Officials believe they have found a usable solution to problems posed by the popularity of sites like Airbnb.
BY JACOB PALMER | DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
Officials in Bend believe they have found a usable solution to the problems posed by the popularity of sites like Airbnb.
The City Council declared Wednesday that its buffer-zone plan has stemmed the tide of vacation rental properties in the booming Central Oregon metropolitan area.
One reason city staff called the program a success is because 92 owners failed to apply for licenses, meaning their land use permits were voided.
“That’s a 14 percent attrition rate,” noted Assistant City Manager Jon Skidmore. “That’s pretty impressive, and shows the intent of the program seems to be working.”
(SOURCE: Bend Bulletin)
This has been a contentious issue in Bend since the summer of 2014. One resident said at the meeting that the current rules have been effective but that there was still work left to do, saying, “You stopped the hemorrhage but didn’t wipe up the blood,” according to Tyler Leeds’ report for the Bulletin.
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