Say “no” to Mayor Parker’s hotel handout

In a last-minute gift to big, corporate hotels, Mayor Cherelle Parker proposed a 6 percent tax on short-term rentals, which would be one of the highest tax rates of any city in the country. This proposal hurts Philadelphia for several reasons—here’s what you need to know.

• This proposed STR-only tax amounts to a 40% tax increase for Philadelphia homeowners who share their homes to pay the bills, while hotels’ tax barely increases by only 0.6%. That means Philadelphia short-term rental hosts would pay 10 times more in new taxes than hotels. 
• Mayor Parker’s original 2% tax proposal for all lodging (hotels and short-term rentals) would have generated more revenue than an STR-only tax. 
• By not taxing hotels at the same rate as short-term rentals under this proposal, the City of Philadelphia is missing out on $50 million in tax revenue that could further help address homelessness. 

Simply put, under Mayor Parker’s hotel handout, big hotels win. Philadelphians lose. 

Philadelphia Airbnb hosts aren’t institutional investors. They are everyday homeowners that use hosting as a way to make ends meet. 

• Philly’s STR law requires a permit and primary residence, which means those impacted by this tax hike aren’t investors, they’re our neighbors. Without primary residency, zoning board approval is required. It is one of the strictest in the nation. 
• 74% of Philadelphia hosts have one listing and a typical host made more than $18,000 by hosting last year. 
• Recent data from local short-term rental groups show that hosts are overwhelmingly people of color and women. 

Philadelphia deserves better than a sweetheart deal for hotels. Tell City Council to stand with Philadelphia homeowners and reject Mayor Parker’s hotel handout.