Convincing HOA to allow Airbnb

[William127]

I have been hosting on Airbnb for a while. My homeowner association prohibits rentals of less than one year. My HOA's property manager give me a courtesy notice few months ago to tell me to stop. I didn't, though, because I never got complaints from neighbors about nuisance or damage to common areas.

Last week I got a letter from my HOA's attorney. The letter points out the HOA's policies about rentals, as well as $200 move in/out fees. The letter strongly encourages me to attend the next board meeting to explain myself.

I want to keep hosting. I want to create a proposal that will placate the HOA. Has anyone ever successfully lobbied their HOA to amend their rules to allow Airbnb hosting?

Would love to hear your suggestions for a HOA-friendly policy. Some features I am considering are an annual fee and very high fines for nuisance complaints stemming from unruly guests.

[David126]

Never been involved with a HoA but the issue seems to be usually one of conducting a business.

[Paul154]

You need patience, a good PR company and lawyer.

Bake cookies for your neighbors.

Find your allies and run for a board seat.  (Then go to those awful meetings.)

Your allies could be your neighbors with whom you have never bothered.

Your neighbors may be impressed with your easy money machine and might want some too.

Other allies can be neighbors who just have had their children go to college and are retiring.

Good luck

[Jacques613]

Help me please I’m being denied of renting my property in Miami 

[Helen471]

Can anyone on this forum tell me if they have had success in continuing to Host their home on the Airbnb platform? It would help me so much. Thank you, Helen

[Nayyef0]

The HOA is long fight and make you deside to take bad decision i have the same issue and after i remodel the whole home ( irealy love my home) i almost put it in the market and buying home without HOA but i think about it and i think the best its to show the positive side of the Airbnb and how change your life from not enough left from the paycheck to almost buying other home becase having good money from the Airbnb  and always attended the meeting and be nice and quit even if you see those Neighbors ( the old one) speaking about the negative of the Airbnb. do not fight with them just smile and every time you see them tolk about funny things and ignore the Airbnb issue. and they will do the same. at lest that what im doing and be nice with every one even if they not like my airbnb

[Mark1547]

Nayyef - your post was quite difficult to read due to no punctuation or capitlazation.  However, what you say is very good advice.  Do a good job as a host, make sure your guests are quiet and don't argue with the AirBnB haters in your HOA.   

[Sam397]

HOA are nothing more than thugs who extort money, all for the good of the neighborhood.(more like for the good of a select few) Why anybody would get a house that requires joining a HOA is beyond me. These people can literally fine you a crazy amount of money for not taking your garbage can off the curb after it was picked up, and then force you out of your home if you don't pay it. And the kicker is you pay them a lot of money to be able to do that. 

I wouldn't expect to talk them into allowing AirBnB rentals, so my guess is your either going to have to give up AirBnB or they will force you to move. It's a shame they can do that but that's what you agreed to.

If that is something that bothers you much it might be wise to take a hit and get what you can and get out of the situation because that's what you will be dealing with while you're there. 

[Mani16]

i also have my vacant home in san jose but due to HOA regulation i cant rent it on airbnb 

[Sue825]

I just got back from an HOA meeting where our community insurance agent presented new policies. At one point the agent asked the HOA board members if they knew if any residents were renting via Airbnb. Board members were quick to say no.

The issue? As previously mentioned in this forum and confirmed by the agent: Airbnbs void the HOA's insurance policies, period.

The community next to ours fines homeowners $1,000 a day for hosting through Airbnb.

[Robin4]

@Sue825 

This is something so many hosts do need to really take on board. I knew this was the case Sue, because I have people within the insurance industry that I have discussed this with.

But many hosts in this situation just stick their heads in the sand and say...."It won't happen to me"......it wil!

General insures do not insure STR's in community developments....full stop!

Cheers......Rob

[Patty344]

@Robin4 This is very true.  I found this out after I purchased and fixed up my condo in a popular vacation spot.  My HOA has always allowed short term rentals because that’s why the property was built.  However, I found out that my homeowners insurance DID NOT cover short term rentals, so I had to purchase a commercial insurance policy which was far more expensive but covered Airbnb type rentals and the issues that can arise in a vacation rental.  Took me by surprise but I’m glad I found out sooner than later.

[Sue825]

It is very possible that Airbnb does void an HOA's insurance policy.

[Suzanne509]

You got that right .  There are a whole host of issues and people need to do a wealth of research before they think they can win this argument .

[Linda2748]

I have the same problem and the Managerment post legal fee in my acc 2k for I have to pay back their lawer fee .. I did email and asked the board amended the rule or they can buy my shareholder so I can leave . Also I want to sure the Managerment and the board harrasing me everyday 

[Felicia3]

Hi, I just discovered this ‘conversation link’ today. I have been renting my guest room via Airbnb for five years - completely booked!  I didn’t have any plans to rent out via Airbnb until a friend suggested and I did it on a whim. After doing it a while, I realized it wasn’t allowed, but I figured I would keep doing it until I was ‘caught’. About a month ago I got a letter via email from the  property manager pointing out that ‘‘leasing for less than a one year period” is not permitted. They attached a screenshot of my guest room listing. They were apparently ‘tipped off’ by a recent guest with an attitude. I never responded to the email, but I immediately ‘snoozed’ the listing (hidden from searches) since I am a host to 2 additional properties elsewhere.

NOW I’m at the point to wondering what they can do to me if I list my home again? I’ve reached out to a couple of attorneys online to ask and am waiting to hear back. What ‘proof’ would they have if I said I never received their email OR that it got listed again ‘accidentally’ by me since I host other properties offsite, OR there was an Airbnb website glitch for the same reason? Would they be able to ‘search’ my home for ‘proof’ or subpoena Airbnb records? None of my neighbors have even noticed my Airbnb guests.