Housing shortage on Oregon coast has officials concerned

ASTORIA, Ore. – Astoria officials are considering placing limits on temporary lodging like Airbnb rentals to free up units for permanent residents of the coastal Oregon city.

The Daily Astorian reported (http://bit.ly/2mceyjz ) that the housing storage wasn’t on the agenda for a Tuesday city council meeting, but it came up anyway.

Councilors Cindy Price and Zetty Nemlowill argue that city policy should favor locals over tourists, perhaps by limiting future rentals in residential zones to people who plan to stay 30 days or longer. They are also concerned that Airbnb-style lodging could be undercutting Astoria’s bed-and-breakfasts.

Resident Dwight Caswell rents his spare room through Airbnb. He says temporary lodging like this doesn’t affect permanent housing options because property owners are often unable or unwilling to rent the space on a monthly basis.