EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Millions of people visit the Poconos all year round. Some guests choose to stay in short-term rental properties rather than hotels.
Jenny Radick is a host for Airbnb, a company that provides online home rentals for short stays. She has several properties in the Poconos, including one in East Stroudsburg.
"We have had our neighbors put their families there for Thanksgiving, for Christmas. They love that they have an Airbnb right next to them," said Radick.
The East Stroudsburg Borough Council is holding a public meeting Tuesday night to vote on an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods.
If the change passes, Radick's operation will have to shut down.
"We manage ours well. We take care of the trash. We have noise decibel meters inside the houses. We have Ring cameras outside. We have it like a nice, well-oiled machine. I can understand how some people don't, and maybe that's where this is coming from," said Radick.
Brian Bond is the borough manager. He says the change will limit short-term rentals to areas that are zoned commercial or industrial.
These rentals will also need zoning permits as well as a short-term rental license to operate. Hosts will also be required to contract a private garbage company.
"We've been working on this for quite a while. It's a quality-of-life issue, and we also want to make sure there's a responsible party in case anything does happen at the short-term rental that you can contact, they take care of issues. It's a better quality-of-life issue. We also want to make sure everything in the rental is up to code, so it's safe for whoever is renting it," said Bond.
Borough officials tell us there are fewer than a dozen Airbnb's in residential areas in East Stroudsburg.
Radick says she gets it and hopes sometime in the future, they can come up with a better agreement.
"Maybe someone can apply for a variance. Maybe they need to sign off with a neighbor, or maybe they would need to show that they have a property manager," said Radick.
East Stroudsburg Borough Council is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.