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SALT LAKE CITY — Susan Fulmer held back tears Monday as she told state lawmakers about the financial benefits that have come from being able to rent out her property for days or weeks at a time.
"The first time in three years that I was finally able to pay my bills by myself was amazing," Fulmer said.
HB253, sponsored by Rep. John Knotwell, R-Herriman, would prevent municipalities from regulating short-term rentals through websites such as Airbnb, allowing Fulmer and others like her to continue to rent out all or part of their homes.
Fulmer told the House Business and Labor Committee that renting out the spare rooms in her home has provided financial stability after struggling for years as a widow rasing six children.
Fulmer said she joined Airbnb in June 2016 and worked with the support of her grown children and neighbors to convert parts of her Spanish Fork home into the Book Nook Inn. Each room has a theme from a classic work of literature.
Opponents of the measure primarily raised the concern that unregulated short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods can quickly grow into a nuisance for neighbors.
"I didn't buy a home to live in a business district," Sandy resident Scott Sabey said.
Sabey argued that short-term rentals are generally only successful in nice neighborhoods, meaning the rental owners are unduly profiting from the hard work of neighbors who have created a peaceful and calm atmosphere. And they risk losing that by allowing unregulated guests, he said.
"What I present to you today is a reasonable approach," Knotwell said.
HB253 bill defines a short-term rental as less than 30 days and protects the property owners from many of the regulations generally applied to hotels. The bill also specifies that properties must be owner-occupied.
The committee voted 13-1 to send the bill to the full House for further consideration, with Rep. Jon Stanard, R-St. George, casting the lone dissenting vote.
Stephen Palmer, of St. George, said there's a difference between "party houses" and rental properties closely managed by the owners.
"Every concern that could ever be raised by Airbnb has been solved by the fact that we live in the home and have a very vested interest in preventing all of the issues people are worried about," he said.
Palmer, a self-employed writer, said his use of Airbnb has been helpful in managing fluctuations in income.
Palmer said he began renting out his home in November 2014 but stopped after receiving letters from the city threatening class B misdemeanor charges and property liens if he did not discontinue the rental activity.
Knotwell said his bill would prevent municipalities from seeking out online rental listings to catch and cite rental owners.
St. George Mayor Jon Pike spoke against the bill, saying "it puts neighbors in conflict, more than they already are."
Pike, who lives near Palmer, said he loves the Palmers but has felt pressure from all sides to deal with the issue. Email: rmorgan@deseretnews.com
