Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Guest room fees

[Ann Zabaldo (zabaldo]

> 
> Ann wrote:
> 
>> Currently, the TVC guest rooms offer a revenue stream that’s fairly
>> important for us — about $3k per year.
>> <snip>
>> BTW — it’s not the TAXES that are the issue.   Taxes are GREAT!
>> (We’re providing a service and bringing in some much needed revenue!)
>> Rather, it’s falling under the hotel and hospitality regulations which
>> are labyrinthian in DC.  THAT is terrifying …  :-)

On Dec 18, 2014, at 7:56 PM, Eris Weaver <eris [at] erisweaver.info> wrote:
> 
> Which brings up a good question...are those communities that charge for guest 
> rooms claiming that income when you do your taxes? Are you adhering to your 
> municipality's rules about bed taxes, etc? It's not a very big leap from 
> "it's our shared guest room" to "we're running an illegal inn." How do you 
> handle that?
> 
> (Tourism is a big part of our local economy - we are having BIG kerfuffles 
> over things like airbnb)

Not a lawyer … I don’t know the answer to these questions specifically.  These 
would be municipal regulations.  

We have maintained — and so far have been ok w/ "the powers that be” — with 
having this “fee” be a donation.  Some people do not ever pay.  Some people 
make an additional contribution.

AirBnB is hot in DC.   I went to a presentation on starting an Air BnB in your 
home in DC.  Lots of nice, complex, ornery DC regulations for those who venture 
into this world. 

Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church VA
703-688-2646