Hamilton delays rolling out new short-term rental licensing program
Published May 31, 2023 at 4:16 pm
Hamilton has delayed implementing its new licensing program for short-term rental accommodations such as Airbnb.
The City announced today (May 31) on Twitter that due to council’s “shift in priorities,” the program will be reviewed later this year. It will start accepting short-term rental licences in December. The City linked to a communication update from May 5 announcing the decision.
Hamilton currently has no licensing requirements for short-term rentals, which refer to places that provide rental accommodations for less than 28 days. The program was supposed to start on June 1.
With soaring rents and an affordable housing crisis in the city, the bylaw was meant to foster more affordable housing and long-term rental options by discouraging investment in properties for short-term rentals, banning commercial operators with multiple properties, and restricting short-term rentals to homeowners who are primary residents. The bylaw also addresses concerns about safety and “nuisance” at Airbnb-style rentals.
It was back in January that the City approved a bylaw to license, regulate and enforce rules surrounding short-term rentals.
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However, last month councillors moved to implement a full slate of options around the bylaw in efforts to “halt renovictions,” which has caused the delay.
An article by inthehammer.com in January reported the bylaw’s potential impact on housing affordability and availability. “There is evidence…that the more concentrated STRs (short-term rentals) in specific neighbourhoods does put upward pressure on rental prices,” said Ben Spychaj, a project manager with the City. “There are studies that show the opposite.”
Spychaj went on to say the new bylaw would prohibit commercial operators from focusing on short-term rentals instead of long-term housing.
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