Changes recently approved by Skokie trustees aim to make short-term rentals more appealing to residents. The plan allows homeowners to earn extra income by listing on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. The 18-month pilot program, started in February, seeks to regulate these stays. The goal is to improve safety standards and prevent affordable housing from becoming permanent vacation properties.
However, residents provided feedback that the program was too restrictive and costly. Current fees range from $3,650 to $4,800, much higher than in nearby areas. Officials decided to relax these rules to encourage compliance.
Program Modifications
- Reduce total fees to $550, with a $400 registration fee and a $150 license fee.
- Change the minimum stay requirement from five nights to one night.
- Continue to prohibit hourly and part-day rentals.
- Remove the limit of 18 stays per property during the pilot.
These changes apply only to properties where homeowners are present during the stay. They don’t apply to properties where owners leave or to investor-owned rentals. Skokie’s Community Development Director, Johanna Nyden, noted that out of two compliant short-term rental listings, none are owner-hosted.
Participants must submit an application, attend training, notify neighbors, pass an inspection, and pay fees. At the program’s start, there were 129 active listings but only 10 applied for a license. Only two became fully licensed. As of August, 54 non-compliant listings are still active.
Enforcement Challenges
Nyden described enforcement as challenging, noting that listings can easily be modified or deleted. Despite these hurdles, the number of non-compliant listings is decreasing. The focus will shift towards enforcement, with new tools to track active listings over the next six months.
No new investor-owned rentals can apply, but existing ones can continue if registered before January 16. Trustee discussion raised concerns about enforcement and refunding previous fees to compliant operators. Trustee Lissa Levy criticized the lack of incentives for early participants.
Trustee Concerns
Trustee Gail Schechter was the only dissenting vote against the changes, voicing concerns about the impact on affordable housing. Schechter proposed an amendment for an advisory committee to review pilot data, which passed with a 5-1 vote.
Trustees also debated modifying the owner-occupied clause to apply only to hosted properties where owners are present. Village Manager John Lockerby acknowledged difficulties in enforcing owner presence but suggested possible solutions. Mayor Ann Tennes suggested spot testing and stringent rules for violations.
Ultimately, officials approved the modifications with a 5-1 vote, with further Board approval pending. Trustee Keith Robinson supported the need for action based on current insights, indicating the program will benefit from these adjustments.