Regulating short stay accommodation like Airbnb is a key step to addressing our country’s housing crisis.
Airbnb’s ensure many of the houses in our state are empty, despite house prices soaring, unlimited rent increases and housing supply falling below demand.
We need to unlock these houses so they can be lived in all year round.
One example of short stays co-opting buildings that could otherwise be used for people to live in is a building with 15 apartments in Parkville, now entirely owned by professional Airbnb management company ‘MadeComfy’.
These homes are right across from Royal Park and near public transport, hospitals, schools and the University of Melbourne.
Perfect for young people.
In 2022 all of the appartments in this building were rented out for $280 a week. Two years later, they are now listed on Airbnb for over $900 a week.
Airbnb owners and management companies like MadeComfy are raking in profits and expanding their portfolios, whilst everyday Australians struggle to find a home in a housing crisis.
Our reforms on short stays allow apartment occupants to decide and vote on whether they want airbnbs in their buildings.
Local councils can also ban or regulate short stay accommodation in their community, which means they can implement things like 90 day caps.
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