Some city leaders say this will allow for closer study of the enforcement of rental permits, the relationship between rentals and housing prices, and other concerns voiced by residents. But a petition circulating with over signatures says this is not a fair course of action for Airbnb hosts, and sets a concerning precedent. Matt Stevens has called Highland Park home for nearly a decade. In his neighborhood alone, he says he's seen more outside investors coming in and turning homes into vacation rentals.
He believes the rise in rentals is one factor contributing to higher home prices, and a lack of affordable housing. That's just one of the reasons he believes the city's moratorium provides a necessary pause to better study the impact of short term vacation rentals in the community, and how they can exist in a less intrusive way. Chattanooga City Council Chair Chip Henderson says studying affordable housing concerns was one reason he proposed the moratorium on new applications for non-owner occupied short term rentals.
And as the public comes and speaks to us, you know, they have addressed the need for affordable housing many, many times," he said. He says City Council is planning on creating a committee with representatives from the Kelly administration, neighborhood associations, and rental owners to address concerns related to short term rentals.
She penned the petition to reject the city's moratorium before it was passed Tuesday. Palmer says she's sensitive to the affordable housing discussion. So we are not taking away from the current inventory, we're actually adding to the inventory. And that's something that we've made a conscious effort to do, to add to the city and not take away from, you know, a place where someone would have been able to live before," she told us about her rental situation. She also fears a moratorium could encourage more people to open rentals without a permit, and ultimately, take away the means for community members to object to these rentals.
They're not going to end up paying the taxes that they owe to the city," Palmer said. And the neighbors are not going to have a say in it at all. City Council Chair Henderson told us the moratorium may last less than 9 months if they can get a study group together and address concerns, including the relationship between short term rental units and housing prices, in a timely manner.
