Airbnbs continue to threaten Philadelphia’s residential neighborhoods. This typically happens when these landlords rent out a large house or unit to people who then use the place for a loud, obnoxious party, angering the neighbors who actually live there by disturbing the peace, littering, and committing uncivilized behavior.
One simple suggestion which has been made is to require that landlords reside at the address and be on site overnight when short-term guests are present.
Arguments are made that such facilities offer economical alternatives to traditional hotels and provide income to residents with houses that are much larger than they need anymore.
A little history: City Council Bill No. 210081 with lacking comprehensive discussion, passed City Council June 10, 2021, and signed June 23, 2021, creating a new category, around Airbnbs, short term rentals, etc., called Visitor Accommodation License. Finally, in 2023, because of the signed/enacted Bill No. 210081, communities, or more specifically RCO’s, start to get refusals from the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I), which prompt public/community meetings for properties requesting Visitor Accommodation Licenses. Further, Councilmember-at-Large Isaiah Thomas introduced Resolution No. 230112 on 2/16/2023 calling for a hearing meant to be interpreted as if it is about balance and equity regarding Airbnb opportunity for people of color, but promoting the opposite. On April 5, 2023, the hearing was held, and many speakers were not pleased with the Bill which created the need to have a hearing called for by resolution on April 5, 2023. Resolution No. 230112 is presently Recessed.
As such, we have a bill 210081, that creates a socioeconomic hardship, reducing earning potential and the number of hotel job opportunities with benefits. Code compliance violations will be left to residents complaining to L&I which in many cases go lacking in enforcement and create ghetto conditions. Do Philadelphians want to promote transient living, possibly, resorting poor families to short term lease options and block density. We often hear: “Philadelphia is America’s poorest first-class city”. Well, do we want hotels, or affordable housing?
Philadelphia has recently passed ordinances that require permitting and licenses, which owners consider onerous. But something needs to be done to control the problem. One simple suggestion which has been made is to require that landlords reside at the address and be on site overnight when short-term guests are present. This will subject them to the problems which their renters create and limit the number of locations that one owner can operate. In the meantime, many illegal operations continue, and neighbors continue to complain.