short-term rentals presentation

City of SomervilleZoning AmendmentCity of Somerville

Short-term RentalsPresentation

City of SomervillePlanning Division

www.somervillema.gov/strs

11/15/2018

Mayor Joseph A CurtatoneOffice of Strategic Planning

& Community Development



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. CurtatoneCity of Somerville

Office of Strategic Planning& Community Development





What are the current regulations?

Some STRs are allowed by the Zoning Code as a Tourist Home Accessory Use



BUT: The Tourist Home Accessory Use is limited to the rental of bedrooms. It does not permit renting entire units.





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







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.







STR numbers and types

Hosts Renters

Average age: 38 Average age: 34

Annual earnings for a typical host: $6,600

Average length of 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







How often are hosts renting?

From Airbnb 2017 data







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







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







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







We Asked the Community:

Somerville resident offering their entire place when they are away?

Allow Don’t allow Allow with conditions

Somerville resident living in West Somerville offering an entire place in East Somerville (for example)?


A resident of some other city offering an entire place in Somerville that they do not live in?


Somerville resident offering a private room(s) or a shared room(s) in the place where they live in?


Somerville resident offering a separate entire dwelling than the one where they live in the same building?








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







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





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





Not Allowed



• 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

X





Additional STR Guidelines



o Local Contact: Operator must provide a contact able to respond in person to any issues or emergencies that arise during the Short-Term Rental within two (2) hours of being notified.

o Owner Permission: An Operator must certify at the time of registration that he or she has the following permissions to offer his or her Residential Unit as a Short-Term Rental.

o Rental Period and Use: Renting for an hourly rate, or for rental durations of fewer than ten (10) consecutive hours shall not be permitted. Commercial meetings and uses are prohibited in Short-Term Rentals.

City of SomervilleZoning AmendmentCity of SomervilleCity of SomervillePlanning Division

Short-term RentalsPresentation

www.somervillema.gov/strs

11/15/2018

short-term rentals presentation

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