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<br /> September 23, 2019, Work Session – Item 3 <br /> <br />The platforms that facilitate short-term rentals are described in Dinatale’s report as a means to give people access to a user-friendly, global marketplace for home sharing. Some of the benefits identified are: <br />o Increased tourism in local communities, which can increase spending in a local economy (some note this would occur if these travelers utilized more traditional sources like hotels) <br />o Adding jobs (in servicing STRs) to the local economy <br />o Helping property owners earn extra income <br />o Offering visitors a local experience <br />o Contributing to Transient Room Taxes In addition to benefits, there are perceived negative impacts of STRs including the loss of tax revenue (where a TRT is not collected) and perceived impacts on traditional lodging business. The research reviewed by staff did not validate impacts to lodging businesses. Other impacts identified are: <br />o Nuisance issues, including noise, garbage and increased traffic <br />o Impacts to livability by creating a sense that people in neighborhood are transitory <br />o Impacts to affordable and available housing There has been a great deal of discussion about whether and to what extent STRs impact housing affordability and availability. While it does appear that STRs impact both, the research varies regarding to what degree. Many short-term rentals are offered for a few days per year, so they are not removed as housing stock. Dinatale’s report indicates that approximately 70 percent of Airbnb hosts generate less than $10,000 per year and of those, 30 percent generate less than $600/year. Several communities in Oregon and across the nation have chosen to regulate STRs through licensing requirements and there are several different standards that apply with varying frequency. Options for consideration are: <br />o Outright ban <br />o License and renewal fee <br />o Owner-occupancy requirement <br />o Limit the number of days a unit can be rented <br />o Limit STRs to certain areas <br />o Separation requirements between STRs (existing units would likely be grandfathered) <br />o Inspection requirements <br />o Permit revocation based on number of complaints per calendar year <br />o Requirements for on-line platforms to assist in regulations <br />o Parking requirements Staff have spoken with a representative from the NLC as well as from the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association. Neither of these entities is requesting that STRs be banned. Rather, the request is that they are regulated to mitigate negative impacts to neighborhoods. ORLA indicates that the most effective city regulations are ones that include accountability for the online