Short Term Rentals, or as many people know them as Air B&B's, are a popular way for many to visit our area who don't want to go the hotel route. Sometimes the experience is good, sometimes it's bad, for the renter or rentee. Now, changes on how they're overseen could be coming soon.

The county had a first reading of a massive document put together about short term rentals, and some of the biggest topics discussed were focused on the impact of neighborhoods. But they also took a look at if renters could afford proposed upgrades. They also spoke on how important it is to keep short term rentals an option.

"Short term renting is actually a very positive thing for property owners, especially those who are less fortunate, that typically find if they are between jobs or there's financial issues that they have to address, this is another opportunity that they can utilize their property," said Wiselet Rouzard with the group Americans for Prosperity.

“What they really exposed was that short term rental really shouldn't be discriminated against, where noise complaints are only applied to short term renting. If we're talking about the safety of our community or we are talking about the tranquility and peace, we need to make sure laws are applied equally across the board."

The Board of County Commissioners met yesterday for over 3 hours discussing several aspects of short term rental rules and regulations.  But for Ken Viel with Incline Vacation Rentals, he says that the over 900 short term rental properties in incline village shouldn't have special rules and regulations.

"You can almost make a business getting these places ready to become vacation rentals with all the rules and regulations they were going to put into place. My take on that would be, if you are going to do this to vacation rental owners, you need to do it to all owners," said Viel.

Viel also says there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to short term rentals, and that they need to be treated like any other property.

"Basically people use this to pay for their property tax, their HOA dues, and utilities and that’s about all a vacation rental really covers. It doesn't make a lot of money, actually long term rentals make a lot more money."

The Washoe County Board of County Commissioners addressed several other issues, and plans to have a second "first reading" of the proposed standards for the properties as early as late March.

 

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