'Not playing by the same rules': Edmonton hoteliers want more regulation on short-term rentals

Some of Edmonton's hoteliers say the city hasn't gone far enough in regulating the city's short-term rental industry and some homeownersliving nearrental unitsagree.

Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels a non-profit marketing association representing 57 hotels in Edmonton launched a new online campaignThursday singling out short-term rentals and encouraging Edmontonians to write letters of complaint to city councillors.

Rentals available on sites like Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway can cause serious problems in residential neighbourhoods, said executive director Karen Chalmers. She wants the city to start treating them likebusinesses.

"We've found ourselves in a precarious situation with this new entry into the accommodations industry that is not playing by the same rules," Chalmers said in an interview Thursday with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM. "There is not the same standard in taxation and regulation.

"We pay commercial taxes, we have security and safety regulations that are mandated and none of those are regulated by short term rentals."

'Virtually no rights'

The hotel association is lobbying fornew city zoning regulations to limit the ability of short-term rentals to operate in certain residential neighbourhoods.

Under theregulations proposed by the association, owners would need a criminal record check, fire safety inspections andproof of insurance.Licences would be revoked if operators failed to verify guests in person.

The association wants the city tocreate a special category of business licence for short-term rentals that are not owner-occupied. It would alsolike Edmontonto adopt primary residence rules, meaning rentals can only be operated from a principal residence.

Such rules have already been adopted in Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa.

Short term rentals, established without community consultation and often managed by absentee landlords, can bring noise and crime to residential neighbourhoods, Chalmers said.Their proliferation in neighbourhoods across the city has been unchecked, she said.

"I want those safeguards," she said. "Because right now, if an Airbnb opens up beside me, I have virtually no rights."

Drunken guests

JeffMcCammon attended anews conference hosted by the association at city hall on Thursday morning. McCammon says an Airbnbrentalin his Edmonton neighbourhood of Brander Gardenshas been more than a nuisance.

"Over the last few years, a neighbour across the street moved out of their home to create a commercial short-term rental business in my residential neighbourhood," McCammon said.

"Since its arrival, there has been a lack of security for my neighbours, my children have witnessed vulgar acts by some transient drunken guestsand there has been an overall loss of community along with diminished quality of life overall for my family.

"How this Airbnb is able to operate in a residential neighbourhood and qualify for a home-based business licence is beyond me."

• 'Essentially, a hotel': Neighbour fed up with Airbnb house in southwest Edmonton
• Hoteliers urge federal candidates to tax Airbnb hosts

New regulations for operators in Edmonton came into effect on Aug. 27, 2019. Operators must complete a home-based business licence application, get an inspection fromAlberta Health Services andsupply guests with information about the city's bylaws.

The city started investigating regulation options after multiplecomplaints were filed regarding disruptive and untidy short-term rental properties, complaints that coincided with asignificant increase in the number of listings.

As of May, Edmonton hadmore than 2,400 listings.The city only had 44 listings in 2014.

'This is just enough'

Angela Sun also wants Airbnbbanned fromresidential areas.She said two Airbnb rentals across the street from her home in the Garneau neighbourhood have brought noise and crime to her previously quietstreet.

"The owners are not even living in Alberta," Sun said during Thursday's news conference. "We see drunks passed out on our lawn, pounding on our door.

"There was an attempted break-in and open marijuana smoking and late-night party noise, yelling and shouting after 2 a.m."

Sun said she no longerfeels safe in her own home. She said any kind of bylaw on short-term rentals will be impossible to enforce.

"We've seen it all," she said. "This is just enough. I have a four-year-old daughter. Do I feel safe living in that neighbourhood? Absolutely not.

"I do not want my family mixed with transients. They are transients. They come tonight and go the next day. They do not care."

• Edmonton considering regulations for Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway

In an emailed statement to CBC News, an Airbnb spokesperson said the new city regulations should be tested before new bylaws are considered.

"It is troubling that the corporate hotel lobby is spending thousands of dollars advocating against allowing local Edmontonians benefit from the tourism industry and show visitors a more personal side of their city," an Airbnb spokesperson said in a statement.

More reports coming

"Theresponsible approach is to allow these regulations to be implemented and assessed before demanding the city spend public money to burden Edmontonians with more red tape."

The city, however, isexploring options for increased regulation, saidCoun.Aaron Paquette.

"We will be getting more reports back as time goes on and this won't be a one-off," he said. "This is something that's going to be developed in the coming months.

A further report slated to go before city council's urban planning committee next week, has been delayed until February 2020.

Paquette said he has fielded complaints about absentee landlords and a lack of taxation.

"It's definitely a debate that we're having," Paquette said. "The situation of people that are renting out homes that they don't reside in is a real issue.

"We have these large corporations who are making money off our city, but they don't pay taxes."