Hamilton Airbnb hosts slam city over proposed short-term rental changes

Airbnb is mobilizing hosts in Hamilton to oppose the city's plans to heavily regulate the short-term rental market.

The web-based accommodation service held a meeting with dozens of operators Wednesday night at a Mountain restaurant to strategize how to respond to the sweeping changes first pitched to council in July.

At the core of the proposals - which staff attribute to neighbourhood complaints and lack of affordable housing - is a licensing system that will limit rental platforms to a host's principal residence and cap guest stays to a maximum of 120 nights per year. Another key measure includes barring commercial players from advertising multiple listings.

But some hosts say the planned changes miss the mark and unfairly infringe on the economic interests of responsible operators.

It's like they're taking a bazooka to hit a fly," said Andrew Robertson, a local realtor with an Airbnb apartment at Bold and Bay streets. If they think they're going to unlock affordable units, it's just not the case. A lot of these places were never affordable. They're really nice, one- to two-bedroom units."

Indeed, Robertson spent north of $20,000 renovating his downtown bachelor apartment into a sleek Airbnb in 2019. While he already owns and manages about two-dozen rental units in Hamilton, he said he listed this one on the platform only after years of struggling to find a long-term tenant.

With the size and location, it's just perfect for Airbnb," Robertson said. And I'm totally OK with going to register and get a licence from the city, but what they're proposing is such a far overreach.

Unless you have a basement in your own house, there's nothing you can do. You can't put it on Airbnb."

Short-term rental operators with separate units in their principal residence will be less affected by the proposals, but some still harbour concerns.

Take Barb MacTaggart, who rents out her Ancaster basement on Airbnb for 200 to 250 nights a year. That number would shrink by half if council approved staff's recommendations to cap short-term rentals at 28 nights in a row and no more than 120 per year.

I mean, I pay my taxes. Why should anyone be able to tell me what to do with my basement?" said MacTaggart, who likes using the rental platform because it affords her the flexibility of hosting family when renters aren't staying.

And don't get wrong: if there's people who are buying up cheap properties and then throwing them on Airbnb when there's a housing shortage, that's wrong. But it's a whole different issue compared to this."

Robertson and MacTaggart aren't alone in their concerns.

Coun. Jason Farr said he's received probably around 300 emails" from people worried about the proposed changes. Still, he thinks the recommendations are well-intentioned and will help bolster the city's dwindling long-term rental supply.

We have valid concerns about our rental stocks, and regulating the market through bylaws will help that."

In a statement, Airbnb said it wants to work with the city on fair rules" that protect short-term rental operators who rely on its service to make ends meet.

Council will vote on the proposed changes at a yet-scheduled planning meeting later this year.

Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com