City Problems

[Dustin65]

I started doing airbnb in 0ctober 2018.  Bought a large house specifically for this purpose.  Had some problems with neighbors and eventually they got the city change the law in an attempt to shut us down.  City now restricts our parking and limits the number of guests we have to 18 and the number of vehicles to 8.  We are prohibited to rent to two short term parties simultaneously which is killing our profits being that we have a large property and its challenging to find the groups that can afford the place but have only 18 guests. We only get 3 complaints before having to go to a city meeting and try to appeal to have our license not revoked.  We have had 3 complaints now and what they sent me is pretty vague, but the firemarshal also called me several times and explained it to me in greater detail.  I don't feel the claims are valid, and asked my customers if they have vehicles parked in the road and they said they didn't.  So it could have been anyone's vehicles and the burden of proof should be on those making the claims. Third complaint was that there was an adult website with our business address listed on it.  Anyone had any success getting grandfathered in under existing laws, or repealing these draconian ordinances?

[Helen3]

Hello @Dustin65 

What were your neighbours complaining about in terms of your listing? Were your guests partying and disrupting the neighbours with late night noise/anti-social behaviour/their cars? @Dustin65 

Unfortunately if you advertise your place as a party pad then you will attract the sort of guests that like to party, make noise and have lots of vehicles coming and going.

I didn't quite understand the reference to the fire marshal and adult website (where you advertising your listing for adult style parties?)  in relation to your guests?

Large groups of guests coming and going in their cars in a residential area can be quite disruptive so there would be some sense in restricting numbers in response to neighbour complaints.  Guests aren't always honest when you ask whether they are breaking your house rules (such as only parking on your property) so I would take the fact they say they aren't parking on the street with a pinch of salt 🙂 

It's always a risk buying somewhere purely as an STR investment particularly when it is a large house, as larger properties tend to be harder to fill and attract a party crowd which is never terribly welcome if you have close by neighbours.

If you are struggling to fill the place doing STRs perhaps LTR or a conversion to split up the property might be a solution/

[Sarah977]

@Dustin65  If I was your neighbor, I'd be quite upset with an Airbnb nearby which accommodates 18 people and 8 cars, as well. If it was a quiet scene with respectful guests I doubt your neighbors would have had anything to complain about, but I suspect it's a constant stream of people coming and going, partying and making noise, which isn't okay in a residential neighborhood.

[Dustin65]

We have a 1.2 acre lot and over 10 off street parking spaces.  I'm just saying relative to other properties that have half the parking, half the sq ft, and 1/4 the lot size I think we should be allowed 3 people per bedroom like everyone else but instead we only get 2.