Amenia board weighs in on AirBnBs and short-term rentals

Amenia Town Hall on Route 22. The Amenia Housing Board convened Thursday, Sept. 19 to discuss AirBnBs in the town and decided to leave them unregulated pending further discussion by the Comprehensive Plan Review Board.

Photo by John Coston
amenia government

Amenia board weighs in on AirBnBs and short-term rentals

AMENIA — A continuing topic of discussion at previous meetings — the issue of AirBnBs and short-term rentals — was addressed as an agenda item at the regular meeting of the Housing Board on Thursday, Sept. 19.

To be decided was whether the Housing Board would agree to ask the Town Board to consider drafting regulations to govern such rental opportunities. Following discussion, the consensus of the board was to forgo that request and leave such rentals unhampered by regulation, at least for now.

When the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee reconvenes assisted by a professional planner, however, the housing board agreed that the issue of short-term rentals is likely to come up again and can be dealt with then.

During discussion, Housing Board member Josh Frankel was concerned that AirBnB rentals impact the availability of workforce housing opportunities for local workers. He also wondered about the impact of any regulation on homeowners who want to rent their home to a tenant if they are going to be out of town for an extended period.

Another issue raised by Frankel involved absent homeowners seeking to rent the property to tenants for its income potential.
Frankel suggested that a regulation could be drafted to define and clarify the various iterations of such short-term rentals.

The potential for short-term rentals to be good for local businesses was discussed.

Newly appointed board member Juan Torres, attending his first board meeting, noted the importance of the town addressing workforce housing as a priority.

“We want the community to thrive,” Torres commented.

Housing Board chairman Charlie Miller said that although he opposes regulation on principle, the intent of any regulation would be to put rental inventory back into the long-term rental market, particularly that portion of the inventory where the owner is permanently absent.

amenia government

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Amelia R. Wright

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Amelia was born September 6, 1933 in Torrington, CT, daughter of the late Benjamin and Mary Eliza (Passini) Betti. Amelia worked at Camp Isabella Freedman as the Head Housekeeper. She was employed there for 35 years. She attended the Falls Village Congregational Church and had been very active at the Senior Center in Falls Village. She enjoyed collecting. She also enjoyed the craft classes offered by Adult Ed at the Housatonic Valley Regional High School. She enjoyed traveling, especially to the Cape, Vermont and New Hampshire. An avid flower person, Amelia had traveled to the major flower shows in both Boston and Philadelphia.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan Osborn and her husband David of Falls Village, her son, Robert H. Wright of Falls Village and her son, Donald Wright and his wife Kate of Millbrook, NY; her sister, MaryAnn Betti of Falls Village; her grandchildren, Benjamin and Katie Osborn and Jacob Wright. Amelia is also survived by her great grandson, Gunner Osborn. Amelia was predeceased by her brother, Donald Betti.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2024 in the Mountain View Cemetery, Sand Road, North Canaan, CT. Calling hours will be held at the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main Street, North Canaan, CT 06018 on Friday, October 4, 2024 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Falls Village Volunteer Ambulance Association, 188 US-7 South, Falls Village, CT. 06031

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