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Hudson Valley towns considering short-term rental regulations

May 27, 2019 12:43 am
Brian Hubert reports in the Daily Freeman that "We know that the Hudson Valley is one of our top trending destinations worldwide," Airbnb spokesperson Liz DeBold Fusco estimated last week that 660 homes in Saugerties would host guests through their service this holiday weekend, paying about $118,000 in rentals. In Kingston, 1,100 guests were expected to spend $196,000. But some towns are considering regulations concerning short-term rental units. "We don't want people converting a living room or room above the garage and making it a five-bedroom house out of a three-bedroom house," Saugerties Town Supervisor Fred Costello said. "We want to make sure there are no rooms in the basement with inadequate means of escape if there were an emergency." Rhinebeck is also considering regulations. "The purpose of this law, if it were to be passed, is to restrict the number allowed in the village," Mayor Gary Bassett said. "We don't want to take housing out of inventory that can't be bought for families." The town of Hurley recently limited short-term rentals to about a mile of state Route 28 now zoned "neighborhood commercial." Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.