Council resolved at this week’s meeting to request officers report back on how to regulate short-stay accommodation in the City of Yarra to help ease cost-of-living pressures and improve rental affordability.

The report, which was a result of Cr Wade’s Notice of Motion, will investigate the ways Council can regulate short-stay accommodation including the introduction of a cap on the number of days a property can be on the market and a registration fee for Airbnb properties.

Other Victorian councils recently introduced fees for short-stay accommodation providers, with Warrnambool City Council recently introducing a $400 fee for Airbnb properties and Mornington Peninsula Shire, Bass Coast Council and Yarra Ranges Council all charging fees for short-stay properties.

Other cities around the world have also been grappling with significant changes to housing brought on by the success of short-stay accommodation providers. In November 2021, the NSW government introduced short-stay regulations, limiting the number of days a property could be on the market.

Overseas, many main cities regulate their short-stay market, including Amsterdam, New York, London, Paris and Berlin among others.

According to Inside Airbnb, the City of Yarra has 1,608 properties available for short stays with 79.2% of them entire homes.

Yarra Mayor Claudia Nguyen said we need to do what we can to address rental affordability in Yarra.

“In the City of Yarra, 50% of our residents are renters, so it’s up to Council to consider how we can support our community during this cost-of-living and rental crisis, and Cr Wade’s important motion will allow us to explore this,” she said.

A report will be presented at a future Council Meeting.