Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - In response to growing concern of neighborhood disharmony caused by short-term rental properties, the Buffalo Common Council has placed a temporary freeze on approving new applications.
Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski says the 60-day moratorium will give the council time to change legislation for short-term rental properties.
"We have asked the law department, via our resolution to direct legislation for our green code, so that it could be spelled out within our zoning and planning laws on how to handle non-owner occupied short-term rentals," stated Nowakowski in an interview with WBEN.
Nowakowski says the Common Council came to a compromise that will create four separate zones in Buffalo: Two residential and two single-family.
"The fact of the matter is, we are all operating under zoning laws and regulations that promote neighborhood harmony, just like we can't put a liquor store on a residential street, or, just like we can't put a bar and restaurant adjacent from a school," Nowakowski detailed. "We have those zoning classifications to promote neighborhood harmony."
Nowakowski says the Council is also working on addressing the growing number of unregulated short-term rental properties.
"The City of Buffalo has probably provided over 800-900 cease and desist operations, and we've only seen about 80 to 90 applications trickle in. You have to adhere to the laws, and we need to have a mechanism where we're starting to shut them down, because we're a law making body. You can't just say 'law and order' and then cherry pick them of what you want to adhere to. The fact is, municipalities across the country and the world are severely, severely trying to address this very morphing problem," Nowakowski said.
