Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Short term rentals (ie Air BNB)

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On May 21, 2026, at 10:30 AM, Mark Lavine/US/VT/05462 via Cohousing-L 
> <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all. We are new to this list and appreciate the opportunity to get input 
> from more experienced communities. We are a small community of nine lots, 
> some of which are still being built out, but we do meet regularly and those 
> of us already here share much and get along wonderfully. However, in the 
> process of developing our by-laws we have discovered quite a split in folks' 
> positions on short term (less than 30 days) rentals. Some of us do not want 
> Air BNB type rentals at all, and others want no restrictions at all (ie 
> unlimited ST rentals - potentially all units, 365 days a year.) It gets 
> stickier because each lot is zoned for a second structure - accessory 
> dwelling unit - which some are now considering as sources of future income. 
> Others of us have always envisioned a stable community of neighbors living 
> and sharing together, and the idea of so many people coming and going all the 
> time doesn’t at all fit with this vision, especially since the community 
> borders state park wilderness and is such a peaceful, rural setting. 

The problem is that the image of having a BNB rental is that it sounds all 
wonderful and fun. The owners have extra income and the renters have an 
opportunity to experience cohousing or to rent for a few days at less than 
$1,000. BNB rentals are totally different from yearly or multi-month rentals 
because the renters are different. Short term people are likely to be "on 
vacation.” Longer term rentals are “at home” and in the same mental zone as the 
community is.

The things to consider:

1. Does the owner have to be in residence and is just renting an extra room? 
This is very different from no owner in residence.

2. If the owner is not there, who orients the new short term renters to the 
facilities? They will have questions no matter how well the owner prepares 
them. The neighbors will be burdened with this. No one wants to ignore people 
who need help. And no one wants to ignore people wandering around who might 
inadvertently harm something. Temporary people don’t always pay much attention 
to practices that make sense to you.

3. What the owner is saying is "I’m leaving my unit for the use of strangers.” 
Security in  cohousing is based on eyes on the street. You are stressing the 
other eyes. 

I lived next to a unit that was rented for various periods of time over 5 
years, left empty for a year, and when the owner was present always had a 
roommate. The owner liked to travel. She was very responsible. It was constant 
change, which she enjoyed. Although we were close friends, I was denied the 
opportunity for a stable neighbor relationship much of 15 years.

But try it! It is important to realize that all decisions can be updated or 
changed. If you try out BNB rentals you will find out how it works. It probably 
won’t be popular even with the people renting. Or maybe it will. Set up some 
boundaries and try it. It will work or not work. 

Just the process of thinking through how the BNB is advertised, what is 
expected of the owners, etc. may reveal that the idea is not workable.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Riderwood Village, Silver Spring MD
Founding member and 25 year resident in Takoma Village, Washington DC