Boston does it again!
Once again the State Legislature has demonstrated their lack of understanding and total disregard for the electorate in their quest for additional gilding of the coffers in Boston.
The purported residential B&B legislation addresses taxes but nothing in the way of protection for the other residents in the neighborhoods zoned residence ‘A’ in which this activity will be permitted.
There is no indication of any consideration for any restrictions as to age limits, or sex offender designations, or criminal background issues of the short term prospective tenants.
Through personal experience, the renting of a house on a Sat Evening for a college party by a 19 year old and the attendant police calls, neighborhood disturbance and trashing of the local area is not even addressed by the purported legislation. This is an only too real potential and demonstrated reality of a non-owner occupied B&B that is not regulated in a Residence ‘A’ location.
There is also the issue of who is going to police the rental application submission, rental income and collection of the taxes from the private individuals running these businesses. As a board member of a condo complex in Florida I can attest to the fact that at least 30% of all short term rentals go unreported for taxing purposes. They only come to light when the adjacent owners are aggravated to a sufficient degree to report the miscreants to the state department of revenue. Even then the proof is on the governing administration. Does the State of Massachusetts expect the residents of the neighborhoods this activity will be permitted in to be their policing and collection authority?
Lastly who is going to reimburse the local cities and towns, which are primarily dependent on real estate taxes for services, for the increased expenses for fire, emergency, and police presence these B&B will in many instances require.
The simple solution is to not allow NON OWNER OCCUPIED B&B rentals in a Residence A neighborhood period. That is why we have hotels and motels which are not in residence A neighborhoods, and are closely regulated for safety and compliance.
Lastly it should be pointed out that our sentient legislators propose some of the generated revenue will be spent on affordable housing which is, in my opinion, not where the associated costs of this activity will be generated and have to be born.
Richard Holcomb, Westfield, MA
