Over the course of many years, short-term rentals listed on platforms like Airbnb have seen explosive growth throughout Massachusetts which has profoundly affected Massachusetts’ neighborhoods, especially in more urban areas, by reducing our housing stock and contributing to skyrocketing rents. Neighbors are disturbed by around the clock comings and goings of complete strangers, and the inevitable noise, trash and general nuisance that comes along with the partying that often accompanies these visitors.
For these reasons and more, cities and towns across the Commonwealth, including Cambridge and Boston, have passed ordinances bringing commonsense rules to the short-term rental market. These cities and many others need statewide action in order to effectively enforce those rules and to levy a fair share of taxes on these businesses like the ones traditional lodging businesses have always paid.
That is why the members of the Massachusetts Lodging Association were disappointed that Governor Baker chose not to sign a reasonable and thoughtful bill passed by the legislature that would have brought some sanity to the short-term rental industry, and created a more level tax and regulatory playing field between these businesses and traditional lodgers. With so much work having gone into crafting this legislation, we retain hope that the relatively small differences that led the governor to return the bill to the legislature can be resolved so that Massachusetts can move forward.
We urge lawmakers to take this final step so that Massachusetts does not remain the only New England state lacking a policy on short-term rentals.
Sincerely,
Paul Sacco
President & CEO
Massachusetts Lodging Association
Sandwich, MA
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