CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Town leaders want to reinforce regulations on Airbnbs.
- There are more than 300 Airbnbs and short-term rentals listed in Chapel Hill.
- However, not all owners have the required permit and pay the occupancy tax.
- Right now, the town doesn't have a legal maneuver to track down delinquent owners unless town leaders book rentals.
There are more than 300 Airbnbs and short-term rentals listed in Chapel Hill. However, less than one percent of owners have the required permit.
"We're trying to balance the growing sharing economy with safety concerns and protection of neighborhoods," says Planning Director Ben Hitchings. Hitchings says local regulations ensure health and safety standards as well as making sure out-of-towners comply with local laws when it comes to parking, litter noise and other potential issues.
The town doesn’t have a list of Chapel Hill’s short-term rentals. Councilmembers are considering buy a third-party software to help with that.
Many short-term rentals are unlisted and unregulated as the Town has only issued 5-10 Home Occupation permits for STRs. In 2018, STRs raked in nearly $5 million dollars in revenue, and the town saw hardly any of that money.
An AirBnB spokesperson, Ben Breit tells Spectrum News the short-term rental company collects the town's occupancy tax through a tax agreement with the state Department of Revenue, which is the agency that handles all lodging taxes.
Katie Jacobs and her husband have their townhome listed on Airbnb. They say it's a financial boost.
"Kind of with cost of living and our student loans catching up with us and just everything...it really was a great, passive form of income," says Katie.
This week, the council agreed to seek public input before taking any formal action against owners. They did pass a resolution.They want to know if the regulations should even be updated. They plan to host a series of meetings over the next several months.