Tell your state lawmakers to take action to curb illegal short-term rentals

Throughout the country and in nearly every state and community, short-term rentals via websites such as Airbnb.com are operating as illegal hotels. In most cases, neither the owners of the properties nor the website are paying hotel occupancy taxes or abiding by reasonable health, safety or ADA guidelines.

It’s time to make our voice heard!

Using the message we’ve crafted for you, send an email to your State Senator and State Representative in your state – the system will automatically figure it out by your address – to tell them to support:

Leveling the playing field with short-term rentals
Same taxes
Reasonable, common-sense health, safety and disability-accessible guidelines

Short-term rentals like the ones you can find on Airbnb.com are competing with your hotel for business. We absolutely welcome competition – we do it every day. However, when they can break the law and get away with it, that’s when we draw the line.

Lawmakers need to know more about this issue and where we stand. Send a message to your State Senator and State Representative today.

Enter your information to take action now!

Subject:

Please take action on the important issue of short-term rentals in our state

Dear Lawmaker,

I’m a small business owner and a constituent from your district. I’m emailing to urge you to take action on the growing issue of illegally operating short-term rentals.

I’m a member of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), the largest association of hotel owners in the country. AAHOA represents  18,000 members nationwide. Our members own nearly one in two hotels in the United States.

Hotels have been operating under the laws and regulations set out by state and local governments for decades. Sometimes it’s not easy, and we’ve certainly disagreed with laws that have been passed from time to time. But we obey the law because that’s what we do in America – even when we disagree.

The same can’t be said for short-term rentals that operate on websites like Airbnb.com. The law is clear that Accommodations   Payment = Lodging. That means that short-term rentals should be subject to the same taxes hotels have been paying by the millions to support tourism promotion, convention centers, sports facilities, state and local general budgets and much more.

That also means that the health, safety, fire prevention and disability-access guidelines that we abide by to ensure all guests receive the best accommodation possible should apply, as well. There’s simply no logical argument otherwise.

Why should a guest with disabilities be denied accommodation at a short-term rental? Why should a guest at a short-term rental have to guess if the fire alarm or smoke detector is working properly?

I’m not asking for special rules for short-term rentals or a carve-out for my business. I’m asking for a level playing field that all lodging businesses have to abide by. When everyone plays by the same rule, all businesses can fairly compete. That’s the American way.

Please take the time to learn more about this important issue. Thank you for your time and consideration of my email.

Regards, Your Name

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Thank you for taking action on the critical issue of short-term rentals. If we stand together as an industry, united to say no to illegal activity and yes to leveling the playing field, I know we’ll be successful.

Sincerely,

AAHOA Advocacy