The City of Kenosha wouldn’t be the first municipality to slap restrictions on web-based home-sharing platforms like air-b-n-b.
At its bi-monthly meeting Wednesday night, aldermen are expected to consider an annual $50 licensing proposal for local hosts, and a requirement that the operators of such online services submit periodic reports.
The ordinance was initially proposed by Ald. Jan Michalski, who said some of his constituents complained about noisy short-term renters in the city.
It isn’t clear whether companies like air-b-n-b will comply with the new law, if it’s adopted.
Responding to an email inquiry from WGTD last week, an air-b-n-b spokesman said simply: "We’ve been engaged in productive conversation with policymakers across Wisconsin toward developing fair rules for home sharing. We encourage all of our hosts to know and follow their local rules and ordinances.”
A number of communities across the country—including Madison—have adopted ordinances that involve reporting requirements and even a tax.
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