every now and then, but they are commonly very cheerful and friendly. (This may be because they are on vacation and who isnt happy when youre on vacation?) I believe short term rentals are actually less impactful than long-term rentals where eviction laws make evicting problem tenants somewhat difficult. And of course, the occasional problem homeowners are the worst – they can’t be evicted. In short, the impacts of short-term rentals pales in comparison to the occasional “terrible neighbor next door” that can pop up anywhere one chooses to live – whether it be an apartment building, rural subdivision, or inner city neighborhood. In short, the benefits of short-term rentals far outweigh any potential impacts, which are no different than one would expect living in a residential neighborhood. I am concerned that the City could over-regulate short-term rentals by requiring annual permit renewals, increased fees, regular inspections, etc, which are currently not required of long-term rentals. If too many unnecessary regulations are placed on the market, a black market will more likely develop to no one’s benefit. Therefore, I strongly encourage the City to consider the minimum regulation necessary to reasonably ensure that short-term rentals operate in ways consistent with residential neighborhoods. In my opinion, the requirement that the homeowner or renter live on the property where 1-2 rooms or an ADU is being rented is more than sufficient in addressing any potential concerns. I also believe short-term rentals should be allowed everywhere that an existing residence is located, whether or not it is nonconforming use. The subject code amendments are long overdue. I urge the City to take action on this proposal without further delay. Thank you for considering my comments. Respectfully, Joe Recker
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 17:47:08 +0000
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