At the beginning of the pandemic, we were told to stay home, work safe, or else. Businesses had to adjust rapidly, and many learned that they don’t need extensive and expensive physical space to run a successful business. Many employers who sent their workers home are telling them to stay there. Or, in the case…
While the world’s poor nations complain about their inability to vaccinate their citizens, one African nation recently destroyed a million doses of vaccine. Nigeria had received the vaccines knowing that they would expire in a few weeks, but the government was unable to use them in time. The executive director of Nigeria’s health agency said…
Residents of Chicago’s South Shore are concerned that the Obama Library will gentrify the neighborhood and lead to their displacement. They have issued a number of demands to the mayor and city council, including giving long-time residents $20,000 each to repair their homes. It’s only fitting that the residents near the library want a handout….
As the Bellaire City Council contemplates restricting or banning short-term rentals (STRs), it is important to consider the full context, as well as alternative policies. The concerns voiced about STRs by home owners—such as loud noise, trash, and similar disturbances—are legitimate complaints. Nobody wants to live next to a “party house.” Admittedly, there are some…
Barry Fagin, a Senior Fellow at the Independence Institute in Denver, correctly notes that conservatives are very confused about the meaning of property rights. As examples, he cites Florida Gov. Rick DeSantis’ ban of “vaccine passports” and conservative calls to regulate social media companies like Facebook and Twitter. Fagin concludes that property rights have fallen…
Companies like Airbnb and Vrbo have captured a lot of business that would have previously gone to hotels and resorts. Unable to compete with short-term rental (STR) companies like Airbnb, hotels and resorts are using their political connections to ban, regulate, and/or tax STRs. Nevada is the latest state to consider regulating and taxing STRs….
Last week, a Texas appellate court ruled that certain provisions of Austin’s short-term rental (STR) regulations were unconstitutional. Those regulations, which were passed in 2015, intended to outlaw full-time STRs by 2022. In its ruling, the court correctly noted that existing nuisance laws are sufficient to deal with the few problems caused by STRs. The…
In many, if not most, discussions over policy issues, the discussion revolves around a proposed solution. Proponents attempt to defend and justify their proposal, while opponents attack it. This is not a recipe for a healthy and constructive conversation. Indeed, it often leads to anger and hostility. Take proposals to ban or severely regulate short-term…
In cities across Texas (and the country) local politicians are imposing severe restrictions and outright bans on short-term rentals (STRs). When neighbors of STRs complain about noise, traffic, and other nuisances, city officials respond with controls and regulations rather than enforcement of existing laws. In most locales, there are laws that address loud noise, trash…
A recent article about short-term rentals (STRs) in Corpus Christi begins with the question: “Should companies like Airbnb be allowed to do business in Corpus Christi?” The principle underlying that question poses a threat to every productive individual. Individual rights protect our freedom to act as we judge best, so long as we respect the…
One of the complaints about short-term rentals (STRs) is that some of them turn into “party houses”–a weekend destination for raucous and irresponsible visitors to a city. In response, many homeowners and city officials want to heavily regulate STRs, and in some cases, simply ban them. But this isn’t the moral approach. Certainly, “party houses”…