Vacation Rentals May Soon Require Business Permits in Aspen

Aspen council members are working on regulating the hundreds of unregistered private vacation rentals in the ski resort city. City officials say that the city is losing approximately $100,000 in sales tax and business permit revenue each year in undocumented rentals.

Legal vacation rentals are currently limited to certain neighborhoods; owners of homes in other districts are nevertheless renting their homes without reporting them. City officials suggest legalizing vacation rentals in all of Aspen as long as the home owner applies for a business permit and pays sales and lodging tax.

Some council members suggested that the business permits to be issued to home rentals should be revocable ones. Home owners would need to comply with city regulations when renting their homes so as not to lower the upscale resort image of the city. Failure to do so would mean having one’s permit revoked.

Aspen Daily News reports that “The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission will discuss the proposal during public hearings scheduled for July 5 and July 19 before making a recommendation to council.”

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