Budapest’s Terézváros District to Hold Public Vote on Airbnb Ban

Hey there, folks! It looks like the central Budapest district of Terézváros is gearing up for a big decision on the future of Airbnb rentals. In September, residents will have the chance to vote on whether to completely ban Airbnb-type accommodations in the district’s apartment buildings. Talk about a game-changer!

Now, the Hungarian Apartment Renters Association and the Responsible Accommodation Providers Association are pretty worried about the potential consequences of a ban. They’ve even launched a campaign called “Let Terézváros Live!” to raise awareness about the impact on local businesses and workers who rely on tourism. I mean, can you imagine the hit they’d take if Airbnb suddenly disappeared?

On the other hand, the district’s mayor, Tamás Soproni, says they’ve got the green light from Parliament to restrict short-term rentals. The problem is, there’s no easy way to enforce a partial ban, like limiting rentals to a certain number of days per year. So, it’s all or nothing – either keep things as they are or go for a total ban.

The associations argue that a ban won’t solve issues like noisy party tourists, who tend to stay in hostels anyway. Plus, they say most Airbnb rentals in the district are small, family-friendly apartments, not the source of the problem. And let’s not forget the nearly 1 billion forints (around $3 million) in tourism taxes these rentals bring in each year – that’s a lot of dough for the district to lose!

But wait, there’s more! The associations also claim that international examples show Airbnb isn’t to blame for rising rental prices. In fact, they say Terézváros has seen an increase of 10,000 apartments over the past 11 years, so there’s no housing crisis to speak of.

So, what do you think? Should Terézváros give Airbnb the boot, or is there a better way to address the concerns? The residents will have their say come September, with both online and in-person voting options. And to help them decide, the district will be sending out info on the pros and cons of a total ban.

It’s a tough call, but one thing’s for sure – the outcome of this vote will have a big impact on the future of tourism and housing in one of Budapest’s most vibrant districts. Stay tuned!