Ban On Airbnbs, Short-Term Rentals Moves Closer For Gloucester Township

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — A widespread ban on short-term rentals and bed-and-breakfasts in Gloucester Township came closer to reality.

The Township Council voted last week to introduce an ordinance that would prohibit the businesses, claiming they create a public nuisance that can't be mitigated under existing policies.

The ordinance would ban property owners from allowing paid short-term stays, such as vacations, in homes and residential units. It would essentially prohibit listings from digital services such as Airbnb or VRBO, but the measure isn't limited to online transactions.

Hotels and motels would not be banned.

A similar ordinance was introduced at May 29's council meeting and was set for a public hearing and a vote for final passage weeks later. But the council voted June 10 to table the ordinance, which was re-introduced last week with some modifications, including the following:

• The original ordinance clarifies that short-term rentals would not only be banned in residential units, but also in "any part thereof, including any accessory building, structure or use for the dwelling unit."
• Bed-and-breakfasts — defined as overnight accommodations and a morning meal in the aforementioned spaces, provided to transients for payment — would also be prohibited.
• The new ordinance adds that "regulated commercial activities," such as hotels and motels, would remains above board.

Since the emergence of online marketplaces for short-term housing rentals, a number of cities, states and countries have added restrictions to the services, including bans. New York City, for instance, requires licensure and prohibits rentals for fewer than 30 days unless the host is present on the property. The law, which went into effect last year, effectively banned most of the city's Airbnb listings, according to Bloomberg.

Nuisance complaints among neighbors have been a common criticism, with renters using properties for activities such as parties or film productions. In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Airbnb temporarily banned renters from using homes on its platform for parties. The measures became permanent in 2022, with Airbnb rolling out technology aimed to identify "potentially high-risk reservations," the platform told Fast Company.

A homeowner in Gloucester Township, who rents out her property on Airbnb, urged council members last week to reconsider the proposed ban. Jennifer Pichardo says she rents out her properties to people visiting family or entering the township to perform certain jobs, such as nursing.

She says she specifies quiet hours and has cameras outside of her home to prevent nuisance to neighbors.

"My rules on Airbnb are clear," Pichardo said. "I do not allow drugs. I do not allow parties. I do not allow filming. I do not allow anything of the sort, and I do this because I take my neighbors into consideration."

The ordinance will be up for a public hearing and final vote at a future council meeting.