Rexburg addresses concerns on short-term rentals

The city of Rexburg addresses concerns regarding short-term rentals.

The city does, however, allow short-term rentals. Most concerns outline the issue of the city enforcing duplex usage and home insurance policies.

The city’s response to short-term rentals currently is to be lenient on restricting short-term rentals come this August for the solar eclipse.

Rexburg city clerk, Blair Kay said the mayor and council members have discussed short-term rentals during a work session. The main concern is how to accommodate the large amount of travelers who will be looking for places to stay during the eclipse.

“The city is still working on figuring out a plan,” Kay said. “The city got feedback from community members. And most residents have expressed concern about the duplex rentals. They don’t want the neighborhoods to transform into duplex homes.”

Kay said that most residents want to keep the neighborhoods as single family residents.

Century 21 High Desert broker Ted Whyte expressed his concerns to Kay as well. Whyte addressed the concerns in regards to short-term rentals by saying it violates practices in the Real Estate world.

“It will, with time, have a negative impact on neighbors and neighborhoods. Ask all the people wanting short-term rentals if they are willing to contact their mortgage companies and ask for a different mortgage with higher rental and interest rates and higher insurance polices,” Whyte said.