BUFFALO, N.Y. — In recent months, the there has been an influx applications for non-owner-occupied short term rental permit applications submitted to the Buffalo Common Council.
According to data compiled by 2 On Your Side, there have been 44 non-owner-occupied short term rental applications submitted to the council so far in 2024.
That includes 12 new applications that are up for consideration at the October 8 legislative committee meeting of the council.
"We need to put a ban on this, this is becoming outrageous, it's just flagrant," said Fillmore District councilmember Mitch Nowakowski. "They're not owner occupied, and then they're running them as non-regulated hotels."
Lawmakers suspect there are also numerous illegal Airbnb's operating in the city. 2 On Your Side reached out to the Commissioner of Permits and Inspections for any data regarding the number of Airbnb's that may be established in the city, but have not yet heard back.
"We're finding more and more people are being displaced because of the Airbnb's," said Niagara District councilmember David Rivera. "I'm talking about long-term renters"
During the September 24 Legislative Committee meeting of the council, more than a dozen residents turned out to speak in opposition to non-owner-occupied short term rentals during the public hearings for each application.
"The quality of life has changed," Rivera said. "The sense of community is not there because of these Airbnb's."
Back in February, the Common Council unanimously approved amendments to short-term rental regulations. Those amendments included an annual renewal fee of $400 for non-owner-occupied properties.
A violation for operating without a license was also increased to $500 from $75.
But despite the new changes, Nowakowski says there's support amongst some councilmembers for an outright ban on non-owner-occupied short term rental permits.
"We would hope that our colleagues would support us, because our districts are becoming really submerged with non-owner -occupied units," Nowakowski. "It's almost at this point becoming laughable, it just it's taking away from the residential fabric of our city."
Not every member of the council is on board for a ban on non-owner-occupied short term rental permits.
Delaware District Councilman Joel Feroleto says he thinks it's inappropriate to change the laws 8 months after the council amended regulations.
"We have a process in place to deny a short term rental," Feroleto said. "So every non-owner-occupied short term rental has to come to the Common Council, and they have to get a special use permit. There's a public hearing for that. All of the neighbors within 400 feet are invited. So if there's a reason to deny one, they could absolutely be denied."
Feroleto also says that, historically, if a district specific matter comes before the council, members will defer to councilmember whose district it's in.
"If the district council member opposed it, then it's been unanimously denied," Feroleto said. "If the district council member supported it, it's been unanimously approved."
The next legislative committee meeting is October 8.