As short-term rentals of homes and rooms in residential areas proliferate, so too does concern about how this will affect neighborhood character and home prices. Neighbors have complained about a lack of parking, too much noise and an accumulation of trash.
Debate over how best to regulate these businesses can sometimes confuse Virginia's cities and towns, but these are local problems and require local solutions. . That's why Governor Glenn Youngkin should veto any bill that would curb the ability of local governments to impose sensible regulations that are best for their residents.
This year's General Assembly passed a bill that limits some of the power of local governments to regulate short-term rentals available through Airbnb and Vrbo. Introduced by Sen. Lamont Bagbee, D-Richmond, it has bipartisan support and awaits Youngkin's action.
The measure would not eliminate existing local short-term rental regulations, but would limit new regulations. If this becomes law, local governments would have to impose new regulations, such as requiring special exceptions, special use permits, or conditional use permits for property owners to offer short-term rentals involving their primary residence. It disappears.
Bagbee's bill would eliminate time-consuming and costly bureaucracy and make the process of offering short-term rentals easier and more uniform across the state, including Airbnb, Virginia Realtors, and some companies. Endorsed by tech companies.
However, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Virginia League of Cities, and several areas, including Virginia Beach and Hampton, strongly opposed it. Their main objection is that the bill would limit local governments' ability to shape short-term rental policy in a way that reflects residents' interests and particular circumstances.
Certainly, it is important for cities and counties to continue to be responsive to the concerns and needs of their residents, rather than imposing cookie-cutter rules to make it easier for businesses offering short-term rentals to operate.
The danger of Richmond's one-size-fits-all regulations is that they do not take into account the differences between different regions. What works in Roanoke, Charlottesville, or Fairfax may not work as well in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, or the Hamptons.
Hampton Roads' tourism industry makes short-term rentals particularly attractive to homeowners here, but full-time residents often have mixed feelings about where and how it operates. . That's why our city thoroughly debated this issue before imposing thoughtful regulations that balance permitting short-term rentals with protecting residents' rights.
The rapid growth of short-term rentals makes it even more important for local governments to be responsive to residents' concerns. Thousands of such rental properties are already available throughout Hampton Roads. AirDNA, a company that provides data on short-term rentals, has 2,900 active listings in Virginia Beach, 2,000 in Norfolk, 710 in Hampton, 444 in Portsmouth, 269 in Chesapeake, 243 in Newport News, and 70 in Suffolk. It is reported that there is a property. He has 2,500 in nearby Williamsburg.
We are still learning the many ways more short-term rentals can transform neighborhoods. For example, there are growing concerns about what economists call the “Airbnb effect,” which could make it more expensive to buy or rent a home as more homes are used as short-term rentals.
On the other hand, some homeowners may wish to be able to offer a room or “mother-in-law suite” above their garage as a short-term rental as an additional source of income to continue to maintain their home. not.
With so much uncertainty, it is even more important that regions continue to be able to develop short-term rental regulations that address the specific needs of their communities.
The people who call Hampton Roads home and live there deserve a say in how their community evolves. They need to be able to provide sufficient information on short-term rental regulations and trust that their interests will be addressed.
The governor should veto this bill and prevent the state from interfering with these local issues.