A proposed short-term rental ordinance in Tulsa would require operators to pay $375 a year for a license, but none would need special approval.
The bulk of those fees would go toward a code enforcement officer dedicated to short-term rental issues and a contract with a compliance monitoring firm. The ordinance includes a "three strikes" provision for revoking operator's licenses.
"We can revoke it if the property receives three documented violations within a calendar year. So, if you get three noise violations, we will pull your license. You’re no longer operating that unit responsibly," said Chief of Community Development and Policy Nick Doctor.
Licenses could also be revoked if a rental is operated in violation of state or federal law, or if the required local contact fails to respond to the city. Revocations could be appealed to the city council.
Officials believe the proposal addresses residents’ concerns the properties will be used for loud parties, but it does not limit how many short-term rentals can be in a given neighborhood. City Councilor Kara Joy McKee said that could be added later, but it might end up affecting homeowners who didn’t think they’d be advertising a home on a short-term rental site.
"Maybe their mother passes away, they want to take her house and turn it into a Home Away, and they want to use that money to pay for their daughter’s college, but the percentage has been hit and they don’t have that opportunity, even if no other neighbors would have an issue with it," McKee said.
In addition to paying for an annual license, operators would have to collect lodging and sales tax.
Doctor said that won’t be a windfall for the city. The city collected only about $100,000 last year through an agreement with Airbnb to remit taxes.
"I think the bigger economic impact is that we have these kinds of lodging opportunities that are increasingly popular with people to come and explore cities, and those visitors are getting meals in Tulsa, they’re visiting our museums and our other destinations, they ares pending money in Tulsa in other ways," Doctor said.
The city council is expected to vote on the proposal in two weeks.
