Short Term Rentals

This is a completely subjective question which depends mostly on the neighborhood. There are many areas where you wouldn't even guess that there were rentals there because the owners do a great job screening tenants and responding to complaints.

My local government is considering this issue right now. I don't know the pros and cons of it. Obviously higher resale value is great, but will this generally decrease the quality of the neighborhood and community?

The local government should mind their own business regarding what I do with my property that I pay property tax on.

This stuff has been around for years, VRBO before it was called "Airbnb", and before that, going through a listing company for people that own lake houses etc.

I don't know why the government is suddenly concerned about Airbnb.

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but will this generally decrease the quality of the neighborhood and community?

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Short term rentals don't necessarily erode the quality of a neighborhood and community IF the short term renters are well-behaved & respect community standards. Sadly, way too many STRs/AirBnB customers coming to New Orleans are selfish idiots (or drunk partiers), rather than respectful, quiet, cooperative people. Also, the STR stuff can be dreadful in neighborhoods/communities without the infrastructure to support higher density and/or tourist-type traffic. STRs also drive up rents in city centers, pushing lower-wage workers into the periphery....an especially vexing problem in a city like NOLA with substandard public transit. (Ever tried taking a public bus from Metairie to Canal St?) Cities like Paris and London deal with STRs by limiting the number of rental nights allowed per year.

I've done ABB in big cities and small towns in multiple countries; thus far, I haven't caused any problems, nor have I encountered any. That said, in every ABB rental, I was met by the property owner/manager personally, provided with detailed information on how to behave in the rental (with respect to noise, trash, recyclables, guests, etc)....I think that ABB done by absentee landlords or third-party private companies lacks the personal connection that helps to enforce community standards of behavior and consideration.

As long as the short term rentals are paying appropriate taxes, the rented units meet safety standards (smoke detectors, windows that open, fire extinguishers), and the tenants are well behaved, I've got no problem with it.

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deeprig9

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The local government should mind their own business regarding what I do with my property that I pay property tax on.

This stuff has been around for years, VRBO before it was called "Airbnb", and before that, going through a listing company for people that own lake houses etc.

I don't know why the government is suddenly concerned about Airbnb.

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Local governments created a tax base from which to fund their functions. In almost every case, you elected the people that make up said government and perhaps even voted on taxes, renewals or increases that governments derive funds from short term rentals in order to provide services.

They see their income being impacted. You didn't tell them to stop funding the services they have agreed to. So where do they make up the difference?

This is really simple math. That you're this PO'd by it is confusing.

Slaughterhouse in the backyard is ridiculous, you’re better than that.

Local Government doesn’t care if I lease my house to one tenant for a year for $1500/m ... business as usual... but when technology makes it practical to be able to lease my property one weekend at a time for $600, suddenly it’s a major concern that needs their undivided attention.

Codes and code enforcement already exist. If an irresponsible owner isn’t taking care of his shite, codes exist. Enforce them.

This whole subject is predicated on government trying to get their grubby little fingers on someone else’s money.


If hotels in an area are going to suffer, thus impacting local tax revenue, then those hotels need to do a better job with their service for things airbnb don’t provide like bar and restaurant service. Really I don’t care how the local hotels deal with it.