Bredefeld: Fresno Should Regulate and Tax Airbnb

Fresno City Hall.

FRESNO (KMJ) – Fresno could regulate Airbnb’s and make them pay taxes, if a new law is adopted by the Fresno City Council.

“We’ve had some problems in our district and other district,” Garry Bredefeld said.

Fresno District Six Councilman Garry Bredefeld says Airbnb’s have become such a problem, they need to be regulated, so he’s bringing a new law to Thursday’s city council meeting to do just that.

“People have rented these homes, put on loud, obnoxious parties that have really troubled neighbors and caused problems with law enforcement,” Bredefeld says.

Currently Fresno doesn’t regulate or tax Airbnb’s if Bredefeld’s measure passes, Airbnb owners will be required to get a permit from city hall regulators and pay a business tax.

“This is an effort to know where the airbnb’s are, who’s promoting them, and make sure that people are acting responsibly when they are promoting their homes, using them as airbnb’s,” Bredefeld said.

Bredefeld says he wants the Airbnb owners to be successful and that he’s supportive of the house-sharing industry as a whole.

“We don’t have a large airbnb industry like they do on the coast, but we want to make sure they are operating in a professional manner,” Bredefeld said.

Click Below to hear the report by Clint Olivier: