How would that be proven if the home is obviously still furnished for “guests” and the owner returns once a week, showing his or her face, to clean the place for the next guests? Who’s to say how many nights someone has to sleep in their residence to prove residency? Who would police this? Who would this burden fall on?
The neighbors?
If the Airbnb is a problem for the neighbors but apparently not a problem for the owner then either the owner is an asshole, and the city should be called, or the owner is not living on the premises and the city should be called.
If the owner is in residence what problems do you see manifesting?
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Lots of red tape to iron out. Like someone said earlier Raleigh is a neighborhood town and we don’t have a real entertainment district so problems like this will arise the more these Airbnb’s pop up. I am not a nimby and under 35 so I am all for progress but when it comes to something as sacred as my home, my sanctuary from the big bad world I want stability. I don’t want to have to police my neighbors. I also want to live in a society where if people do rent their houses out they are considerate of the neighborhood. This issue is so big, it’s going to take a lot of critical thinking on how to implement this in Raleigh—a city with no true hotel/entertainment district but a city of neighborhoods. A place people invested in for the stability of knowing who’s living next door to them.
That’s if you’re assuming that’s what all Airbnb guests do.
Sometimes people want to have a life and vacation on a budget in a place where they don’t have friends or relatives or money for a $280 hotel room in the cheesy touristy area of a town.
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I’ve got a guest house in our backyard that we started renting on ABNB in the fall. So far so good, though not perfect. One set of guest complained about the age of the place (built in 1940, and it looks like it!! lol) and then left the place very messy - though not trashed. They were contractors, which we get a lot of around these parts. We’ve tweaked our rental policy to discourage contractors staying for the week. The other issue we’ve had is dip sticks flushing baby wipes down the toilet and clogging the sewer pipe. That was NO fun, but again we’ve tried to be clear about the policy on that. Over all, we’ve had a good experience with it - thus far. Now, I am not in Raleigh and have no direct neighbors because of our lot size, so take this for its worth.
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Thanks for sharing. I think Airbnb works better in places with big lots like you. In my neighborhood the lots are matchbox. My house is nine feet from both of my next door neighbors. I can literally hear them flush their toilet. And it’s not a townhouse.
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Let me just add that our issue here is the city (really a village) is discussing making us pay the lodging tax. There are exactly 4 of ABNB units in this hamlet, 2 of them rent rooms in the house, 2 of them are guest houses. But I guess this speaks more to the issues of raising revenue in Alabama than anything. Unlike NC, where the county commission and city council can change your property taxes at will, it takes an act of the state legislature to authorize a city wide vote on changing property taxes here. And let me tell you, we get exactly what we pay for . . .
Commence personal Airbnb storytime.
My wife and I stayed in 5 Airbnb’s in Italy, France, and Switzerland for our honeymoon, all of which were under $100 per night. Some we’re not great but we chose based on location and the experience could not be imitated by a hotel - no way. Here was my $65 a night view in Italy. Thank you Airbnb.
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I can totally see how that would be unnerving and anxiety producing - the unknown of what you’ll get week to week. Of course you always run the risk of having the Bumpuses moving in permanently next door - but at least you’d know what you were dealing with every day!
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People don’t generally “police” their neighbors until there is an issue - I.e., it is an “issue” that generates the policing.
I suspect the majority of folks would like the sanctity of their dwelling maintained - up to and including the homeowner, living on the premises, and renting out rooms.
IMO the inconsiderate owners/managers of a few whole house rentals, like the one in your neighborhood, is a valid concern.
Conflating the two types is not.
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That’s all I’m saying. My concern is valid and one that I’ve lived through. And it was not fun. So I don’t want people discrediting it or not thinking of the few bad apples when the city council makes a decision that’s not popular. Just think of all sides and how this affects all homeowners. I’ve stayed in Airbnbs at the beach and in DC so I use the service. However, being on the other side of the Airbnb table I also see the need for a critical common sense approach.
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Condo buildings and neighborhood associations probably have some leverage over Airbnb as well. That said, Raleigh certainly wouldn’t be the first city, and it won’t be the last, to put limits on it or run it out of town.
The problems really arise from hosts having no control over their guests, and those guests getting out of hand. At what point does someone’s property rights infringe upon the rights of others? If we didn’t have bad societal behaviors, there wouldn’t be issues with sharing economy platforms. Inconsiderate jerks have to mess it up for everyone.
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I’m not saying this board should be a safe space for urbanites but you do realize that most people here don’t want the city run like a suburban HOA. Which seems to be your mind set. Cities should be diverse, chaotic, and inclusive not banal, antiseptic, and entitled. Seems that’s the direction the current council would prefer.
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Yes, I agree with you 100 percent. Best comment of the day.
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So why haven’t we banned automobiles yet?
Why is it thought that owners living on the premises, and renting rooms, would permit the guests to infringe on the neighbors property rights?
I don’t know exactly what you mean by " but you do realize that most people here don’t want the city run like a suburban HOA" … but I actually think MOST people who own homes actually probably do want them run like a suburban HOA. I think you get confused that the very small amount of people living in downtown Raleigh actually want the same thing as the vast majority of those people living in a suburban setting in the Raleigh city limits.
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Permit? Once an owner rents to a guest they can’t control how said guests act and that infringes on a non-renting homeowner’s right to enjoy their property? Rental scores on the app and police being called are intermediaries but ultimately renting your home, like renting a car, is a risk for the owner. You can’t control how people behave when you hand them the keys and leave.
Exactly!!! Apparently you DO understand the problem…
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Because there is a governance mechanism in place that has consequences. When cars were first introduced, it was wild-wild west with them too.
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