Short-term rentals are on the rise across the Sunshine Coast, generating positive benefits for some and negative impacts for others. The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) recently released information gleaned from an online questionnaire aimed at finding out about short-term rentals, and the results indicate the issue is “complex.”
More than 650 people participated in the questionnaire, with more than 100 respondents identifying themselves as operators of short-term rentals. More than 40 per cent of respondents said short-term rentals should be allowed, with conditions, while 30 per cent said they should be allowed with no conditions and another 30 per cent don’t want short-term rentals allowed at all.
“Feedback received so far has been reviewed and it is clear that this is a complex issue,” said Andrew Allen, SCRD’s manager of planning and development.
“There are many opinions expressed in the feedback from the online questionnaire and there is both support for permitting short-term rentals and a strong desire to maintain the affordable and long-term rental supply.”
Allen said benefits such as housing visitors and temporary workers in the community were identified along with neighbourhood impacts such as noise and parking.
Nearly 75 per cent of those operating short-term rentals either rent their entire house (about 30 per cent) or have a second house on the property (about 20 per cent). Half of the people who responded reported they earn less than $10,000 a year from short-term rentals and 30 per cent earned more than $15,000. Nearly half of the respondents said the income helped to offset rent or a mortgage.
Short-term rentals have been blamed for the lack of long-term rentals, but only six per cent of those offering short-term rentals said they would rent long term.
“Several responses noted challenges they had experienced with long-term renters and the perception that the BC Residential Tenancy Act is weighted in favour of tenants,” the SCRD report said.
Most short-term rental operators said they would use the unit only for friends and family if they were not allowed to use the space for a short-term rental.
SCRD staff will be meeting with advisory planning commissions, community associations and the general public to discuss short-term rentals, Allen said.
“Our aim is to engage with the community, hear the stories and provide a full summary to the [SCRD] board in early 2018 with recommendations,” he added.
Results of the questionnaire and online workbook were presented to the infrastructure services committee on Sept. 21. Committee members were told that although the information will be shared with municipalities, any future regulatory options, such as bylaws concerning short-term rentals, would apply only to the rural electoral areas of the SCRD.
