KAGAWONG—Having short-term accommodation rental (STAR) bylaws in place provides for a balance between those visiting an area like Manitoulin Island and those people who need long-term or permanent housing to live and work.
“STAR keeps things in balance,” says Laurel Price of My Manitoulin Real Estate, in Kagawong, who recently forwarded a letter to Billings Township council indicating she is in favour of the township having established a STAR bylaw. “The need of tourism really has to be balanced with having long-term accommodations in place. STAR bylaws help bring some balance to the situation.”
“I think for the sake of the long-term economy of the area we need to be able to accommodate people who are coming here to work in our hospitals, Manitoulin Transport and other businesses. These people need to be able to own and live in a house,” said Ms. Price. “Most of the three season accommodations are not suitable for this. It won’t help these people.”
“Here and in many areas, properties are being bought up by people who are not living there and only renting them out. It’s the same old story across NJ24
orth America,” said Ms. Price. “Investors buy properties for short-term rentals, and they are not on-site. But, for instance, those people who own and run bed and breakfast businesses, these owners live in the house/cottage. And if they have people renting from them that are acting up or making problems, they can resolve the issue. With STAR bylaws in place there are required buyer or in this case renter code of contact and inspections in place. And for licenced STAR operators, they pay taxes, like other businesses are required to do.”
By having STAR bylaws in place, “it levels the playing field for those that are doing things the right way,” said Ms. Price. “And look at what happened in Montreal where the family was killed in a fire when they had been staying illegally at an Airbnb.
“The vast majority of people are doing the right thing and are complying with the bylaws,” said Ms. Price. “Then there are always the vacant accommodation places whose renters may infringe on the rights of their neighbour if the owner of the property is not on hand. If you are going to do it, do it right, safely and wisely.”
“Is the STAR bylaw in Billings perfect? No bylaw is. As time goes by some amendments may need to be made to it. But the bylaw tries to make things fair for everyone,” Ms. Price continued. “The issue is finding balance so people can enjoy their property with the needs of accommodating tourisms on the Island, so there is balance.”
Ms. Price, in a letter she and her husband Garry Price, who is also a realtor, forwarded to Billings council dated April 4 reads, “As residents of Billings and also as realtors, we have some concerns about the article in this week’s Expositor regarding the short-term rental bylaw. We believe this bylaw was enacted for the good of all the community, including those who are subject to the STAR bylaw.”
“As realtors, we have noted that out of town investors have literally decimated the lower priced home market leaving first time home buyers and investors who rent long term out of the market altogether,” the letter reads. “Most of these have been purchased by those who rent the properties for three or four months leaving them vacant for the rest of the year. We receive several phone calls a month asking if we know of any long-term rentals on the Island for people who are coming for work at the hospital, and elsewhere. Sadly, there seems to be few rentals available for these people.”
It has been implied that, “those townships with rules are determined to force ‘the little guy’ out of business when really, it’s an expectation that will allow everyone to be able to use and enjoy their property, including the neighbours who had lost some of that freedom prior to this important bylaw,” the couple adds. “We believe that those who are honestly trying to make a living and provide housing for tourism that is so vital to our economy have taken this in stride and are complying.”
“We hope and trust that our mayor and council will not be swayed by what appears to be a minority group of people complaining about rules that are in place for the good of all of us,” the Prices conclude.
