Group wants say if rules are proposed
A group of property owners who offer short-term rentals on sites such as Airbnb have formed a coalition to work with Columbus leaders exploring regulation of such rentals.
The Columbus Hosts Alliance was formed in November, several months after The Dispatch reported that the Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association was working with Columbus officials to explore the types of regulations that many major cities have put in place.
Airbnb recently said Columbus is one of its fastest-growing markets in the U.S., as 57,780 guests spent $6.5 million renting Columbus properties last year.
Meetings are being planned this month to discuss regulation, said Lee Cole of the Columbus City Council Legislative Research Office. The office has put together a list of ideas based on what other cities are doing, including everything from requiring annual licenses or permits that must be renewed for a modest fee, to capping at 90 the number of days a host may offer a property for short-term rental within a 12-month period. Cole stressed that the list is not “inclusive or exclusive,” and doesn’t represent any kind of final proposal.
Michael Stinziano, a city councilman who’s taken a leading role in researching the issue, said he’s been getting useful input for months on the topic, but said “the sausage continues to be made.” He said it’s possible that the issue may be taken up by city council before the end of February.
The Columbus Hosts Alliance represents homeowners who rent rooms or homes through Airbnb and other platforms including HomeAway, Couchsurfing and HomeToGo. Zach James, one of the group’s founding members, said the group understands that regulation may be called for.
“I think some minimal safety standards are critical to the sustainability of hosting,” said James, who rents a home he owns in Weinland Park through Airbnb. “People want to know the people doing business this way are being held to some degree of accountability and safety, so I’m in full support of operating licenses for hosts that register folks with the city and binds them to a commitment to uphold safety standards such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, those sorts of things.”
Airbnb said it supported “reasonable regulations,” but not limits on the number of times a property can be rented, which some cities have proposed.
“Nearby cities such as Louisville and Cleveland have taken even-handed approaches to homesharing regulations that work for everyone,” the company said in a statement sent to The Dispatch. “We look forward to the opportunity to meet with Columbus policymakers and allow local hosts a seat at the table to develop a law that is good for Columbus.”
The Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association has been working with the city to craft what is says are commonsense measures that would ensure public safety and create a more level playing field between short-term rentals and hotels. James said he and other members of the group are also willing to pay taxes on rental income, something the lodging association has raised.
In a statement, Joe Savarise, executive director of the Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association, said: “Short-term online rentals encompass many types of business. On the extreme end, we must guard against the creation of illegal hotels operating outside of regulations. However, our organization has no desire to throttle these types of platforms and will continue to work with the city and the businesses in this portion of our industry for reasonable oversight.”
Jordan Fromm, who has hosted guests in his Columbus home for two years through Airbnb, isn’t opposed to regulation as long as it’s carefully crafted and preserves the service. Fromm said the room he rents provides a reasonably priced and personalized option for guests.
“They can’t afford a hotel and they want to be in a home with someone who knows about the city,” Fromm said. “They want a personal touch, they want to meet someone new.”
Fromm rents the room for anywhere from $30 to $100 a night, depending on demand. He has hosted more than 220 guests the past two years.
“I can’t afford my mortgage without it,” he said. “A lot of things have changed for me for the better — my standard of living has increased, it’s allowed me to afford to get married, and I’ve found something I love to do.”