PHOENIX – The Capital Times is reporting cities and counties are on the verge of losing their authority to keep property owners from renting out their homes for short-term and vacation rentals.
Without debate the Senate Friday gave final approval to SB 1350 which is designed to preclude local governments from barring such rentals because a property is not classified as a hotel. The measure now goes to the governor.
Ducey is expected to sign the restriction as it is in line with his vision to have Arizona be the leader of "the sharing economy.'' He sees online services like Airbnb, which links up property owners and renters to be similar to Uber and Lyft, which connect motorists with people needing a ride.
The measure drew some concern from local governments. But proponents said the legislation still allows cities and towns to adopt regulations designed to protect public health and safety.
Local communities also would be able to adopt ordinances related to noise and property maintenance. And a city or town could specifically outlaw short-term rentals for housing sex offenders, making pornographic videos, running an adult-oriented business or maintaining a structured sober-living home.
That still left some foes.
During earlier debate, Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said he fears what this could do to neighborhoods.
"I didn't move into a neighborhood to have the house next door to me turned into a weekly rental property,'' he said.
"We had a problem in Fountain Hills where people were renting houses and they were allowing individuals through services like this to rent them for the weekend when there are big golf or other events in town,'' Kavanagh said. "And a whole bunch of people come and they party at the house, they arrive on Friday and they leave on Sunday.''