Wyckoff bans Airbnb-type rentals

WYCKOFF — The Township Committee this week passed an ordinance banning residential rentals of 30 days or less.

The ordinance, which the committee unanimously approved, is intended to control the growing practice of renting a room or entire home to travelers through websites such as Airbnb.

Rental services like Airbnb have risen in popularity in recent years.

However, the committee stated in its ordinance that the practice has had some negative side effects in residential neighborhoods that are not zoned for commercial overnight accommodations.

These problems include "overcrowding, excessive noise, unruly behavior, obscene language, fighting, littering, parking of vehicles on lawns, public urination, sanitation issues, poor maintenance of the property and grounds, and violation of trash collection ordinances," the ordinance states.

Some large cities such as San Francisco have attempted to regulate such informal rental arrangements. However, Wyckoff's ordinance calls for an outright ban.

The ordinance prohibits residential rentals of 30 days or less in all zones, with penalties of up to $1,250 per day. The advertising of such rentals is also prohibited. Single-family homes as well as apartments, guest houses and condominiums are all covered by the ordinance.

The ordinance is not intended to prevent residents from hosting overnight guests in their home. Rather, the idea is to prohibit commercial rentals as well as quid pro quo arrangements in which people agree to switch homes for a specified period of time.

Representatives from Airbnb did not respond to a request for comment.