Report Looks At How Airbnb-Rentals Affect Montana's Affordable Housing Problem

[MULTIZ321]

Report Looks At How Airbnb-Rentals Affect Montana's Affordable Housing Problem
By David Erickson/ Business/ Local/ Missoulian/ missoulian.com

"The home-sharing website Airbnb lists roughly 300 short-term rentals listed in Missoula, a community with a population of about 75,000. That pales in comparison to the 915 listings in Whitefish, pop. 7,600, or the 524 listings in Bozeman, pop. 48,000.

Short-term rentals can cause problems in communities, including increased home prices, a reduction in workforce and affordable housing and changes in neighborhood complexion. That’s according to Norma Nickerson of the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana.

Along with co-author Rhonda Fitzgerald, an inn owner in Whitefish, Nickerson wrote a recent report for Montana Business Quarterly about the fast-growing industry of home sharing in Montana.

Short-term rentals are “currently flooding” communities like Whitefish, Bozeman, West Yellowstone, Kalispell and Missoula, they found.

“Originally short-term rentals were considered a part of the sharing economy, offering travelers a low-cost option to pricey hotels or resorts,” they wrote. “But a growing trend has emerged with commercial operators running hoteling schemes, which tend to fracture communities, raise safety concerns and increase the price of rent for residents while depleting affordable housing options.”

During a phone interview on Friday, Nickerson said they got the idea to study short-term rentals after hearing complaints from residents of Gardiner, Montana. The small town is a gateway to Yellowstone National Park, and it has been transformed in recent years by short-term rentals......"

An accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, pictured in Missoula in early 2018. These homes can become short-term Airbnb-style rentals, which some studies have indicated can replace workforce housing and lead to higher rents and home prices.


Richard

 

[klpca]

This is a real issue in all communities. Neighborhoods are for neighbors. Anyone who lives near a tourist area can tell you all about how this has changed their communities. We live 7 miles from the beach, yet people are buying up family homes in our area and turning them into short term rentals. This is taking that housing inventory out of an already tight real estate market.

 

[PigsDad]

Yep, this has been a growing problem in Colorado's ski areas as well -- there is less and less affordable housing available for resort workers.

Kurt

 

[Fredflintstone]

I am actually amazed at how many places are converted to Airbnb or other short term rentals everywhere too. It makes it harder for the hotel industry too? If they now have to compete with Airbnb’s located everywhere, they have to work harder to get guests. That’s why I think they are creating more timeshares. At least with timeshares, the place can get a steady flow of MF and can raise fees and reduce services at will.

In a way, the short term boom kind of keeps rates in line through increased competition. Even timeshares have to be careful raising rates in attempts to stay competitive.

But yes, the most affected are the people living in the area.






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk