BAN SHORT-TERM TOURIST/VISITOR RENTALS RELEASE
Premier Daniel Andrews' moves to allow every home to operate as a commercial short-term Airbnb-type rental are considered by many to be no more than a ‘money grab’ and an opportunity to ‘look tough’. We judge these actions to be utterly destructive. Note:
British Columbia:
“The Role of Short-term Rentals in B.C.'s Rising Rents: A $2 Billion Impact, according to a Mcgill University Study.”
San Francisco Controller:
“The citywide economic harms associated with higher housing costs are fairly severe. According to the REMI model, removing a single housing unit from the market would have a total economic impact on the city’s economy of approximately -US$250,00 to -US$300,000 per year. This exceeds the annual total economic benefit from visitor spending, host income, and hotel tax, given prevailing short-term rental rates.”
New South Wales:
“You may be interested in this paper we had published a little while ago. While the data are a little out of date now, the paper establishes that there is a strong and local relationship in the way short term and long-term lettings interact. To say there is no influence of the former over the latter is therefore highly misleading.”
Professor Bill Randolph
City Futures Research Centre
Built Environment
UNSW (via email)
“In 2014, there were an estimated 216,000 STHL premises in NSW/ACT. The number of listings via online platforms is more than doubling each year between 2011-2015…”.
The Hon. Anthony Roberts MP The Hon. Matt Kean MP
Minister for Planning Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation
Minister for Housing
Special Minister of State
Mixing Airbnb-type rentals with permanent residents is judged “fundamentally incompatible”.
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Those forced to live surrounded by Airbnb-type rentals consider them a ‘living hell’.
Legislation in NSW covers Fire & Rescue standards, a Code of Conduct, ‘Night Caps’ in many Local Government Areas, and a registration process. None of this has administrative oversight; none of this legislation is being enforced.
The actions of the Victorian Premier are nothing but contempt for the fundamental right to housing and contempt for the proprietary rights of those who, having undertaken all due diligence, entered into legal agreements for the purchase of Title Deeds on homes in residential buildings and residential zones.
State Governments must mandate: All Local Councils MUST enforce residential zoning. Look to New York City for your template.
