Airbnb 'ghost hotels' keep 1,000+ homes from rental market, report suggests

More than 1,000homes and apartments are being kept offOttawa's red-hot rental marketby landlordslisting them on short-term home rental websiteAirbnb, according toan advocacy grouphighlighting the issue in Canadian cities.

"The saturation of commercial Airbnbs in Ottawa is higher than we've seen anywhere else in Canada," said Thorben Wieditz of the coalition Fairbnb Canada.

Eighty per cent of the Airbnb listings in the downtown wards of Somerset and Rideau-VanierareAirbnb "ghost hotels" with no long-term tenants, according to the coalition.

The coalition, whose members include theOttawa-Gatineau Hotel Association,has been drawing attention to the impact of Airbnbon rental markets in Canadian citiesincluding Toronto and Vancouver.

• Airbnb draining 6,500 homes from Toronto housing market, group says in new report
• 'Fairbnb' urges Vancouver to enforce short term rental rules

It analyzedOttawa's listings in February.

Of the 2,830 short-term rentalsavailable to tourists, Fairbnbdecided that 1,054entire homes were being offered for overnight stays by someone who had at least two listingsmore than90 days a year.

Those are units that would be available to students [and]professionals. They'd be available to families and and seniors.- Coun. MathieuFleury

The group chose those criteria to try to parse out the Airbnb hosts who were running businessesfrom those homeowners whorent while they're away.

AlexandraDagg,a spokesperson with Airbnb, challenged the report's conclusions.

"Ottawa is home to many responsible Airbnb hosts who share their homes a few nights each month to help make ends meet,"she said in an email to CBC.

"This report is based on faulty assumptions and poor research, and is yet another example of a hotel-funded front group villainizing Ottawa families so hotels can continue to protect their ability to price gouge consumers."

Dagg said the company isn't against regulations, but this report shouldn't be the driver.

"To be clear, Airbnb wants to be regulated. We have always advocated for fair, sensible home-sharing regulations and look forward to continuing to work with the City of Ottawa."

Airbnb drives out renters: Fleury

It came as no surprise to city councillorsMathieu FleuryandCatherine McKenney that their central wardshave the most Airbnb listings run for commercial purposes.

Fleury said residents regularly complain of noise and garbage that short-term visitors create in condo buildings and neighbourhoods.

I think that for anybody who is investing in a commercial business that is not allowed, they have to be prepared for those consequences. The city is going to regulate them.- Coun. Catherine McKenney

Moreover, Fleury is concerned about Airbnb "hosts" renting to tourists because it's more lucrative than leasing on the traditional rental market.

"We're losing long-term rental for the community," said Fleury.

'We are running out of affordable rental accommodation'

5 years ago

Duration 0:58

Councillors Mathieu Fleury and Catherine McKenney say short-term rentals are affecting the number of housing units available in the city.

One individual named Genevivehad 76 "ghost hotels", the report found.

"That drives out a lot of folksfrom our area," said Fleury.

"Those are units that would be available to students. They would be affordable to professionals. They'd be available to families and and seniors."

McKenney, who is the city's housing and homelessness liaison, says the Airbnb phenomenon is affecting the city's ability to make any dent in the waiting list,even as it puts millions in taxpayer money intoaffordable housing.

"People have a human right to housing,housing stability and housing affordability and we are allowing it to be commercialized. That has to stop," she said.

Regulations coming forAirbnboperators

Currently, operating any rental for less than 28 days in a residential area where hotels aren't allowed is against zoning laws in Ottawa.

Both councillors are looking forward to a wide-ranging review of everything from short-term vacation rentals, to student housing demand, to possible protections for renters evicted because of gentrification.

The city has commissioned a report from Maclaren Municipal Consulting Inc., to be completed by September, which could seerecommendations for extra regulations to deal with short-term rentals likeAirbnb. Staff will, in turn, provide their advice to councillors before the end of the year.

• Ottawa hotels ask city to regulate Airbnb
• City considers rules for Airbnb, short-term rentals in Ottawa

Fairbnbadvocated that Ottawa adopt rules similar to Toronto's, but reduce the number of nights allowed through sites like Airbnb from 180 to 90.

McKenneysays coming up with a new regulatory regime will be difficult, but Ottawa can learn lessons from other cities.

"I think that for anybody who is investing in a commercial business that is not allowed, they have to be prepared for those consequences," said McKenney.

"The city is going to regulate them."