Airbnb touts economic contribution of short-term rentals

LACONIA — While local and state officials consider regulation of short-term rentals, Airbnb is touting how much these businesses mean to the local economy.

Airbnb said in a news release that its New Hampshire hosts earned $11.8 million during their five most successful weekends last year — Oct. 11-13, Aug. 9-11, Aug. 16-18, Aug. 2-4 and July 26-28.

For the entire year, the company’s hosts in Belknap County earned $4.2 million and had 27,700 total guest arrivals, fourth in the state behind Carroll County with 106,600 guests and $13.1 million, Grafton County with 95,900 guests and $12.2 million and Rockingham County with 33,400 guests and $5.3 million.

Company officials also say guests who stay at Airbnb locations boost the bottom line for nearby restaurants, entertainment venues and other businesses.

Josh Meltzer, head of Northeast public policy for the company, said Airbnb hosts provided a needed supply of accommodations during top travel weekends.

Liz DeBold Fusco, a spokeswoman for the company, said it supports common-sense regulation.

She did not comment specifically on the decision by the Laconia City Council to allow residents of The Weirs to offer their property for short-term rental, while prohibiting it elsewhere in the city unless the owner lives on the premises for at least 150 days per year.

Then-Mayor Ed Engler led the regulatory effort, saying local neighborhoods should be preserved for families and local workers as opposed to serving as investment opportunities for out-of-town people who want to run Airbnbs as absentee owners.

The regulations also require registration, inspections and penalties for non-compliance with various requirements.

The town of Meredith has formed a committee to study the issue and make recommendations.

A bill sponsored by state Sen. Harold French would prohibit local governments from banning the use of a building as a short-term rental.

The company provided information to Laconia about the kind of regulations it supports:

“What we've learned over the past several years is that the most effective registration systems are the simplest systems — short, simple forms that can be filled in online and require minimal fees/documents,” the statement said. “The more hurdles in place, the less likely people are to register, thwarting the city's objective. For instance, a recent audit in Portland, Ore., found that, ‘One reason for the low permit compliance may be that the cost and time to obtain a Type B permit is high.’

“Thus, while some cities — like Portland, Maine — have created ‘tiered’ registration systems that charge an additional fee for non-owner occupied STR, these cities have taken steps to ensure that the registration process itself remains simple/streamlined.”

The company supports enforcement of rules tied to quality of life concerns emanating from the short-term rental community.

“While these issues are very rare, some cities have targeted STR enforcement in response to complaints about ‘party houses’ and other neighbor concerns,” the statement said.

The company also supports insurance for short-term rentals.

“Insurance provides peace of mind for hosts, guests, and neighbors alike,” she said. “Airbnb's Host Protection Insurance, which is provided free of charge on every listing in the U.S. and many nations abroad, provides home sharing hosts with protection against third party claims of property damage or bodily injury up to $1,000,000. Requiring STR hosts to carry insurance or use platforms that provide said insurance can be an efficient way to protect against the rare case where something goes awry.”