Rep. Helena Moreno, D-New Orleans, has proposed a bill in the Legislature that would require short-term rentals to be registered and inspected by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The legislation only deals with fire safety issues. People would have to register their rentals with the Fire Marshal’s Office, "at a cost of $50 for the first five years, and show they have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, unobstructed exits, fire extinguishers and a map showing guests how to get out of the building in an emergency. Those features would be verified by an inspection."
Earlier this year, an Airbnb in Central City caught fire. The unit, a single that had been converted into a duplex, only had one exit.
Although this process would be pretty simple for smaller rentals, for units geared toward larger groups the inspection process would be more stringent: "If a structure would house five or more unrelated people at a time, it would be considered a commercial venture and subject to a higher level of regulation that already is on the books."
Short-term rental services would not have to submit listings to the Fire Marshal’s Office under the law, but the sites would have to notify users about the requirement. Those in violation could be fined up to $1,000 a day.
Last week the state unrolled a new tax system that include taxes on short-term rentals. New Orleans, however, has not officially approved updated short-term rental regulations since the City Planning Commission discussed the matter in January.
• Proposed bill would require AirBnB, VRBO rentals to be registered, inspected by state [The Advocate]
• Louisiana's New Sales Tax System Includes Tax on Airbnbs, Other Short-Term Rental Services [Curbed NOLA]
• Planning Commission Approves Plan to Legalize Short-Term Rentals, But With One Exception [Curbed NOLA]