By Howard Fischer Capitol Media via Arizona Daily Star
A legislative panel is debating whether to restore the right of cities and towns to regulate short-term vacation rentals, which legislators and Gov. Doug Ducey took away three years ago.
The idea already is getting a chilly reception from the governor.
Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, who co-chairs the committee, said the law was sold to legislators as a way of helping homeowners earn some extra money by renting out a spare bedroom, perhaps to a visiting foreign student.
But Kavanagh — who voted against the 2016 law — said the reality is that a large share of the homes offered for rent through companies like Airbnb and VRBO are actually owned by people who don’t live there and purchased the house for the specific purpose of renting it out to people who may stay just a few days.
