ST. GEORGE, Utah — A Washington County man says renters at Airbnb and VRBO homes in his neighborhood have been filled with as many as 60 people, with some driving carelessly through the streets and trespass on property. But Mark Hudgens says it's hard to find out who's responsible.
"Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a nice neighborhood and one day you wake up and they're building a new house next to you, or remodeling a house next to you and you can't find out who your new neighbors are because they're some investor in another state?" Hudgens asked.
He says short-term rentals in his neighborhood aren't being regulated like other businesses.
"They’re not demanding the transparency... these STRs are not held to the same standards like your hotel and motels are," said Hudgens.
Rep. Calvin Musselman is sponsoring House Bill 291 focused on short term rental agreements. He says the bill's pilot program would help cities enforce code and the state collect data on short-term rentals.
"It was hard for municipalities to enforce illegal, let's say, bad actors, enforce code on them, they maybe don't have the tools to do it, or they don't have the main power and the latter of the two is probably greater if they join the program; it's helpful to us because there's some reporting on the back end," Rep. Musselman said.
Hudgens wants help from the Utah legislature, but he wants to make sure it's the cities that stay in control.
"We do need to be able to have the right to opt in and opt out, it should not be forced down everybody's throat," Hudgens said.
Musselman says lawmakers recognize the needs of Southern Utah may differ from the needs of a ski town in northern Utah, and he wants Utahns to know entrance into the program is optional for cities.
"When you opt in, you're essentially saying you agree with the set of guardrails that are parameters for the pilot program, which means you would agree those are guardrails that would be good for your community," Musselman added.
Hudgens hopes future legislation will go further and set boundaries on where short-term rentals can be operated.
"I would really like to see legislation that takes a hard look at the impacts of everyday citizens and works towards eliminating some of these STRs that are right in the middle of our neighborhoods," Hudgens said.
Musselman is also working on a sub for HB291 that would give short-term rental licenses based on the number of residential units in a city. That bill is currently awaiting further action in the House.
