VRMA Administrator
Councils responsible for some of the most popular tourism destinations in New South Wales, Australia, are urging the incoming government to give them the power to further restrict short-term rentals (STRs), in a bid to alleviate a housing shortage. In December, the Byron shire Council voted in favor of introducing a 90-day cap on some STRs. This would have been the strictest cap in the state after the previous government allowed councils to opt in to a 180-day cap. Not everyone, however, is in favor of imposing caps on STRs. During the public hearings in Byron, one local business owner said it would cause him to lose 65 percent of his business overnight. A representative for Airbnb who appeared at the hearings, Steven Berveling, argued a cap wouldn’t lead to increased long-term rentals, and would negatively impact employment in the tourism sector.
Guardian (UK) (04/21/23) Jordyn Beazley
