By Scott Shumaker | Red Rock News
Short-term rentals have been a hot topic in the Village of Oak Creek and Sedona since Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed Senate Bill 1350 in 2016. The legislation prohibited cities, towns and counties from banning short-term rentals of residential property in 2016.
At the time, Yavapai County, Sedona, Jerome, Tucson and Bisbee had bans on short-term rentals in place, so the new legislation meant a change in rules for the VOC and nearby communities — though the short-term rental bans were not always strictly enforced.
Local proponents of allowing short-term rentals argued that the change would stimulate the economy and give homeowners more options for using their property.
Love them or hate them, there appears to be little doubt that interest in buying or converting homes and condos for short-term rentals has made waves in the local housing and rental markets since the change in state law.
Consequently, they have been blamed by some for exacerbating a host of local problems, including traffic, lack of workforce housing and lower school enrollment due to long-term rentals being converted to short-term rentals. Residents have also complained that short-term rentals hurt the feel and appearance of neighborhoods.