Anchorage Tackles Short-Term Rentals | Anchorage News

0:00So, Engrage is getting a handle on short-term rentals, you know, Mike the Airbnb's and Verbo spots. They passed a rule back in December, and now over 2,500 of these places are registered. Rintels that are booked for less than 30 days fall into this category. The city is also collecting a 12% bed tax on them, and they've teamed up with the booking sites, so you gotta have that registration number. To list your place? This whole registry thing is supposed to help them figure out what kind of rules they need going forward and how these rentals are affecting the local economy. Assembly members Ag Johnson, who push for this, mentioned that Gurdwood alone has almost 18% of these short-term rentals. There's also a big cluster in the South Edition neighborhood, not too far from downtown. It's a balancing act, for sure. Some folks think these rentals are messing with the housing market, while others are just trying to make a buck or for their own homes. The data should help officials see if someone's renting out a room to make ends meet, or if they're running a full-blown business with multiple.

1:01Properties. It gives them a clearer picture. Now, there was a deadline for registration, but they extended a grace period because of the busy summer tourist season. That grace period wraps up on October 1st. If you get a notice, you got 30 days to register before facing fines, which can go up to $1,000 per violation. The good news is, registering your short-term rental is free on the city's website. It's all about getting the information so they can make smarter decisions about how these rentals fit into the community. I'm Corey with The Story. That's your Anchorage News Today update, AI-powered and always on.