In a unanimous vote, the Boston Zoning Commission voted on Wednesday to force a public process for all Executive Suite occupancy applications. The ruling helps close a loophole in Boston’s relatively new regulations regarding short-term rentals (i.e., Airbnb). According to the Alliance of Downtown Civic Organizations, only about 20% of units listed on Airbnb have Read More…
Airbnb has issued a consumer advisory reminding Boston residents who list their home as a short-term rental to register with the City before Sunday, December 1st. Last January, Boston passed a law establishing guidelines to track and regulate short-term rentals in the City. The ordinance bans short-term rentals from non-owner occupied buildings, eliminating investor units Read More…
Six months since taking the helm as Commissioner of Boston’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD), Dion Irish intends to make an impact on several key initiatives. “ISD is like a giant ship and we need to maneuver to address new challenges,” said Irish, speaking at the November meeting of the North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association Read More…
The Boston City Council wants to make sure short-term rental units are following the new rules. At a hearing Thursday afternoon at City Hall, the council met to make sure AirBnb is complying with the new regulations. Those who choose to list their homes on AirBnb must register their units with the city and follow Read More…
Under a settlement agreement reached between Airbnb and the City of Boston this week, Airbnb will facilitate the City’s short-term rental registration system and remove listings for illegal short-term rentals from its website. The settlement affirms Boston’s ban on short-term rentals from non-owner occupied buildings, eliminating investor units and absentee Airbnb landlords. Owner-occupants may continue to Read More…
Governor Baker signed a bill to tax and regulate short term rentals in Massachusetts on Friday, December 29. The North End’s own Rep. Aaron Michlewitz helped lead the negotiations to bring together the Mass. House, Senate and Governor’s Office. It requires hosts to pay the same 5.7% lodging tax that is paid by hotels, unless they Read More…
State regulations on short-term rentals (AirBnB, HomeAway, VRBO, etc.) are back on the table after the Massachusetts House and Senate reached an agreement in late December, during the waning days of the two-year legislation session. Governor Baker received the revised bill on Thursday, December 20, and now has ten days to decide if he will sign Read More…
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 Read More…
Rep. Aaron Michlewitz appeared before the North End/Waterfront Residents Association (NEWRA) Thursday evening to give an update on the short term rentals/AirBnB legislation. Gov. Charle Baker sent back the Mass. legislature’s bill to regulate and tax short-term rentals (AirBnb, Homeaway, VRBO, etc.) in the beginning of August after formal legislature sessions have concluded for the year. Read More…
Governor Charlie Baker has sent back the Mass. legislature’s bill to regulate and tax short-term rentals (AirBnb, Homeaway, VRBO, etc.). Formal legislature sessions have concluded for the year which puts the entire regulatory effort in question. The action comes on the heels of the City of Boston passing its own short-term rental ordinance last month with Read More…
The property owner of 20 Moon Street, Jonathan Raisz, is petitioning the Boston Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA) to change the legal occupancy of the existing building from one commercial / four residential to a five unit residential dwelling. The proposal would make the garden level unit residential, which is currently zoned as commercial. The Read More…
One day after a Boston City Council vote, Mayor Martin J. Walsh signed the citywide ordinance establishing guidelines and regulations to better track and regulate short-term rentals in the City of Boston. This ordinance will go into effect on January 1, 2019 with a provision allowing current lease holders operating short term rentals the opportunity to continue operating Read More…