STR Legislative Commission Seeks Input from Aquidneck Islanders

11/20/2024

A Rhode Island State House commission studying how the state should regulate short-term rentals (STRS) is seeking testimony from Aquidneck Island residents ahead of an upcoming meeting. Short-term rentals listed on online platforms have been explicitly legal since 2021, when the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation creating a registry of STR properties. Since 2023, the 15-member panel of legislators has been studying the impact of the rise of these platforms, particularly in tourism-dependent communities like Newport. The panel’s Nov. 21 meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m. in the House Lounge, will focus solely on public comment — aside from a commission overview. Written testimony submitted to the commission so far has been supportive of STRs on Jamestown, Narragansett, and Block Island. Commission Chair Lauren Carson and Vice Chair Terri Cortvriend are especially interested in hearing testimony from Aquidneck Islanders. “The rise of the short-term rental industry has had such a profound effect on Aquidneck Island over the course of the last decade or so,” Carson said. “We really want people to share their experiences and opinions, whatever they may be, with our commission so we can collect a body of testimony that captures how people in the community feel about the growth of this sector in their neighborhood.”

Rhode Island Current (11/13/24) Christopher Shea