HAMPTON, Va. - Short term rentals may have a future in Hampton- or they may not. The city council recently deferred deciding on current applications until November, citing the need to study the impact on the neighborhoods affected.
Some short term rentals are currently allowed in Hampton, but there are very specific rules. A city ordinance had broadened the criteria, but now that's been put on pause.
City spokesperson Robin McCormick tells News 3 it's both a precedent and a density issue.
“If you do or don’t do something in one neighborhood, and another neighborhood is just like that, you need to be consistent," McCormick. “They don’t want too many in one neighborhood, they don’t want to ruin the character of the neighborhood.”
Jason Hintermeister lives next door to a current AirBnB on North Second Street.
“There are certainly a few of them around and they can be inconvenient at times," said Hintermeister. "Sometimes they don’t treat the neighborhood with the same respect that you might have with the homeowners.”
Loretta Parham is a homeowner in Hampton who wants to list her home on AirBnB. She said the process to get her rental approved has been arduous.
“I really feel like this has been an experience where they are, you’ve heard the phrase learning on the job, that’s how I feel about this ordinance process,” said Parham.
Parham said while she understands the push back from some community members, the past does not dictate the future.
“I am not responsible for the bad performance of other people and I should not be held accountable for that,” said Parham.
The city will be getting a briefing next month on the legal precedent approving short term rentals could set. McCormick said the information may help the city council decide in November how they want to proceed.
