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…
The Boston City Council voted 11-2 on Wednesday to regulate short-term rentals (i.e., AirBnb, Homeaway, VRBO, etc.), supporting a bill close to the Mayor Walsh’s amended guidelines. The ordinance bans short-term rentals from non-owner occupied buildings, eliminating investor units and absentee Airbnb landlords. Owner-occupants may continue to list their own unit, a part of their unit or Read More…
The Alliance of Downtown Civic Organizations has released a follow-up report in conjunction with their strong endorsement of Mayor Walsh’s amended ordinance on short-term rentals. The ADCO study shows that AirBnB is growing rapidly in Boston, with more than 200 new units listed per month. The city also has one of the highest concentrations of Read More…
Things to know for Tuesday Today is Tuesday, May 22 and if you attended the NEAA Baseball Opening Day Celebration, the North End Athletic Association would like to say a huge THANK YOU, continue reading. Here’s what else you need to know for today… 10:30AM Disney with Mr. Dan. Join the North End Library at Read More…
No obvious compromises were made when Boston’s City Council held a working session on Monday regarding the Mayor’s revised ordinance that regulates short-term rentals in the City of Boston. A vote could come in the coming weeks, yet the Council remains split in opinion with councilors representing downtown largely in favor while those from outlying districts opposed. Read More…
After receiving harsh criticism at the Boston City Council and from neighborhood activists of the “investor unit category” in his proposed regulation of short-term rentals, Mayor Walsh filed an amended ordinance on Wednesday that would completely ban AirBnb rentals in non-owner occupied buildings. Allowance is provided for owners living in a multi-unit building for short-term rentals, up to 120 Read More…
Commentary by Thomas F. Schiavoni A recent tidal wave of short-term rentals on platforms such as Airbnb are flooding Boston’s housing market and stirring up intense debate over legislation proposed by the Mayor’s Office. The North End and adjacent neighborhoods are nearing the tipping point of an ‘extinction event’. Earth scientists use this term to Read More…
The Massachusetts House passed a long-debated bill on short-term rentals (AirBnb, etc.) last Thursday. The North End’s State Rep. Aaron Michlewitz was the lead sponsor who said the bill provides for baseline safety regulations, creates transparency in the market, establishes a revenue structure based on the different levels of hosts, and allows for cities and Read More…
Boston City Council sent a letter regarding short-term rentals to the Massachusetts House last week, asking the House to preserve local control as the council continues to debate legislation. The House did pass a new tax on short-term rentals on Thursday that leaves decisions about regulations up to towns and cities. This bill would require Read More…
Things to know for Monday Today is Monday, March 26 and with Easter less than a week a away, we’re still experiencing unusually cold weather for this time of year. Here’s what else you need to know for the week ahead… 11:00AM Public Hearing to Discuss City Flooding. Members of the public are invited to Read More…
The City Council is split between caution and urgency in crafting their response to the mayor’s short-term rentals ordinance, due later this month. “My immediate reaction to a time crunch is to be restrictive and then open it up slowly in terms of what we can offer,” said District 1 City Councilor Lydia Edwards. “Let’s Read More…
The Alliance of Downtown Civic Organizations (ADCO) has released a report suggesting several changes to the Mayor’s proposed regulations of short-term rentals, most notably the elimination of investor-owned units. As you may recall, the proposed ordinance would set a 90-day limit for residential units rented on sites like AirBnB. The fee structure would separate short-term Read More…