Airbnb and other short-term rental websites could soon become more popular in the state of Arizona thanks to a new law that took effect on January 1.
According to a report from the Arizona Daily Sun, the state’s new laws stipulate that cities, towns, and counties cannot put any restrictions on short-term rentals “simply because the property is not classified as a hotel.”
Here’s more from the Arizona Daily Sun article:
In signing the measure earlier this year, Gov. Doug Ducey said the legislation provides "financial breathing room'' for families by allowing them to earn something extra.
The law, however, covers more than those renting out a bedroom — or even their whole home.
There is no limit to the number of properties an investor can buy and days a home could be rented out, all in the same area, potentially turning a neighborhood into a vacation rental zone. But the governor at the signing ceremony brushed aside questions of whether that could change an area's character.
According to the article, there has been pushback from some lawmakers who worry about the “house next door” turning into a “weekly rental property.”
But despite that pushback, the law became official earlier this week.
The law also changed how short-term rental operators collect and send tax revenue to the state.
Click here or below to read more about the Arizona law.
Last year, a group of Democratic senators asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether Airbnb and other short-term rental sites are making housing more expensive in certain communities, and/or placing some units completely out of reach except for short-term renters.
