Alice down the Air BnB and VRBO rabbit hole continues. Mostly Chester County and crazy to reasonable prices, so many municipalities. Most, but not all municipalities, have provisions for these “short term rentals.“ However, I still think that in a lot of cases, they don’t know where all of these “short term rentals” are within their municipalities.
Then you have to wonder if municipalities are leaving money on the table? Do they charge these “short term rentals“ annual fees? Are there more frequent inspections? Do they see if these properties are carrying extra insurance that one would think they would need?
It’s not just a cottage industry for people who don’t know what to do with properties, you also have the speculative don’t you? So how does this affect the overall health of the community? I’m not saying they’re bad, but it seems like there is a glut of them doesn’t it?
They are limiting Air BnBs and VRBOs in Europe. They’re doing it to preserve the character and history of places among other things.
I found an interesting BBC article from this past July:
BBC What does a world without Airbnb look like?
And that’s the thing isn’t it? These are another form of flipper these people that do these short term, rental places, and they are competing with families and individuals looking for a place to live that’s somewhat affordable.
I think, given the glut of these short term rentals on the Main Line and Chester County and other places like Chadds Ford or Edgemont, etc. we probably need some rules. Could short term rental properties like this also be yet another reason why the Municipalities Planning Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania might want to be updated since it hasn’t really been done since 1969?
Well, this is just some more to think on. At the bottom are the two other posts I have written this week on this topic.
This was a topic of discussion, apparently in Harrisburg this summer :
Testifiers shed light on need for short-term rental regulation in PA
Policy hearing examined impact of short-term rentals on housing availability, tourism
PITTSBURGH, JULY 29 – The number of short-term rental properties are on the rise in Pennsylvania, and testifiers at Monday’s House Majority Policy Committee hearing on the topic detailed the need to introduce regulations to address ongoing concerns.
The hearing, hosted by Rep. Lindsay Powell (D-Allegheny), examined the increase of short-term rental properties and its impact on tourism and housing availability. In 2022, there were 107 active short-term rental properties in Lawrenceville, but that number has since doubled and continues to increase. This increase in rental property ownership comes amid a housing crisis facing residents across the state.
“We have a growing need to make sure we have affordable, accessible, and dignified housing. We also have a need to expand our tourism efforts in Western Pennsylvania,” said Powell. “We need to explore ways we can expand tourism while creating more opportunities for affordable housing in a way that they are not diametrically opposed.”
Testifiers noted a disturbing trend of out-of-town entities purchasing homes for the sole purpose of turning them into a short-term rental properties. A recent Corporate Housing Studyshowed an 18% increase in houses sold to corporate entities in Allegheny County.
“There’s strong evidence that short-term rentals exacerbate our affordability crisis by reducing the overall supply of rental housing through conversions into short-term rentals and by boxing out prospective homebuyers,” said Dave Breingan, Executive Director of Lawrenceville United. “This will disproportionately impact low-income and elderly homeowners, families with children and first-time homebuyers.”
Testifiers agreed that local, responsible short-term rental operators can and have helped positively impact the area. However, many out-of-town entities purchase property for short-term rental use, then neglect their responsibilities. This has led to massive late-night parties that come with disruptive noise, public drunkenness, fighting and littering.
With the impacts on housing affordability, public safety and tourism, testifiers detailed the need for more regulations on short-term housing ownership. Recommendations include preserving housing stock for traditional homeownership, introducing efforts to minimize public nuisance complaints and reducing heavy concentrations of short-term rentals in residential areas.
I don’t know why our communities aren’t having more conversations about the short term rentals. Actually, I do know because look what happened in Willistown when they were almost discussed a while back, and it’s like everything goes underground. It’s a very contentious in West Chester borough right now. It was an issue in West Vincent.
This is a curious issue. I think perhaps it would be less curious if communities would discuss this openly. And I don’t think it’s for in a lot of cases a lack of residents trying. I really think it goes back in the end to each municipality, and how they are approaching the topic, if they have approach the topic, and maybe if they need to discuss the topic some more. 
Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve found it’s sometimes cheaper to stay at a hotel!