HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegulating Short-term Rentals - Southold 2024.pdfFrom Airbnb to VRBO and
Everything in Between:
Regulating Short-Term Rentals in
Your Jurisdiction
Katie Hodgdon
Counsel
Association of Towns
April 2024
Topics to Discuss
•Introduction of short-term rentals in the United
States
•Tools to regulate short-term rentals
•Case law update
•Drafting a local law that will *likely* survive
court scrutiny
•Any other questions!
Short-term Rentals
•Not a new concept; however –popularity has
skyrocketed over the last decade
–Pandemic brought short-term rentals into the
mainstream
•67% more listing nights sold in 2021 than 2019 in
small cities/rural markets (source: AirDNA)
•Variety short-term rental platforms in United
States –Airbnb, Homeway, VRBO
•Airbnb-founded in 2008
–2014-$10 billion valuation
–2016-$30 billion valuation
–2018-had more listings than top three hotel chains
combined
–2022-8.4 billion in revenue –40% increase from 2021
Short-term Rentals
•Potentially more profitable to owners than long-
term rentals
–In Ithaca, 2017 estimates found that a two bedroom
unit would need to be rented 23% of the time to equal
long term rental rate
•All of this to say that popularity continues to
increase and it is likely your jurisdiction has
encountered short-term rentals
•NYC biggest market in US for Airbnb; however, it
is everywhere!
Why Regulate Short-term Rentals?
“Well, you know, you have to have zoning codes or
else the whole thing could be chaos”
-Leslie Knope, Parks & Recreation
Why Regulate Short-term Rentals?
•No regulation = no say and chaos abounds
•Zoning is not a four letter word (literally and
figuratively)
•Accept that STRs are here and then craft
regulations that suit your locality’s needs
•Positives?
–Increased tourism
–Development opportunities / incentivize
development
Why Regulate Short-term Rentals?
•Income to residents (and locals?)
No tax revenue in most of NY –yet
•Tompkins county-STRs included in Transient Occupancy
Tax –Tax Law section 1202-f
•Voluntary Collection Agreement (VCA) –in 2016
Tompkins County became the first county in the state to
enter into a VCA with Airbnb, where anyone booking
rooms through Airbnb in Tompkins county will pay 3%
room tax
•Most locals (towns / villages) cannot just impose a tax –
need special state legislation to include STRs within tax
structure
Why Regulate Short-term Rentals?
•Taxation of marketplace providers (Airbnb,
VRBO) may be in the works (pending NYS
2024 exec budget proposal, also in Senate and
Assembly one-house)
•But!
Why Regulate Short-term Rentals?
•Loss of residential feel of neighborhood / community
feel
•Nuisances for neighbors (light, noise, trash, fire safety)
•Parking issues / safety concerns
•Address access to housing (STR means that abode is
not rented out long-term)
•Not subject to same safety / health codes as hotels /
motels
•Declining year round population can result in largely
vacant properties
•Increased demands on infrastructure
Options for Local Regulation
Local governments have many tools at their
disposal to regulate short-term rentals!
•Comprehensive plan
•General zoning authority
•Special use permits
•Broader, outside the box authority
Options for Local Regulation-Comprehensive
Plan
•Comprehensive Plan:
–Town Law section 272-a
–Village Law section 7-722
–General City Law section 28-a
•The comprehensive plan is important! Provides the
framework and backbone for zoning code
•Necessary to adopt zoning legislation
•Does not need to be in one “comprehensive” document
or even written at all (?), so long as a court can
ascertain that the plan exists and locality acting in
furtherance of plan and public interest (Matter of
Skenesborough Stone, Inc. v Village of Whitehall,
254 AD2d 664 [1998])
Options for Local Regulation-Comprehensive
Plan
•Why address short-term rentals in
comprehensive plan? Locals are empowered to
adopt regulations that align with the
comprehensive plan
•If short-term rentals are covered in plan and
zoning regulations are aligned in furtherance
of the plan –solid legal ground if challenged
•STRs not covered in comprehensive plan?
–Adopt temporary moratorium to modify and
address STRs going forward
Options for Local Regulation-Comprehensive
Plan
•Moratorium on STRs –should be reasonable
in length and have a valid basis
–Locality needs time to develop STRs within
comprehensive plan and zoning structure and
failure to implement moratorium might result in
unrestricted growth that detrimentally impacts the
character of the community
–Should be able to point to meaningful legislation
as a result of moratorium that furthers long-range
goals
Options for Local Regulation-Comprehensive
Plan
•Moratorium on STRs –should be reasonable
in length and have a valid basis
–Reasonable timeframe
–Valid public purpose
–Actually address the issue
–Definitive end date
•SEQR unlisted action –conditional neg dec
most likely
•Local law via home rule authority
Options for Local Regulation-Comprehensive
Plan
•Do STRs have to be explicitly addressed in
comprehensive plan in order to adopt local
laws addressing STRs?
•No, not exactly
•To ensure the locality is on solid legal ground,
the best scenario is to adopt a local law that is
in alignment with the comprehensive plan
Local Regulation Options –General Zoning Authority
•General zoning authority
–Town Law sections 261, 264
–Village Law section 7-700
–General City Law section 20 (24), (25)
-These statutes give localities broad authority to
adopt zoning regulations that suit the municipality’s
unique needs
Local Regulation Options –General Zoning Authority
•General zoning authority
-Adopt zoning regulations consistent with comprehensive plan
-STRs –authorized in certain zones, not authorized at all (consistent
with comprehensive plan), impose density requirements
-Ensure that you are regulating the USE, not the OWNER
-Weisenberg case-durational time limit appropriate because
regulating use of the land, not the owner (in contrast to
owner-occupied restrictions)
-No use variance unless you want the use to run with the land (most
likely)
Local Regulation Options –General Zoning
Authority
•Permitting pursuant to Town Law section
261:
–Does not run with the land as a variance
may-is tied to the applicant / owner
–Permits can be non-transferable
•**Indicate in enabling legislation that
permits are a privilege not a right and
can be revoked for failing to comply**
–Hignell-Stark case (2022)
Options for Local Regulation –Permits
•Considerations for permits:
–Designate where applications are filed
–Definitions –what constitutes an STR (eg, any dwelling rented
for a period of less than 30 days that excludes hotels, motels,
bed and breakfasts and the like)
–Inspection by fire / code officials / property owner’s own
professional before permit granted
–Smoke / carbon monoxide detectors / fire extinguishers
–Maximum occupancy requirements
–Permit process –length of time to process, reasons why it can
be denied
–Give enforcing officer broad authority to impose reasonable
conditions on permit so long as consistent with code and
directly related to use of STR
Options for Local Regulation –Permits
•Considerations for permits:
–Impose quiet hours (reasonable)
–Permits displayed on property
–Require filing of “Health and Safety Policy Guidelines” –include
emergency evacuation plans / diagrams and provision of safety
equipment
–Ensure garbage removal is addressed
–Notify adjacent property owners
–Enforcement / penalties addressed
•Complaint filed with owners, if owner fails to respond within two hours or
reasonable period complaint goes to CEO to enforce
–Reasons for revoking permit
–Length of license / renewals / revocable at any point
–All primary contacts listed
Options for Local Regulation –Special Use
Permits
•Special use permits are a powerful tool to
regulate STRs
–Town Law section 274-b
–Village Law section 7-725-b
–General City Law section 27-b
•Allows localities to require authorization of a
particular use that is otherwise permitted in
zoning code subject to requirements imposed by
special use permit
•Can / should place conditions on special use
permit
•Can require annual / biennial renewal (etc)
Options for Local Regulation –Special Use
Permits
•Board designates authority to review permits
(zoning board / planning board)
•Public hearing conducted within 62 days (if
using 274-b authority); can be extended by
mutual consent
•10 days before hearing notice sent to
applicant and county planning board
•Decision filed with clerk within five days of
decision
•Aggrieved applicants can commence an
Article 78 proceeding within 30 days of
decision
Permitting -Fees
•Frequently asked question –what can we charge
for STR permits? Can we charge based on the
assessed value of the property? A sliding scale
based upon the nightly room rate?
•In short, no –permit fees have to bear a direct
relation to the costs of issuing the permit and
inspecting / enforcing STR activity
•Can have sliding scale but has to be rationally
related to administrative / inspection costs to the
locality –not based upon assessed value of the
property or the room rates
•Fees must be rational!
Options for Local Regulation –Creative Methods
-Additional authority to regulate STRs
-Town Law section 130 –adopt ordinances
that:
-Promote the public welfare
-Address health and safety regulations
-Regulate hotels, motels, boarding rooms, etc,
specifying their manner of running and ensuring
cleanliness and fire protection
-Require rental properties to register
-Impose conditions not related to land use
Options for Local Regulation –Creative Methods
-Town Law section 136:
-Authority to license and regulate inns, boarding
houses, rooming houses and the like
-Village Law section 4-412 –general authority
of the Board of Trustees:
-“Good government of the village, its management
and business, the protection of its property, the
safety, health, comfort, and general welfare of its
inhabitants, the protection of their property, the
preservation of peace and good order, the
suppression of vice. . .”
Options for Local Regulation –Creative Methods
-Town Law sections 130 & 136 authorize adoption
of ordinances to regulate
-Villages can’t adopt ordinances so don’t worry about it
-Why would you adopt an ordinance?
-Adopt a local law –can use authority provided in
130/136 to adopt local law via home rule
authority
-Local laws have the presumption of validity in
court if challenged-ordinances do not
-Ordinances require an affidavit of publication-
local laws do not
Options for Local Regulation –Creative Methods
-Key tenet of zoning –regulate the use, not the
owner
-Can you regulate the owner (eg, impose
owner-occupancy restrictions) if regulating
pursuant to police power or licensing authority
as provided by Town Law sections 130/136?
-More likely to withstand court scrutiny as an
exercise of police power; proceed with caution
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
–August 2022 Fifth Circuit decision –NY falls under
Second Circuit jurisdiction but decision still provides
guidance for moving forward
–Property owners challenged city’s short-term rental law
asserting:
1.Violation of Takings Clause of the Constitution, since owners had
“vested property interest” in renewal of their licenses
2.Violation of the Dormant Commerce Clause of US
Constitution by imposing residency requirements on any STR,
thereby discriminating against interstate commerce
3.Violation of the First Amendment by imposing advertising
restrictions that restrained free speech
–Not addressed –court did not have jurisdiction
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
1.Violation of Takings Clause: no dice for the property
owners –to prevail on takings claim owners have to
demonstrate:
–Property interests were so deeply rooted in custom that
just compensation for appropriating license includes
monetary damages
–No property interest –regulation provided that licenses
were “a privilege not a right” and that even
applicants that qualified for a license were not
necessarily entitled to one
–Regulation also provided that that license could be
revoked or not renewed due to non-compliance
–Property interest was not longstanding because licensing
structure began in 2017
–**No Takings Clause violation**
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
•Important Takeaway #1 –Ensure regulation
establishing permit system includes language
indicating permit is a privilege not a right that
is subject to revocation
•This language will help locality avoid any
claims of violating the Takings Clause for
failing to issue or not renew a license
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
2.Violation of the Dormant Commerce Clause of US
Constitution by imposing residency requirements on any
STR, thereby discriminating against interstate commerce
•Commerce Clause gives federal government the authority to
regulate commerce with and between the state
•Dormant commerce clause –prohibits states (and localities)
from passing legislation that discriminates against or
excessively burdens interstate commerce
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
2.Violation of the Dormant Commerce Clause of US
Constitution by imposing residency requirements on any
STR, thereby discriminating against interstate commerce
•STR regulation in New Orleans only authorized permits for
resident property owners that resided on the premises (by way
of a homestead exemption –similar to STAR benefit in NY)
•Court found residency requirement was invalid on its face
because it treated in-state and out-of-state economic interests
differently, benefitting in-state and burdening out-of-state –
even when city asserted police power
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
2.Violation of the Dormant Commerce Clause of US
Constitution by imposing residency requirements on any
STR, thereby discriminating against interstate commerce
•In order to survive claim, city had to demonstrate
–Legislation advanced legitimate local purpose
–That could not adequately be served by reasonable nondiscriminatory
alternative
•City argued that the residency requirement prevented nuisances,
promoted affordable housing and protected the character of the
neighborhood
•Court disagreed-other, less discriminatory options available,
including increased enforcement and restricting number of
permits granted
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
•Important Takeaway #2 –Do not impose a
owner-occupied or residency requirement
UNLESS locality can demonstrate that a
legitimate public purpose exists for which there
is no reasonable non-discriminatory alternative
–Yes, NY courts have typically upheld this
requirement, but not under the guise of violating
the dormant commerce clause
•Owner-occupied / residence requirements
regulates the owner –not the use
Case Law Update
•Hignell-Stark v City of New Orleans
•Instead, increase penalties in local law for
violations and include language that revokes
STR permit upon repeat offenses
•Commerce Clause applies to all localities!
•Do not include STAR benefit language in
STR regulation
–Creates residency requirement similar to
homestead
Case Law Update
Hignell-Stark Decision –August 22, 2022
NOLA Moratorium on STR Permits –August 29, 2022
Case Law Update
•Matter of Wallace v Town of Grand Island
–NYS Appellate Division, Fourth Department 2020
–Property owner purchased single-family home in 2012 with
sole intention of operating as STR
–Town subsequently adopted local law prohibiting STRs in
certain districts unless they were owner-occupied
–After seeking use variance, which was denied, property
owner challenged town’s short-term rental law asserting
that the residency requirement constituted an
unconstitutional regulatory taking
Case Law Update
•Matter of Wallace v Town of Grand Island
–Court disagreed –to demonstrate an unconstitutional
regulatory taking, property owner has to demonstrate that
“under no permissible use would the parcel as a whole be
capable of producing a reasonable return or be adaptable to
other suitable private use”
–Owner required to provide economic evidence regarding
economic return-failed to meet this standard
–One is NOT constitutionally entitled to the most beneficial use
of their property
–Mere diminution in return does not rise to taking –owner could
still enter into long-term lease, sale, other permissible uses
Case Law Update
•Matter of Wallace v Town of Grand Island
•Important Takeaway–Property owner
unsuccessful because failed to demonstrate the
local law rose to the level of a regulatory taking
•Given Fifth Circuit decision, if property owner
had argued violation of dormant commerce
clause that discriminated against property
owners, case could have had a very different
outcome
•*Concern is not with takings issue-be concerned
about violating commerce clause!*
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–United States District Court-Eastern District of NY 2019
–Town adopted STR local law in 2017 that:
•Imposed licensing and advertising requirements on
certain vacation rentals;
•Prohibited STRs from being rented more than once in a
14-day period; and
•Imposed civil penalties for violations and authorized
town board to act as reviewing authority
–Owner-occupied units not included in definition of vacation
rental properties subject to STR local law
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–Property owners filed suit, alleging, among other
things:
•Local law caused lost income due to reduced
rentals;
•Local law violated the Fair Housing Act;
•Local Law violated Town Law; and
•Local Law violated US / NY Constitution
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–Local law caused lost income due to
reduced rentals:
•Property owner lacked standing, as they were in
an owner-occupied unit that was not subject to
the STR local law
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–Local law violated the Fair Housing Act;
•STR local law does not violate Fair Housing
Act, as act makes it unlawful to discriminate in
sale or rental of a “dwelling,” and STR excludes
properties that are rented for more than 14 days
at a time
–Therefore does not constitute a dwelling and thus
does not violate FHA
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–Local Law violated Town Law section 261;
•Town Law 261 authorizes towns to regulate and
restrict “density of population, and the location and
use of buildings, structures and land for trade,
industry, residence or other purposes”
•Not a general police power but instead a power to
regulate land use
–Town must ensure to regulate land use rather than the
individual or owner that occupies it
•Regulation imposes durational requirement that is
an appropriate exercise of land use regulatory
authority
Case Law Update
•Matter of Weisenberg v Town of Shelter Island
•Important Takeaway #1–Regulating length of
stay in a STR local law is proper exercise of
zoning authority under Town Law section 261
•Shelter Island STR local law prohibited more
than one stay in a 14-day timeframe –regulates
the length of the stay
•Durational requirement regulates the use, not the
owners or users
•Locality can feel confident in using zoning
authority to impose durational limits
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–Local Law violated US Constitution
•Owners asserted they were denied Due Process
under Fourteenth Amendment because they
established fundamental right to rent their homes
under NY law
•Court found that owners have no vested right to
existing zoning status of their property unless they
can demonstrate that they made substantial
expenditures in reliance on zoning status –eg,
entitled to a permit
•Owners could not demonstrate this and thus were
not denied due process
Case Law Update
•Matter of Weisenberg v Town of Shelter Island
•Important Takeaway #2–if a property owner can
demonstrate substantial expenditures in reliance
on the zoning status of their property, they may
have a Fourteenth Amendment due process
claim if STR changes the status of their property
that deprives them of their intended use
•Vested rights seems to be a high standard to
meet but should still be considered when
drafting and implement STR local law
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–Local Law violated US / NY Constitution
•Owners also asserted that the record-keeping and
search requirements in the local law violated their
right to privacy under both the Fourth Amendment
of the Constitution and Article I, section 12 of the
NYS Constitution
•Local Law required STR owners to maintain rental
registries for the town to examine at any point,
subject to automatic fines and license forfeiture for
non-compliance
–Owners could demonstrate compliance before license
revocation but fines were automatically issued
Case Law Update
•Weisenberg v Town Board of Shelter Island
–Local Law violated US / NY Constitution
•Court allowed these claims to proceed, which
resulted in the town amending their local law to
comply with the Fourth Amendment
–Important Takeaway #3 –Ensure property
owners are afforded the ability to comply with
requests for records and respond before fines
are issued
•Any requests should be reasonable –monthly
reporting requirement has been construed as
excessive and violation of the Fourth Amendment
(unlawful search and seizure)
Case Law Update
•Calvey v Town Board of North Elba
•United States District Court-Northern District of NY 2021
•March 2020 –town and village boards adopted legislation
requiring property owners to obtain revocable permits for
short-term rentals, which included any dwelling rented for
less than 30 consecutive nights and prohibiting any rental to
exceed more than 90 total days in a calendar year
•Localities excluded from STR Local Law:
–Owner-occupied units where owner resided on premises at least
184 days/year;
–Condominiums and townhouses that had an active HOA; and
–Carve outs for rentals on certain streets
Case Law Update
•Calvey v Town Board of North Elba
•STR local law gave locality the right to inspect the
STR to ensure compliance with the local law at
any reasonable time of day upon giving notice to
the owner
•Penalties of $350-$1,000 for first offense and
$1,000-$3,000 for second offense if committed
within five years, and maximum allowed under law
if additional offenses occurred
•Each week of continued violation constituted a
separate violation
Case Law Update
•Calvey v Town Board of North Elba
•Plaintiffs filed suit alleging, among other things:
–Denial of equal protection since similarly situated
property owners were treated differently via the carve
outs;
–The local law constituted an unreasonable search and
seizure by authorizing inspection without a warrant,
justification, or chance to protest; and
–The local law violates due process by requiring a permit
that interferes with their property right (dismissed
without prejudice –not ripe, although prior case law
suggests this claim would not stand )
Case Law Update
•Calvey v Town Board of North Elba
•Plaintiffs filed suit alleging, among other things:
–Denial of equal protection since similarly situated
property owners were treated differently via the carve
outs;
•Court allowed this cause of action to survive, asserting that
the property owners had a plausible claim that the STR local
law created a distinction among similarly situated owners
without a rational basis
–Important Takeaway #1-do not distinguish among
classes of permittees unless there is a solid rational
basis (and even then try to avoid it)
Case Law Update
•Calvey v Town Board of North Elba
•Plaintiffs filed suit alleging, among other things:
–The local law constituted an unreasonable search and
seizure by authorizing inspection without a warrant,
justification, or chance to protest;
–Locality argues that the STR did not require a search but
instead required consent to a search as a condition of a
permit
–Court denied motion to dismiss, citing Weisenberg as well
as the principle that requiring an inspection to obtain a
permit deprives one of any economic benefit from their
property (Sokolov v Freeport, 52 NY2d 341 [1981])
Case Law Update
–Fourth Amendment Issues with STR permits:
•Property owners have asserted that requiring a
search of the premises prior to issuance of permit
constitutes an unreasonable search and seizure in
violation of the Fourth Amendment
•Administrative search –need owner consent or an
emergency situation to inspect, otherwise an
administrative search warrant is required
Case Law Update
–Fourth Amendment Issues with STR permits:
•Requiring an inspection prior to issuance of permit
does NOT constitute an unreasonable search and
seizure, so long as the option for property owner to
provide certificate of evidence of own inspection is
available
–Municipality either inspects premises itself OR property
owner has the ability to produce certificate of inspection
from a licensed engineer
–Infinite Green, Inc. v Town of Babylon, 2022 NY Slip Op
00407
–Supreme court has found that a locality can require
inspection if property owner is expanding current use
/ occupancy (People v Bifulco [2003] –Suffolk
County garage inspection for ADU)
Case Law Update
–Fourth Amendment Issues with STR
permits:
•Can you impose inspection requirements? Not
unreasonable to ensure premises are up to code
and have requisite safety features
•Avoid court scrutiny –provide for inspection by
locality OR accept certificate of inspection that
meets locality’s requirements
–This ensures that locality will not run afoul of any
potential Fourth Amendment claims
Local Law –Tips to Survive Court Scrutiny
•Clear, concise definitions in code –what constitutes a
short-term rental?
•Regulate the use –not the property or user
–Shelter Island-Durational limits regulate the use-
acceptable!
–Town Law 261 durational requirements appropriate use of
zoning authority
•Include language in LL indicating that license/ permit is
a privilege, not a right that is subject to revocation
•Adopt a local law, not an ordinance –presumption of
validity in court
–Even if rest of code is adopted via ordinance! Doctrine of
legislative equivalency
Local Law –Tips to Survive Court Scrutiny
•Do NOT impose a residency requirement –likely
violation of dormant Commerce Clause
–Even though this was upheld in Matter of Wallace!
Argument was about regulatory taking-commerce clause
not raised
–Even though NY courts routinely uphold residency
requirement!
–Do not require STAR benefit for property to qualify –
STAR requires dwelling to be primary residence
–Residency requirement regulates the owner, not the use
–Shelter Island has a “homesteader hardship”-authorized to
rent more than once in 14 day period if owner makes less
than 5x federal poverty level –this regulates the owner, not
the use
•Could face issues if challenged on that account
Drafting a Short-term Rental Local Law
•Identify the issues you want to address in the community
–Look to your comprehensive plan
•Create clear definitions
•Designate enabling officer (Code enforcement officer)
•Referral to county-GML 239-m
•Require applicants to maintain “House Rules” that are
provided to renters
•Durational requirements via Town Law 261?
•What has to be included in advertisements (registration or
permit number?)
•No primary residency in county or area –designate local
contact that will handle issues
Drafting a Short-term Rental Local Law
•Number of vehicles authorized (reasonable) parking on
street authorized?
•What will fee for license / permit be?
•When do applicants need to renew?
•What to include in application for permit?
•Will there be a limit on amount of permits one person
or entity can hold?
•Where can complaints be filed?
•What constitutes a violation and what are the sanctions?
–Shelter Island –reasonable time limit to comply
–Officer that will issue cease and desist order (CEO)
Definitions to Include
•Include length of time / number of times a house or part
of house / property must be rented out to constitute
STR
•Could define a “vacation rental” as a residence or
room available for rent for periods of less than 14 days
totaling more than 30 (or however many) days of a
calendar year
•Transient rental occupancy –use of a dwelling unit
by a person or group of persons who occupies it or is
entitled to occupy a dwelling unit for remuneration for
a period of less than 14 calendar days, counting
portions of days as full days
Why are Definitions Important?
•Matter of Friedman v Town of Dunkirk, 221 AD3d
1581(4th Dept 2023)
–Property owner in “single-family dwelling” zone began
renting property as short-term rental
–ZBA –group of tenants that is transient or temporary in
nature does not meet definition of a “family” –found
STR was not authorized by code
–Court disagreed-transient nature of stay is only one
factor that can be considered for “family” purposes
•Rental to four persons related by blood –meets code
definition of family even though temporary stay
–Consider every definition in the code!!
Why are Definitions Important?
•Fruchter v Zoning Bd. of Appeals of Town of
Hurley, 133 AD3d 1174 (3d Dept 2015)
–Property owner in residential zone began listing
property for rent for timeframes ranging from one
night to an entire season
•Rents the entire residence and does not stay on the premises
–Code enforcement officer issued order to remedy for
illegally operating bed and breakfast or hotel
–ZBA found property owner should have obtained
special use permit
–Property owner asserted the type of rentals he provided
did not require special use permit
Why are Definitions Important?
•Fruchter v Zoning Bd. of Appeals of Town of Hurley,
133 AD3d 1174 (3d Dept 2015)
–Court found that property owner’s short-term rental activity
did not fall neatly into the town code’s definitions
–Analysis turned upon whether the use removed the property
from the definition of residential one-family and whether
activity fit under another definition
–Activity not a bed & breakfast or hotel –no food served
and no common exterior entrance
–Also not an owner-occupied dwelling, which was included
in code
–Court found the use does not fall within definition of what
town required for special use permit
Why are Definitions Important?
–Important takeaway-definitions matter!
–Town can amend code to include short-term rentals
in permitting scheme, expand definition of tourist
accommodations, transient rental occupancy . . .
–Property owner unlikely to prevail on a vested
rights claim if challenged once definitions
amended since property owners would still be able
to operate property –just under regulatory
structure
How Do Locals Regulate?
•How do we know if someone is even running a
short-term rental? How can we regulate them
if we don’t know the STR exists?
–Neighbor complaints
–STR websites-presumption of operation (include
in code) if property is listed
–Google search
–County registry if county has VCA with short-term
rental platform –should have a list of properties
–Software programs that track STR listings
Questions?
khodgdon@nytowns.org
Association of Towns
150 State St
Albany, NY
(518)465-7933