DEAR MINISTERS, WHERE'S OUR RELIEF FROM ALL THIS?
The good corporate executives over at Airbnb are under no illusion that they’re breaking Planning legislation; at least in the UK they are pleading for a ‘let off’.
Here in NSW the Yamba Residents Action Group has been asking Clarence Valley Council to uphold and enforce their residential zoning. Result: the US$31-bilion Airbnb has come straight back with one of their standard responses in the local press: another of their smiling landlords who appears to be in clear breach of the residential status on her property, pleading the benefits of Airbnb.
Meanwhile, the nearby Coffs Harbour Novotel is closing – fault of holiday letting – with “many losses for jobs and careers, potential financial losses for investors and owner occupiers.”
Media personality David Koch/Kochie is also pumping out the good vibes on behalf of Airbnb and other short-term rental bods for no apparent ‘good reason’; this is indeed odd given that Kochie was a long-term lease-holder in the Bridgeport building when it was overwhelmed by short-stay ‘clients’ and if we’re not mistaken, Kochie quit the premises following the vandalism of his two motor vehicles.
Tonight Sydney’s Inner-West Council will address State Parliament’s ‘Options Paper’. It is of note that they are still ignoring the “fundamental incompatibility” of mixing short-term rentals with permanent residents plus ignoring the fact that ratepayers have invested in Residential property and suburbs zoned Residential in their Local Government Area. Our Planning legislation and NSW case law is clear. The rights of Residents must take priority over the commercial demands of Airbnb.
And not forgetting that we are already Airbnb’s “most penetrated market”, Tasmanian Airbnb ‘hosts’ are receiving emails at their workplaces asking them to rally their NSW buddies into action. On it goes...
Homes not Hotels Communities not Transit Zones People before Profits Neighbours not Strangers
