Neighbors not Investors! Support Guardrails for Air B&Bs in Homer's Residential Zones.

Short Term Rentals in Residential Zones should only be allowed at the residence of the owner in the City of Homer. This is already the status quo for B&Bs and all other businesses. It would not apply in areas zoned for business, like Homer Spit or Pioneer Ave.

The intent of this change is to:

• Prevent investors from taking up too much of the available housing stock, inflating property values, and incentivizing sprawl.

• Ensure neighborhoods continue to feel like neighborhoods.

• Reinforce the basic definition of residential zoning as distinct from "mixed use" or "business."

Many towns and cities across the nation, including others in Alaska, have passed similar STR regulations.

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We Propose:

Update language in current HCC Title 21.51.100 from “bed and breakfast” to include or be replaced by the term “short term rental” to ensure folks are operating the business from their residence.

Define "short term rental" as rentals of less than 30 days.  

Apply the rule in areas zoned Urban Residential, Rural Residential or Neighborhood Flex.

Grant nontransferable “grandfather rights” to existing absentee-landlord STRs that terminate upon sale of the property.

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