2023 Short-Term

Rental Update

November 2023

Mark Matheny
Director
Development Services
Key Takeaways

● Regulatory and enforcement efforts around short

term vacation rentals continue to be a priority for
city staff.
● Existing and proposed regulatory changes are
closely monitored at the local and State level.
● Staff is aware of best practices and regulatory
approaches used by neighboring jurisdictions.
● Homestay permit requests and complaints are
currently trending lower than previous years
Short Term Rental 2023 update

2015 2016 2018 2023

City Council adopts City Council clarifies The City prohibits State law eliminates
changes to Homestay residency requirements whole home vacation requirement for annual
rules for homestays rentals, except in permit renewal
“resort” zoning districts
Short Term Rental 2023 update
Short Term Rental 2023 update
Short Term Rental 2023 update

Units on record

● 176 STVR (known)

○ “House for Rent”

○ In district RSRT

● 861 Homestay properties registered with the city

○ “Room to let”

○ In all districts except; MH Overlay, MHC, LI, IND, ARPT, Haywood Rd

Form (Core), RAD-IND, RAD-OS
Short Term Rental 2023 update

Units on record

● Homestay Standards:
○ Sec. 7-16-1, (c), 9 Uses by right, subject to special
requirements.

● Short Term Vacation Rental Standards:

○ Sec. 7-16-1, (c), 64.1 Uses by right, subject to special
requirements.

https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ashevillenc/latest/asheville_nc/0-0-0-8684
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Parking
No additional off street parking required

Signage
No signage permitted

Lighting
Residential in nature and meet UDO
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Post 2023 Court Ruling

Homestay - Issue permit once, no annual renewal

STVR - (Existing) Issued permit once, no annual renewal

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Compliance process
● Complaint received/Compliance check
○ Verify through Rentalscapes and Web search that property is
advertising

● Make contact
○ Contact in first couple of days
■ Warning to stop violation
○ Unable to make contact
■ NOV to listing
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Compliance process

● Compliance met, no further action

○ Remove posting
○ Receive Homestay permit
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Compliance process

● Compliance not met

○ NOV - 30 days to comply
○ No compliance $500 fine
● Accumulation of around $5,000 of fines
○ contact made
○ due to size of accumulated fines
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Compliance process

● Small Claims Court is next step

○ Initiated at around $10K
○ (2) cases in 2023
■ Totalling roughly $15K
■ Compliance met
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Neighbors
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Neighbors; Black Mountain

● Currently no ordinance
● New UDO has a few proposals around;
○ zoning permit
○ Parking
○ Maintaining neighborhood character
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Neighbors; Buncombe County

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Neighbors; Weaverville

● Town began to study the issue back in March

● Consideration of regulations is likely to come in the next few
months
● Uncertain as to what, if any regulations may be enacted
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Neighbors; Woodfin

Home Stays
● A lodging use that occurs within a resident-occupied single-family dwelling
● A one-time Zoning Compliance Permit is required… Home Stays are permitted within
Residential zoning districts.
● See Section 54-144(a)2 for all applicable standards.

Short Term Rentals

● Only permitted in the Community Shopping - CS and Light Industrial - LI zoning districts.
Please
● See Section 54-144(a)3 for all applicable standards.
● A STR is defined as "a lodging use that occurs within a single dwelling unit containing a
maximum of three bedrooms that is rented to transients for compensation for a period of less
than one month."
Key Takeaways

● Regulatory and enforcement efforts around short

term vacation rentals continue to be a priority for
city staff.
● Existing and proposed regulatory changes are
closely monitored at the local and State level.
● Staff is aware of best practices and regulatory
approaches used by neighboring jurisdictions.
● Homestay permit requests and complaints are
currently trending lower than previous years
Short Term Rental 2023 update