” If the Council enacts legislation that allows for hotel uses in my neighborhood, the Council will thereby take away something of genuine value that now pertains to my property.”

At an election forum on April 1^st the candidates for City Council District 1 were asked whether they believe the incoming Council should “legalize and regulate” Short Term Rentals (STRs.) Both Ms. Shepherd and Mr. Espinoza agreed that the Council should take such action.  I believe that this would be a major blunder, entirely unnecessary and potentially very destructive to residential neighborhoods.  What follows is an explanation of this view.

Many residential neighborhoods include rental property.  This is property that is rented (leased) for periods of at least 30 days.  Living quarters rented for periods shorter than 30 days are called “lodging uses.”  Per Denver city ordinance, lodging uses (hotels & motels, etc.) are not allowed in residential zone districts.  (True Bed and Breakfast establishments are the only exception.)  Why is there this segregation of uses?

Residential neighborhoods are prized for their comparative stability.  One knows one’s neighbors, whether owners or renters, and changes in the makeup of the neighborhood are relatively slow and predictable.  Neighborhood stability is a shared social good – created by all together, it is not a commodity for sale by any particular resident.   One element of stability in my U-TU-C (formerly R-2) neighborhood is that I can be certain that my neighbor will not be allowed to use his dwelling as a hotel.  I will not have a continually changing cast of strangers living briefly in the area.  It should be self-evident that short-term renters have no enduring stake in neighborhood quality or stability, no interest in the local schools, and no accountability for whatever mess is left behind.  If the Council enacts legislation that allows for hotel uses in my neighborhood, the Council will thereby take away something of genuine value that now pertains to my property. READ WHOLE ARTICLE in the North Denver Tribune.