Hosts in Kansas City urge city to address input on short-term rental rules

Kansas City, MO – Later this afternoon, the Kansas City City Council will meet to vote on two short-term rental (STR) ordinances proposed by Mayor Quinton Lucas and Councilman Eric Bunch. Short-term rental Hosts are calling on the City to allow for more time to deliberate on the issue and hear from local residents and Hosts before finalizing and voting on the new rules. 

The proposals pose significant privacy and safety issues for Hosts, as they would require the creation of a public registry that displays personal information, including home addresses, of short-term rental Hosts. Of particular concern is the provision that would ban STRs in residential areas unless the property is owner occupied. 

“The vast majority of Hosts in Kansas City – approximately 77 percent¹ – are longtime residents of their neighborhood who share just one home and rely on the supplemental income from home sharing to make ends meet,” said Luis Briones, Airbnb Public Policy Manager. “Airbnb and our Hosts want to partner with Kansas City to create rules that address issues raised by the community while protecting individuals’ property rights. We urge the Mayor and council to allow more time to consider feedback from short-term rental Hosts on the proposed ordinances and prioritize balanced regulations that work for all.”

Kansas City voters approved a tax on short-term rentals in April, acknowledging the positive economic impact that short-term rentals have in their community. 

The Host Community in Kansas City, MO

Entire home listings on Airbnb represent less than one percent of the City’s housing stock², and the typical Host shares their home just 75 nights per year³. 

Hosting continues to be an economic lifeline for many Kansas City residents. In a survey of Airbnb Hosts:

• Roughly 33 percent of Hosts in Missouri said they have used the money they earn on Airbnb to cover the rising cost of living⁴. 
• Nearly 30 percent report that they use their earnings from Airbnb to help pay for food and other basic necessities that have become more expensive⁵. 
• Nearly 35 percent of Hosts also said hosting on Airbnb has allowed them to stay in their home⁶. 
• Approximately 54 percent of Hosts who self-report their gender are women and about 12 percent of Hosts are over the age of 60⁷.

In 2022, Hosts in Kansas City collectively earned nearly $28 million, and the typical Host earned approximately $12,100⁸. 

“We understand the City’s desire to explore new short term rental rules that help address community concerns, but we are disheartened by the lack of transparency in the process and the lack of input from Hosts like me. Short term rentals are a lifeline for so many local residents and help support the regional economy — we hope the City will take the time to analyze this issue before it passes new rules that will only hurt residents and local small businesses.” – Kristen Doppelt, a local Kansas City Host and President of the Kansas City Short Term Rental Alliance.

As the City Council prepares to vote on the proposed STR ordinances, Airbnb and Hosts remain committed to working with local leaders on fair, balanced regulations that streamline the registration system, while preserving the economic benefits of STRs for Kansas City residents and the small businesses who rely on travel and tourism for their livelihood.