Norfolk Stakeholders Suggest Changes to Short-Term Rental Policies
Norfolk officials and rental operators propose policy changes to streamline short-term rental processes, but some seek even more flexibility.
Norfolk, Virginia, Short-Term Rentals, Airbnb, Vrbo, City Council
Norfolk: A group of local officials and short-term rental operators are pushing for some changes in how the city handles short-term rentals. They want to make the approval process easier and more efficient.
Some ideas on the table include a certification process for owners, a rapid response team for code violations, and speeding up the renewal of permits. Sounds good, right?
But not everyone is satisfied. Some operators feel the proposed changes don’t go far enough. They argue that the current approval process is a real headache, taking months and costing a fortune.
From January to June, Norfolk had a study group looking into these issues. They wanted to improve how rentals are approved and enforced, especially since many are listed on sites like Airbnb and Vrbo.
Norfolk’s Planning Director, Bobby Tajan, shared these recommendations with the City Council in November. The group also looked into whether rental revenues could help fund projects in the Ocean View area, where most rentals are located.
Currently, there are 196 registered short-term rentals in Norfolk, with a good chunk in Ocean View and East Beach. But there could be many more unregistered ones, as Airbnb lists around 500 properties in the city.
City Council member Tommy Smigiel mentioned that the Ocean View Civic League believes that if rental profits could be reinvested in the community, it would help sell the idea of short-term rentals better.
Still, some operators think the changes don’t do enough to ease their burdens. For instance, Cecilio “Rick” Ricardo, a local operator, shared that he spent about $40,000 and 13 months just to get his permits approved.
Another operator, Audra Sambar, faced challenges getting the necessary signatures for her property. She’s now considering selling it since the process was too complicated.
Ricardo believes the city should exempt smaller properties from the lengthy conditional use process. Right now, some properties can skip this step, but many still have to go through it.
About 30% of registered rentals need a conditional use permit, which can be a hassle. Tajan mentioned that while easing regulations for some units was discussed, the focus is currently on single-family homes.
Ricardo is open to the idea of a certification program for operators but wants to know more about what it would entail. Tajan said they’re still working out the details.
Eventually, the proposals from the study group will be presented to the Norfolk Planning Commission and City Council for further consideration.
Norfolk first set up short-term rental regulations back in 2019 and made some updates in 2022 to allow more rentals in apartment buildings, but with added security measures.
Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com