STR under attack in Hudson, NY

[Haylee3]

Hello - Airbnb friends, 

Hudson Valley has been a great escape for New Yorkers during Covid and will likely continue to be for the foreseeable future. As an Airbnb Superhost, I can attest that bookings and nightly rental prices are at an all-time high. It's been wonderful economic relief for countless hosts to help sustain their well-beings during this difficult time. 

There is currently a battle for Short Term Rentals in the town of Hudson (2 hours update from NYC). It's a large tourist town right on the Hudson river with quick access to and from the city. A small group of City officials is trying to put heavy restrictions on STRs to essentially drive them out. There is a large group of STR hosts that have risen up and are trying to fight this law passing and we could use Airbnb's mighty team to gain traction on next steps. 

How can we best engage the strength of Airbnb to keep Short Term Rentals open in Hudson, NY?

[Sally221]

Do you really want to involve airbnb? Between the general incompetence & soiled reputation and perception of being an outsider behemoth who doesn't give a snap about the local folks I'd say it isn't a good idea. Rather, enlist the locals who have listings & pay taxes & vote.Highlight how tourism brings cash into the local economy & accept that some oversight & regulations may be needed as no one wants to live in the same neighborhood as a party house or on a street that is mostly strs. 

All airbnb can be expected to do is advertise your listing and collect and disburse payments & they have enough trouble doing that job as it is, as per usual, hosts are on their own & in this case you are probably better off that way, best of luck.

[Mark116]

@Haylee3  Airbnb allegedly spent several million fighting Jersey City's STR ordinance, and while their TV commercials were pretty good, everything else...their grassroots efforts, notifying hosts of hearings in a timely manner, getting hosts good, positive factual talking points, and everything else visible that they did was close to incompetent.  Seriously, if a company that has hosts' emails, phone numbers and an existing communication platform cannot notifying them more than 24 hours in advance of a city hearing on their own industry.......they're not going to do much of anything well.   That is a long winded way to say you're on your own mostly.  They lost here....which means that now only 2-4 family homes with an owner occupied host can legally rent STR, but of course, airbnb has done nothing to enforce this either. 

[Andrew45]

We are in Woodstock NY and the STR laws deny some homeowners a permit once the "cap" is reached.  We plan an article 78 against the town this year.  Even the town's attorney admitted he was "leery" of defending the law.  

[Maggie447]

Hi @Andrew45 . I'm a local 2nd homeowner who was just foraying into the STR market to help defray the costs of ownership (especially during Covid and having lost my job). I never even went live with my listing because of the permit laws. You say above "We" plan an article 78... Did that happen and/or change because of the July 90-day moratorium ruling the town of Woodstock made? Can you @Andrew45 and/or @Haylee3 reach out to me so I can... join in/participate in the discussion/proceedings? 

[Andrew45]

Email.   My wife is Chloe Dresser.  Her name as one word is her address @  the most popular mail provider.  Hopw to hear from you.  @Andrew45 is news to me, I never was that page before, and surely did not create it myself.  

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The attached file is letter sent today to one of the Woodstock Town Enforcers.

[Tony1364]

Would love more info on the Woodstock STR Moratorium and how people may be dealing with this. I just received a letter from the Town Bldg dept so paused my listing for now. Are people extending their stays to 30 days to avoid StR issues? I'd be curious to know more from local hosts in the same situation.