Short-term Rental Registration Ordinance
To promote affordable housing, the Municipality will require the registration of short-term rentals before July 31. Owners who do not register may be fined and will not be able to list their properties on Airbnb or VRBO, as stated in a Press Release last month.Mayor LaFrance’s administration wants to “monitor these rentals; their location; what type they are (bedroom, apartment, cabin, house...); if the owner resides in them, whether they are rented year-round or seasonally. This data will reveal how short-term rentals influence neighborhoods, the housing market and the economy, and will inform housing policymaking.”
The Anchorage Continuum of Care—a network of organizations and individuals working to improve the homeless response system—determines that Anchorage needs housing for 1,300 people and 1,150 subsidized rapid rehousing and supportive housing for the homeless. “The limited housing stock is holding people trapped in inadequate housing,” says Lisa Demer, director of External Relations for the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. For LaFrance, “some people want to live in Anchorage and can’t because of lack of housing, which can deter them from moving and working here and contributing to the development of the city. The lack of appropriate options also leads to residents leaving the municipality.” “Urban planning requires knowing how many people are staying in a neighborhood at any given time. Occasional concentrations of population create demands that overload municipal infrastructure and services. By knowing where these units are concentrated, the Municipality can better manage its services,” according to the Mayor’s Office. An analysis by Agnew Beck Consulting for the Municipality indicates that “some 4,600 homes must be replaced or renovated; another 4,770 new homes are needed to make up for the overcrowding of 4.5% of the city’s homes and some 230 new homes are needed for population growth.” All short-term rentals in the Municipality require an Alaska Business License which can be obtained through the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. For more information and to complete your rental registration, visit the Municipality’s website or contact the City Clerk’s office at 907-343-4311. |