City of Somerville Zoning Amendment Planning Division Short-term - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

City of Somerville City of Somerville City of Somerville Zoning Amendment Planning Division Short-term Rentals Presentation 11/15/2018 www.somervillema.gov/strs

What is a short-term rental (STR)? o The rental of a residential unit in exchange for payment as residential accommodations for a duration of 30 days or less o Airbnb is the most popular service for STRs in Somerville Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

What are the current regulations? Some STRs are allowed by the Zoning Code as a T ourist Home Accessory Use BUT: The Tourist Home Accessory Use is limited to the rental of bedrooms. It does not permit renting entire units. Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Building Code Guidelines o Different buildings are grouped into categories by use and occupancy classification with varying requirements of safety o Additional safety measures are required, by the state building code, for spaces converted to a transient use , defined by the building code as the occupancy of a dwelling for thirty days or less Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Building Code Requirements o Additional safety measures may include the following and more: automatic sprinkler system, fire doors, fire walls, exit signage, draft stopping, manual fire alarm, exit signage, emergency lights, and an extra emergency escape o Homeowner-occupied, detached 1- or 2-family homes that offer five or fewer rooms for rent are exempted. Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

STR numbers and types Hosts Renters Average age: 38 Average age: 34 Annual earnings for a Average length of typical host: $6,600 stay: 3.6 nights 57% female 97% of rentals were for 4 or fewer people 813 Active Listings Average group size: 2 From Airbnb 2017 data Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

How often are hosts renting? From Airbnb 2017 data Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Common STR concerns o Visitors don’t always know (or follow) local rules o Short-term renters may be less considerate of neighbors o Increased occupancy can have a negative impact on trash, parking and traffic o Unregulated STRs are less likely to meet safety codes o The increase in the number of strangers in a neighborhood can make some feel unsafe o STRs can reduce the available housing stock for residents Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Potential STR benefits o STR income can help residents afford their rent or mortgage o STRs can promote cultural exchange o STRs can bring tourism dollars to local businesses o STRs help address a shortage of overnight options for Somerville visitors o STRs allow resident without room for guests in their homes to find them overnight options in their own neighborhood Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Our goals with STR policy o Prevent much-needed housing from being removed from the market and turned into permanent short-term rentals o Allow homeowners to make extra income and promote citywide economic growth o Having regulations in place to make sure short-term rentals are safe and that help address potential issues Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

We Asked the Community: Somerville resident offering their entire place when they are away? Somerville resident offering a private  Allow room(s) or a shared room(s) in the place  Don’t allow where they live in?  Allow with conditions  Allow Somerville resident living in West Somerville  Don’t allow offering an entire place in East Somerville (for  Allow with conditions example)?  Allow Somerville resident offering a separate  Don’t allow entire dwelling than the one where they  Allow with conditions live in the same building? A resident of some other city offering an entire  Allow place in Somerville that they do not live in?  Don’t allow  Allow with conditions  Allow  Don’t allow  Allow with conditions Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Limited Share Unit STR Somerville resident offering a private room(s) or a shared room(s) in the place where they live in:  An Operator may offer a Limited Share Unit as a Short-Term Rental 365 days per year. Rental shall be limited to ten guests, or two guests per bedroom, whichever is fewer  One bedroom in the unit shall be reserved for, and occupied by, the Operator during the entire term of the rental  Said Unit shall be rented to only one party of Short-Term renters at a time, not rented as separate bedrooms to separate parties Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Home Share STR Somerville resident offering their entire place when they are away:  Rental shall be limited to ten guests, or two guests per bedroom, whichever is fewer  Rental shall not exceed ninety (90) consecutive or nonconsecutive calendar days per year  Such Unit shall be rented to one party of Short-Term renters at a time, not rented as separate bedrooms to separate parties Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Owner-Adjacent Unit STR Somerville resident offering a separate adjacent entire dwelling:  An Operator may offer his or her Owner-Adjacent Unit as a Short-Term Rental 365 days per year  Such Unit shall be rented to one party of Short-Term renters at a time, not rented as separate bedrooms to separate parties  Occupancy shall be limited to ten guests, or two guests per bedroom, whichever is fewer Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development

Not Allowed X • Somerville resident offering an entire place non-adjacent to their home and where they do not live • A resident of some other city offering an entire place in Somerville that they do not live in Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A Curtatone Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning Office of Strategic Planning City of Somerville & Community Development & Community Development & Community Development