PITTSBURGH — Rental operators and concerned citizens sounded off during a public hearing Thursday, voicing their thoughts on proposed legislative changes to how short-term rentals can operate within Pittsburgh.
As Channel 11 previously reported, the council has introduced legislation that would require owners to get licensed annually. The proposal would also dictate how many guests can stay at any given property while capping the stay duration at 15 days.
Some opponents stated that the legislation doesn’t go far enough and that limited liability companies (LLCs) have been operating the rentals as if they’re hotels without facing the same regulations.
“Let’s just call this multi-transient Airbnb charade for what it is - a hotel, masquerading in a legal loophole,” one city resident said.
Others, including the operator of a bed and breakfast, argued that short-term rentals shouldn’t be able to skirt the rules, regulations and taxation that their businesses and hotel operators must face.
But on the other side, multiple short-term rental owners shared their thoughts, defending their operations and arguing that short-term rentals provide major advantages. Several owners argued that they aren’t operating their rentals as corporate LLCs living afar — rather, they live locally and strive to maintain their properties responsibly. While some said they are not opposed to regulation, one host noted it should be “reasonable.”
Short-term rental operation has recently been in the spotlight after last month’s mass shooting at an Airbnb in the city’s East Allegheny neighborhood.
Several of the owners who spoke, however, claimed that the changes within the proposed legislation wouldn’t serve to prevent a mass tragedy but would instead hinder responsible renting.
Multiple owners spoke out against the proposed stay-length cap, claiming that they host long-term guests for responsible purposes.
“They are families relocating to Pittsburgh who need a place for six weeks while they navigate a historically-brutal housing market,” one speaker said. “They are traveling nurses, doctors and architects, they are hopeful musicians auditioning for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, they are high school seniors and their families attending admitted student day.”
One operator said she recently hosted refugees. Another stated he hosted international students who couldn’t return home for winter break amid the pandemic. And several hosts stated that their short-term rentals provide an income they rely on.
City council members insisted that they’ve been looking to address short-term rental operations for years before the East Allegheny tragedy. Comments will be considered, members said, and the legislation will be adjusted accordingly.
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