With such a strong and growing tourism industry and a city average hotel room occupancy of 70 percent, the concern and resistance from the hotel and bed-and-breakfast industry about individual residents listing rooms for short-term rental on Airbnb or other similar sites is overstated and unwarranted.
Why not formally allow Asheville and Buncombe County residents to list and offer short-term rentals and collect and submit the same 4 percent occupancy tax required by hotels and B&Bs? Isn’t there enough to go around and everyone benefit?
Mr. [Daniel] Hall’s article [“No Room at the Inn,” May 13, Xpress] discussed how tourist spending filters throughout the greater community at large. Why not allow individual residents to benefit more from the growing tourist industry?
— David Frechter
Asheville
I am currently housing two homeless veterans through the Homeward Bound agency and program. During my own time of residential limbo, this program has helped me stabilize a precarious financial situation while providing housing for the homeless who have served our country. Today I cashed a very prompt rent check that was in my mailbox on this first day of the month. My new roommates are incredible and it has been a pleasure to provide them with more than a house, rather, a real home. Each room I rent (now 2) generates up to $700 a month ( I am charging $650) with a 3 month lease and option to extend to 5 months. The money is provided by the Federal government and the checking account is held at our own Asheville Savings Bank so cashing the check is instant. Of course there would be more flexibility for both tenants and landlords if the city and county would relax rather than restrict the ordinances concerning short-term rentals. Hopefully our town leaders will see the benefits to the citizens and those who have protected our freedom.