EDMONTON -- A local organization that represents hotels is sounding the alarm about short-term rentals in Edmonton.
Officials with the Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels are questioning why city administration is taking an additional three months to present recommendations on short-term rental bylaw amendments.
EDMH is citing recent incidents such as a stabbing at an Airbnb in Garneau and a shooting at an Airbnb in Bonnie Doon.
“What were once safe and quiet communities are now dealing with too much noise, crime, disruption and absentee landlords,” reads a release by EDMH.
“Over the last few years, a neighbour across the street moved out of their home to create a commercial short-term rental business in my residential neighbourhood,” said Jeff McCammon, who lives near an Airbnb house. “Since its arrival, there has been a lack of security for my neighbours, my children have witnessed vulgar acts by some transient drunken guests, and there has been an overall loss of community along with diminished quality of life overall for my family.”
EDMH is asking other Edmontonians to share their stories in an attempt to show the city that a lack of regulation on short-term rentals poses a risk to the community.
“With transient guests, there’s a reason why hotels are in commercial zones,” said the news release. “EDMH is of the opinion that hotels were the original short-term rentals and operate in a joint industry with them. But unlike Airbnb, hotels demand full compliance and take full accountability for the guest experience in their hotels.”
