Local Governments Restricting STRs

[Emanuel Blando]

On 5/3/2023 the City of Kansas City, MO announced that Short-Term Rentals will be completely banned in ALL residential zoning!  I had not taken it seriously until I read a couple of articles outlining their plans.  Most of Kansas City's STRs were already operating 'illegally' up to this point and the city doesn't have the resource to enforce their permitting requirements.  Just 7% of KC's BNBs were permitted.  But now they plan to enlist the help of the platforms like Airbnb in enforcing their law by requiring Airbnb to not list any properties that have a KC address, with heavy fines on hosts for not complying.  (links about all this below)

What I want to know:  Is there anyone that knows of other cities that have taken similar measures?  Has the government been successful in getting the cooperation of Airbnb and other platforms?  How does it all go down when a city begins to ban bnbs?

https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/2033/16
https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-05-04/kansas-city-council-will-vote-on-restricting-airbnbs-in-residential-neighborhoods

[James Hamling]

Quote from @Tim Bee:

Quote from @James Hamling:

@Emanuel Blando Just looking at this whole thing with no bias in any direction, it's a really smart mechanism they are using to make this enforcement. 

They have obviously learned from other areas trying to enforce such that issuing fines alone does little, but creating regulation that empowers the city to send a "delist" notice to the handful of platforms STR Operators use, well it "cut's em off at the pass" doesn't it. Smart, it's really smart, credit where it's due.

And it reads to me that they said "Ok, people want to operate like a hotel, well then they can exist like a hotel" and hotels have to comply with zoning regulations of being in a commercial zoning, which often is a completely different world of taxation. I am willing to bet that's a component to this. 

For how it all goes down, the regulations linked seem to outline it rather clearly, I don't see a reason for confusion, unless your thinking the city government will go through all the trouble of making such regulations to just sit back and not enforce it. It just is what it is, unless you have the $ to burn via filling suite and trying to get an injunction, just accept it and move on. 

Let capitalism regain control and communism get out of the way. The most terrifying words in the English Language are: I'm from the government, and I'm here to help. 

Look, I am "The Guy" for limited government, and I think your way over-exaggerating this. Zoning regulations are an absolute must, to let people build what-ever, where-ever, is a recipe for a disaster of a city. What this city regulation is doing is exactly what they are supposed to do, throttle commerce to sustainable levels and placement. A market flooded with STR's is not good, and that's exactly what brought this issue to come.

Also, setting a standard on how such business's are run, is the difference between the U.S. landscape and that of, let's say Nigeria. It's not communism to direct a cities development and commerce in an intelligent manner. Your just sore because it's has impact on yourself. How do you feel about food inspectors? Should they get out of those inspections? Used car dealers, should they be allowed to open shop anywhere regardless of zoning? 

Look, I hate to tell you but they are right, residential zoning is designed and meant for residential use, NOT hospitality. There is a design to cities for a reason, not just random "communist" motives. 

This is an example of city doing it's actual job. The density of STR's is getting out of hand, so they have to do something. That is a common theme all over the place. They didn't have an issue with it, until people made it an issue. MFH has to live in the same scope of adhering to zoning does it not? Every other business has to follow such, so why should STR get special exclusionary rights?

They are not removing capitalism, they are setting the boundaries, which is their job. Every business has such boundaries for operation. The issue seems to be more-so of not wanting to be forced to operate as a a hospitality business.