5 ms·

> If a property in a residential area is being used 100% of the time to rent, it’s a business. I don't think that's what zoning laws actually say. My understan

by pdonis 3y ago

> If a property in a residential area is being used 100% of the time to rent, it’s a business. I don't think that's what zoning laws actually say. My understanding that zoning laws are about the primary use of the property by whoever is actually using it, not who owns it. So a single family home is residential because someone lives there, regardless of whether that person owns the home or is renting it. Also, what about apartments? Those are zoned residential even though the actual owners are almost certainly not living there, and even if they are they aren't occupying more than a tiny portion of the total living space available.

bombcar 3y ago
Exactly this. You can get in Trouble for buying a commercial pr industrial property and living in it (though if you’re slick and quiet about it nobody may ever know).
- notatoad 3y ago
  >though if you’re slick and quiet about it nobody may ever know i'm sure this varies by jurisdiction, but around here the fire marshal will know, because commercial properties get inspected semi-annually to make sure they meet fire code. you'd have to be very sneaky to get past the fire department. and it might not be their job to enforce the zoning laws, but living in a commercial space violates the fire code.
- svieira 3y ago
  Unless (until?) you do something foolish, which leads to other issues, which leads to a massive fire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Ship_warehouse_fire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Ship_warehouse_fire
kd913 3y ago
Just gonna also say the current US zoning laws are batty when it comes to sustainability. You shouldn’t segment commercial and residential zones and suburbia in general is a massive disaster. You want sustainable cities, you need high dense walkable cities with commercial spaces embedded. Sure move the giant factories somewhere else, but we shouldn’t oppose small scale sustainable businesses being embedded in residential zones. https://youtu.be/bnKIVX968PQ?feature=shared https://youtu.be/bnKIVX968PQ?feature=shared
- gndk 3y ago
  Mixed-use is a whole different animal. This is more about short-term rentals like AirBnb or empty second/n-th homes. These create a shortage on the housing market for the local workforce. Not much benefit in having walkable communities if most of the workforce has to commute in for an hour.
- pdonis 3y ago
  > we shouldn’t oppose small scale sustainable businesses being embedded in residential zones. In at least some areas of the US I have seen a move in the last ten years or so towards doing this in what would otherwise be typical suburban developments. Maybe that will spread.
gndk 3y ago
I believe the parent was referring to short-term rentals. If a single family home is rented short-term through AirBnb, that certainly does not satisfy the primary use as a residence, as nobody actually has residence there.
- pdonis 3y ago
  > I believe the parent was referring to short-term rentals. If short term rentals are the issue, then short term rentals specifically should be addressed. But that's not what the post I responded to actually said. Also, I don't think the kind of renters that the article under discussion is saying are having difficulty making ends meet are people who are renting short term rental properties like AirBnbs.

by pdonis 3y ago

bombcar 3y ago

Exactly this. You can get in Trouble for buying a commercial pr industrial property and living in it (though if you’re slick and quiet about it nobody may ever know).

notatoad 3y ago
>though if you’re slick and quiet about it nobody may ever know i'm sure this varies by jurisdiction, but around here the fire marshal will know, because commercial properties get inspected semi-annually to make sure they meet fire code. you'd have to be very sneaky to get past the fire department. and it might not be their job to enforce the zoning laws, but living in a commercial space violates the fire code.
svieira 3y ago
Unless (until?) you do something foolish, which leads to other issues, which leads to a massive fire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Ship_warehouse_fire https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Ship_warehouse_fire

kd913 3y ago

Just gonna also say the current US zoning laws are batty when it comes to sustainability. You shouldn’t segment commercial and residential zones and suburbia in general is a massive disaster. You want sustainable cities, you need high dense walkable cities with commercial spaces embedded. Sure move the giant factories somewhere else, but we shouldn’t oppose small scale sustainable businesses being embedded in residential zones. https://youtu.be/bnKIVX968PQ?feature=shared https://youtu.be/bnKIVX968PQ?feature=shared

gndk 3y ago
Mixed-use is a whole different animal. This is more about short-term rentals like AirBnb or empty second/n-th homes. These create a shortage on the housing market for the local workforce. Not much benefit in having walkable communities if most of the workforce has to commute in for an hour.
pdonis 3y ago
> we shouldn’t oppose small scale sustainable businesses being embedded in residential zones. In at least some areas of the US I have seen a move in the last ten years or so towards doing this in what would otherwise be typical suburban developments. Maybe that will spread.

gndk 3y ago

I believe the parent was referring to short-term rentals. If a single family home is rented short-term through AirBnb, that certainly does not satisfy the primary use as a residence, as nobody actually has residence there.

pdonis 3y ago
> I believe the parent was referring to short-term rentals. If short term rentals are the issue, then short term rentals specifically should be addressed. But that's not what the post I responded to actually said. Also, I don't think the kind of renters that the article under discussion is saying are having difficulty making ends meet are people who are renting short term rental properties like AirBnbs.