Kansas City Airbnb hosts may face fees with proposed rules

One year after a public meeting to cull input on “short-term stay” rules in Kansas City, officials have released a proposed ordinance on how Airbnb hosts can operate.

The proposal would require that Airbnb and HomeAway hosts in Kansas City, Mo. register and pay annual registration fees for short-term renting of their property, which is currently illegal. City officials said that the ordinance was prompted after residents issued complaints against hosts for increased activity and not related to crime.

The ordinance — which would have an impact on more than 300 Airbnb and Homeaway hosts in the area — could be taken up for a vote as early at March 7 by the City Planning Commission. The city is hosting a public discussion on the draft ordinance at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Greg Klice Community Center.

The proposal would create two types of special-use permits for hosts. Type 1 properties — or owner-occupied residences —  would be subject to a $100 fee for first-year registration and $50 per year thereafter. The proposal sets a 90-night-a-year limit on Type 1 rentals.

Type 2 properties — or non-owner occupied residences — would be subject to a $596 fee and would be renewable in two years after review by the Board of Zoning Adjustment. Type 2 permits would apply to hosts renting a house or unit that is no one’s full-time residence.

Both types of permits entail that hosts keep records on each short term stay, logging such information as complaints from guests or neighbors. The records are subject to review by the city at any time.

In an attempt to avoid a spat similar to that with Uber, the city has had ongoing contact with Airbnb regarding the regulations. That kerfuffle in 2015 compelled Uber to temporarily leave the city, sparking a heated response from area business leaders. Eventually, the city and Uber struck a compromise that reinstated the service, leading the company to open a new local office.

Join a virtual discussion on the proposed ordinance here or attend the aforementioned public meeting on Wednesday. You can see the ordinance in its entirety by clicking here.