District of Squamish wants to know what the community thinks of how best to regulate short term rentals in town.
The district will start the public engagement with community survey in late September.
This steps comes after a final report by the district’s affordable housing task force pressed on the need for a short term rental policy to address the ‘growing proliferation’ of unpermitted STRs, or short term rentals.
The district plans to regulate STRs and has been studying the topic since the spring of 2016. According to its research, there are 429 units in Squamish that allow short term rentals.
The district hired researcher found short term rentals across all vacation rental platforms available on the web, and that number on the rise.
In August 2016, for example, there were 200 Airbnb units available to rent in Squamish. That number increases to 300 units in the August of 2017, and is now over 400.
According to DOS research, as many 75 per cent of short term rentals involve entire homes, while 25 per cent are listed as a partial home.
However, there is no current data that can be tracked to find out if the units are principal dwellings, secondary suites or accessory suites.
Almost all STRs (97 per cent) are listed for a minimum of 7 nights or less, while only 1 per cent are available for a minimum stay of 30 nights.
The district allows short term rental for bed and breakfast in Squamish, and there are eight of them in town.
Jason says
They need to be licensed businesses paying MRDT. There is a need for this type of rental however they should not be allowed to utilize all the work Tourism Squamish and the DOS have done to increase traffic yet not pay the taxes designed to support those efforts.
Rick King says
I agree with Jason. But I have to add a little more. I have no problem with people trying to make a little money. It’s tough out there trying to make ends meet. Air B&B, go for it. But think about how it effects the people around your rental and not just about trying to make some extra cash. If you have an Air B&B, you should have to provide ONSITE parking for your guests. The little to non exitance parking in everyone’s neibourhood ,(and the entire town for that matter), such as on street parking, is a privilege, not a right. That on street parking that we all pay for through our municipal tax, is for us that live in the neibourhood. Charging the Air B&Ber’s an extra bit on their taxes will not solve the inconvenience to all of us that are effected by this. It’s not rocket science people. A few simple by laws could possibly make this workable for everyone.