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Landlord reacts to short-term rental rule changes in Greensboro

Some rental property owners are frustrated with the $200 permit per property the city is requiring.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — New rules cracking down on short-term rental properties in Greensboro took effect on April 1. 

People who rent out homes on sites like AirBnb or VRBO now face stiffer rules.

Joy Watson has rented rooms in her West Wendover home in Greensboro for more than 4 years.

"I try to make it an experience like staying at a friend's or grandma's house that's nice," Watson said. 

Watson has been able to give that experience to many guests. 

She has four other rental homes including a tiny home all next door to each other on Wendover. 

"Everything right now is full," Watson said. "Everything except one room someone just checked out of yesterday." 

Her success as an Airbnb host has not excluded her from the city of Greensboro's new short-term rental regulations.

Starting now anyone who owns or operates an Airbnb must pay $200 per property for a permit. 

"It's frustrating because I don't feel like it's clear and there are a lot of things that are uncertain," Watson said. "It's an additional time and money suck on me to have to go to apply for a license to go do something I've already been doing. I already went through this with the zoning." 

Other regulations include the distance between short-term rental properties.

Limits on the number of people allowed per bedroom.

And Whole house renters must live in Guilford or an adjacent county.

The city began considering new rules when some residents expressed concern their neighborhoods were being taken over by Airbnb's and they were worried about parties.

Watson doesn't see the new rules stopping these things from happening.

"People who are disrespectful will be disrespectful no matter what the regulations are," Watson said. "It's my belief that we have to be good neighbors." 

Watson said it's unfair to punish the good hosts who pay thousands in occupancy taxes.

"We can see you're a super host and thank you for welcoming people into Greensboro," Watson said. "But no that's not what we're getting." 

A homeowner will first receive a warning for not following the new rules.

After that, they'll face a $500 fine for every violation.

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