AirBnB Hosts - Brookline, Massachusetts

[Mark8]

Dear AirBnB Hosts in Brookline, MA,

As you may already know, the town of  Brookline is mailing letters  threatening short-term rental owners with $1,000 daily fines.  It is time we unite and fight for our rights as property owners/tax payers.  The state of Massachusetts has passed laws allowing short-term rentals (https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2018/Chapter337) and towns like Cambridge and Boston have also passed comprehensive legislation allowing it.  Brookline is one of the few which has refused to even hold a town meeting on the subject.

I have attempted to contact AirBnB and they have been of no help, instead burying their head in the sand and placing the entire burden on us hosts.  So now it is time to get involved, know your rights and demand Brookline open up a dialogue with the over 500 local AirBnB hosts. 

I spoke with Brookline Building Commissioner Dan Bennett and aired my grievances with the towns dismissive attitude towards adopting a fair solution to short-term housing.  His phone number is 617-730-2100 and email is dbennett@brooklinema.gov

This problem is not going away and if you have not already been threatened by the town, you most likely will be very soon.  I highly recommend contributing to this online dialogue and uniting together for fairness.

[Ning8]

Thank you for starting this thread!

According to the Town Hall meeting requirements we could add this to the fall town meeting, we just need 10 registered voters of the town. Please reply here if you would be willing to petition the town to get this on the next Town Hall meeting (https://www.brooklinema.gov/275/Submitting-Articles):

Articles may be submitted for insertion in the Warrant for any Annual or Special Town Meeting under the signatures of 10 registered voters of the Town of Brookline.

Articles, to be properly submitted before the Warrant for said meeting closes, must be filed in the office of the Board of Selectmen prior to noon on the 75th day preceding the scheduled date of the opening session of that Town Meeting.

[Sammy44]

Hello, 

I would like to help petition the town! Thanks 

Sam 

[Chiuba0]

Dear @Mark8 & @Ning8 

My name is Chiuba Obele. My girlfriend's Airbnb was shut down by the Town. We decided to take legal action and sued Commissioner Bennett and the ZBA.  

https://brookline.wickedlocal.com/news/20200512/brookline-airbnb-owner-suing-town-for-right-to-opera...

We'd like to have a conversation with you guys. Can you reach out to me? 

[Mark8]

Hello - I started a Facebook page a while back - feel free to join and contact me through there https://www.facebook.com/groups/1008104982720603/

[Yanti14]

Hello - just started my Airbnb hosting in Wakefield. I don’t think it has a policy forbidding short term rentals but I do want to share my listing on the community group on FB for people who might have family or friends visiting. Do you think people would be angry about it?