Halifax community group welcomes advent of short-term rental regulations – Halifax | 24CA News
The new land-use bylaw regulating short-term leases in Halifax comes into impact Friday, a transfer that’s been lengthy awaited by Bill Stewart.
Stewart is the spokesperson for Neighbours Speak Up, which was began 4 years in the past by group members within the Hyrdrostone neighbourhood who had been involved about an Airbnb within the space inflicting points with events, late nights, conflicts and police visits.
“So, we began to advocate to the provincial government and the municipal government to see if some regulations can be put in place,” he mentioned.
Since then, the province has carried out a short-term rental registry and on Sept. 1, Halifax Regional Municipality is about to usher in new guidelines setting limitations on how and the place short-term rental items can function throughout the metropolis.
Under the brand new laws, short-term rental items inside residential zones will solely be allowed to function within the host’s major residence — though, for neighbourhoods the place resorts or different varieties of vacationer lodging exist already, business short-term leases shall be permitted.
Stewart mentioned requiring the host to additionally stay within the house ought to assist deal with a number of the partying and noise points his group has seen.
“Primary resident, primary responsibility is an important thing,” he mentioned.
He can be hopeful the transfer will unlock some desperately wanted long-term housing inventory in residential areas.
“We have to look first at the needs of our residents and then consider where tourism fits in,” he mentioned.
“HRM and the province of Nova Scotia have made major commitments to do something about the housing crisis. This isn’t going to solve it completely, but by implementing the bylaw, doing it effectively, you may free up some housing to address part of that issue.”
Bill Stewart is the spokesperson for Neighbours Speak Up, which has been pushing for short-term rental laws for years.
Megan King/Global News
There are greater than 2,000 short-term leases in Halifax, lots of which shall be impacted by the brand new guidelines, based on Coun. Waye Mason.
“We are talking, probably, high hundreds – maybe low thousand, 1,500 – units in the areas that are affected, and we need those units right now,” he mentioned.
Mason mentioned lots of these leases are in his district of Halifax South Downtown, which, like the remainder of the town, is contending with rock-bottom emptiness charges and other people struggling to seek out long-term housing.
“Aside from the housing crisis issue,” Mason added, “it’s necessary because operating commercial businesses in residential neighbourhoods is something that has to be done very carefully.”
The councillor mentioned they don’t wish to see whole neighbourhoods turn out to be “sterilized” – the place they’re full of individuals in the summertime months who disappear as quickly as vacationer season ends.
“It’s important on a lot of levels that we protect those residential neighbourhoods,” he mentioned.
“Obviously, some of the short-term rental owners are disappointed, but I think it was the right policy decision to make.”
Rural considerations
One disenchanted short-term rental proprietor is Franziska Broell, who seems like she and different rural short-term rental homeowners slipped via the cracks.
Broell owns a 400-square-foot cottage in Seaforth, which continues to be throughout the municipality however a couple of 45-minute drive from the downtown core.
“This is really tricky for me because I can’t turn it into a long-term rental. I’ve tried, actually, to get a (long-term) tenant and I’ve had no success because it’s so far from the city and it’s really small, so it’s very hard to fill it,” she mentioned.
“So, I might be left with a building that I can’t do anything with.”
In an announcement, municipal spokesperson Klara Needler mentioned employees are “currently working on a report to understand modified provisions for STRs in rural parts of the municipality.”
“Our work will look to understand if there is potential for further flexibility for rural areas for issues such as seasonal cottages, inconsistent zoning, non-permanent structure such as tents and yurts, as well (as) potential associated environmental impacts,” she mentioned.
Broell mentioned the laws really feel “rushed” with out the considerations of rural short-term rental homeowners being taken into consideration.
“They’re saying that they’re trying to find ways to account for us, but it’s kind of late,” she mentioned.
“I mean, September 1 is just around the corner.… It kind of speaks to the lack of foresight, I think, in implementing this regulation.”
Mason mentioned employees proceed to work on the problem and famous that “all good laws have to evolve” as wrinkles get ironed out.
“I’m sure this law is going to evolve over time,” he mentioned.
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