Gilford to have meeting on Short Term Rentals Monday

[John Mercier]

If history is any clue... it will be an ongoing issue.
Each time those engaged in the activity will counsel for limited restriction and not going overboard; but over time it will increase until it is overwhelming.

They seldom hit hard enough to end the problem, they just coax it along with a new bandage every time it springs a leak.

[Winnisquamer]

We should definitely make Gilford more like Laconia…. Aka less desirable.

[Descant]

Without knowing for sure, I think most rental places in Gilford would be part of an HOA where there would already be rules and an enforcement process. I'm thinking about places like Lake Shore Park, Winnstock and Broadview. Other places, such as described by Tilton BB seem just fine as is. Loud party music is just (unfortunately) a current fact whether it be nightclubs, parties or wake boats.

Oh, for the peaceful times when you just carried a boom box on your shoulder.

[chachee52]

Originally Posted by Descant

Without knowing for sure, I think most rental places in Gilford would be part of an HOA where there would already be rules and an enforcement process. I'm thinking about places like Lake Shore Park, Winnstock and Broadview. Other places, such as described by Tilton BB seem just fine as is. Loud party music is just (unfortunately) a current fact whether it be nightclubs, parties or wake boats.

Oh, for the peaceful times when you just carried a boom box on your shoulder.

LSP rules are NO renting. Now saying that I would be very surprised that people aren't

[stynx55]

We have a year round home that we don't rent. We try to be up every weekend, hopefully to retire in the future. People near us rent their house on BNB website. It sucks, the majority of time it is a younger crowd who could care less about the rules, I am tolerant person but its getting old. YMMV.

[DUFF821]

Hi.
Just curious. If Gilford does implement rules on short-term rentals, would it apply to all zones or just residential?

[John Mercier]

Depends on what the regulation states.

[tis]

Jeb Bradley is sponsoring a new bill regarding this. You might want to look into it.

[frank m.]

https://legiscan.com/NH/text/SB249/2022

[Descant]

Originally Posted by frank m.

https://legiscan.com/NH/text/SB249/2022

I'm curious as to how this will deal with pre-existing zoning.

[FlyingScot]

Having now read the link--separate from this specific issue--these laws where states limit what towns can do (or the feds limit what states can do) really bug me. It's one thing if it's some big fundamental issue, like the right to vote or other constitutional stuff. But why should someone in Concord be telling a town what is or is not right for that town on something as mundane as short term rentals. Furthermore--why do they even care about this at a state level?

I wrote before that as someone who rented short term for years (decades), I think they are generally good. But this whole thing looks like AirBnB and other big business interests pressuring towns via the state. F them

[Woodsy]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

Having now read the link--separate from this specific issue--these laws where states limit what towns can do (or the feds limit what states can do) really bug me. It's one thing if it's some big fundamental issue, like the right to vote or other constitutional stuff. But why should someone in Concord be telling a town what is or is not right for that town on something as mundane as short term rentals. Furthermore--why do they even care about this at a state level?

I wrote before that as someone who rented short term for years (decades), I think they are generally good. But this whole thing looks like AirBnB and other big business interests pressuring towns via the state. F them

I don't think the State or City would really care if there was an abundance of affordable workforce housing... Unfortunately, there is a huge shortage of affordable housing and short term/airbnb/vrbo investors gobble up what little inventory is left thus driving the prices even higher. While it might be financially beneficial to an investor, the neighborhood pays the price.

Woodsy

[Descant]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

I don't think the State or City would really care if there was an abundance of affordable workforce housing... Unfortunately, there is a huge shortage of affordable housing and short term/airbnb/vrbo investors gobble up what little inventory is left thus driving the prices even higher. While it might be financially beneficial to an investor, the neighborhood pays the price.

Woodsy

I don't think this has anything to do with low cost workforce housing not being available. We're talking about short term vacation rentals--expensive shorefront where the owner wants to offset high taxes and get a little cash flow when he is not using the property. As a side effect, this may benefit workforce housing. Owners who can't get the high summer rents will rent September through May for cheap just to keep somebody in the house, heat on, no vandalism, snow cleared, etc.

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by Descant

I don't think this has anything to do with low cost workforce housing not being available. We're talking about short term vacation rentals--expensive shorefront where the owner wants to offset high taxes and get a little cash flow when he is not using the property. As a side effect, this may benefit workforce housing. Owners who can't get the high summer rents will rent September through May for cheap just to keep somebody in the house, heat on, no vandalism, snow cleared, etc.

It does though. It is not just waterfront or even water access communities like Suissevale/ Balmoral etc. 5-10 years ago you may put a house in the rental program and done a winter rental. VRBO and Home Away have made it so easy to do short-term rentals, that most rentable houses are gobbled up by investors and rented out weekly.

My son is moving on Sunday , it took 6 months to find a decent place that was semi-reasonable. He is a manager at a parts store, he is local workforce. There is nothing out there.

[John Mercier]

Originally Posted by Descant

I don't think this has anything to do with low cost workforce housing not being available. We're talking about short term vacation rentals--expensive shorefront where the owner wants to offset high taxes and get a little cash flow when he is not using the property. As a side effect, this may benefit workforce housing. Owners who can't get the high summer rents will rent September through May for cheap just to keep somebody in the house, heat on, no vandalism, snow cleared, etc.

The businesses that want labor September to May want year round labor. The summer tourism businesses need labor from May to September. Lots of summer closed early or curtailed their hours, many of the year-round are running on overtime
employees to the point of near failure.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

I don't think the State or City would really care if there was an abundance of affordable workforce housing... Unfortunately, there is a huge shortage of affordable housing and short term/airbnb/vrbo investors gobble up what little inventory is left thus driving the prices even higher. While it might be financially beneficial to an investor, the neighborhood pays the price.

Woodsy

Just to be clear--the bill in the link prohibits towns from banning short term rentals--it is a pro AirBNB bill. It will drive up the price of workforce housing as you warn

[Phantom]

It still is not clear to me the definition of "Short Term Rental" -- ???

1-3 days?
1 Week ?
<30 Days ?


For example, our condo association restricts/ prohibits "Rentals" of less than 30 days.

.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by Phantom

It still is not clear to me the definition of "Short Term Rental" -- ???

1-3 days?
1 Week ?
<30 Days ?


For example, our condo association restricts/ prohibits "Rentals" of less than 30 days.

.

Since the bill prohibits the prohibition of short term rentals, and nobody has ever discussed restricting long term rentals, this distinction does not really matter. All of the time periods in your post would be allowed in every town. (FLL might note that hourly rentals would be OK too)

But you raise a great point--this lack of definition leading to everything being allowed everywhere is another sign that this is driven by corporate interests, not citizens.

[mswlogo]

Yeah we had an issue with renters from a house a few houses over. Luckily I had a lot of frontage and so did my neighbor that was full time so that gave us some buffer.

But it was fireworks almost every night. Because it was vacation for them.

Uncontrolled dogs that would wander onto our property and we couldn’t let our dogs out in our own yard. Luckily that would only happen a week here or there but you never knew who might show up.

Problem was owners were very good friends. At least they lived their full time and it was a separate cottage they rented.

When we shopped around for a new place we were VERY careful watching out for renters. Also need to watch out if there is a popular rafting spot right in front as well. You HAVE to shop for property at the peak of summer to know what you are getting into.

I like seeing activity on lakes more than most. When fellow owners say “they are gone” come September with a smile, I’m like, bummer they are gone. But there are always a few bad apples that do spoil the whole bunch.

The new spot I’m in, should be pretty good and stay pretty good. Adjacent home is worth $4 million easy. A neighbor down the road has a serious problem though and I feel bad for them. They just finished rebuilding too. But they have a really bad neighbor that rents to anything.

[TiltonBB]

If the neighbor is a friend maybe you could encourage them to only rent with a lease that has a maximum occupancy limit, "No Fireworks" and a "No pets" policy.

Insert a clause in the lease that says any violation of the lease terms will result in a forfeiture of the entire security deposit plus additional damages, to be determined solely by the owner. That should encourage better behaviour.

Even though I advertise "No Pets" I get rental inquiries every year from people who have dogs that "Never bark" along with assorted other claims about their perfect pets. The response is: Sorry, as the ad says, no pets, this is not the right house for you to rent.

[Descant]

Originally Posted by Phantom

It still is not clear to me the definition of "Short Term Rental" -- ???

1-3 days?
1 Week ?
<30 Days ?


For example, our condo association restricts/ prohibits "Rentals" of less than 30 days.

.

If you "Lease" for 6 months+, no room and meals tax. Anything less, yoi're supposed to put your license # in the "for rent" ad and pay the tax. To me, that means anything less than 6 months is short term. It looks like the bill prevents cities/towns/Country (sic) from zoning out short term rentals, but your HOA can still do whatever the members approve.

[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by Phantom

It still is not clear to me the definition of "Short Term Rental" -- ???
1-3 days?
1 Week ?
<30 Days ?
For example, our condo association restricts/ prohibits "Rentals" of less than 30 days.
.

From NH RSA 48-A:1

Vacation rental" or "short-term rental" means any individually or collectively owned single-family house or dwelling unit or any unit or group of units in a condominium, cooperative, or timeshare, or owner occupied residential home, that is offered for a fee and for less than 30 consecutive days. For purposes of this chapter, vacation rental and short-term rental are residential uses of the property and do not include a unit that is used for any nonresidential use, including retail, restaurant, banquet space, event center, or another similar use.

A one month or 30 day limit is not required. If a municipality desires to regulate housing through their zoning ordinance it may define the term however it chooses.

I understand that whatever comes out of the current discusions in Gilford will need to go before a Town Meeting to be voted upon.

[John Mercier]

Supposedly he is trying to make amend it.
But the problem isn't a group of State Senators... elected officials are running smack into a labor housing shortage.