Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Short Term Rental Tax topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission discusses short-term rental taxes as recurring housing revenue
Summary
Members discussed short-term-rental taxation, registry options and potential dedication of 9–11% short-term rental tax revenue to an Essex housing trust to support long-term affordability and reduce displacement.
Commissioners discussed short-term rentals (Airbnb/VRBO) as a recurring revenue source for the housing trust, citing towns that redirect 9–11% of short-term rental tax revenue into housing funds. Lois Whitmore said redirecting those revenues could provide "an ongoing regular source of money funneling into the housing program."
Members noted that regulation and registries would likely be a planning and regulatory function for the selectboard and planning commission and that the housing commission's role would be to recommend how any revenue could be deployed (for example, to fund entry-level units priced to the new Essex affordability index). Several members suggested beginning with a registry to quantify the number of short-term units before proposing taxation or revenue dedication. The group agreed to explore examples from Burlington and other towns and to include short-term rental revenue options in outreach and grant narratives.
