A battle in Forest Hills over the use of home rental websites like Airbnb has ended after a vote by City Commissioners.
Commissioners voted unanimously to pass an ordinance that reinforced short-term residential rentals are prohibited in city limits.
The issue first came to light last month, when city leaders in the purely residential city learned some residents were renting their homes through sites like Airbnb. A city ordinance has always prohibited such activity, but city leaders said many residents weren’t aware of the rule.
A second public hearing on the issue Thursday night also attracted a large crowd, and people with strong opinions on both sides of the issue addressed commissioners.
“This isn’t a harmless enterprise,” said one resident. “This is a big issue. Noise and trash will turn our quiet area into a tourist hot spot.”
“By regulating short-term rentals in a way that takes into consideration the valid concerns, I think we can prevent some of the horror stories you’ve heard about,” added another resident.
Many residents who rented out rooms in their homes through Airbnb said they weren’t aware they were violating the city ordinance and were simply trying to make sure of empty rooms in their homes and bring in some extra money.
Mayor John Lovell said he hoped Thursday’s vote clarified the issue.
“All we did tonight was pass the ordinance which reinforced the ordinance that was already in the books,” said Mayor Lovell. “We put people on notice it is illegal and they need to stop doing it.”
Mayor Lovell said now the city will send out letters to residents reminding them all short-term rentals are not allowed, and that they can no longer advertise their homes on sites like Airbnb. The city is still finalizing how to enforce the ordinance, but would consider possible fines for violations.
