Survey: Most Montana Voters Concerned about Negative Short-Term Rental Impact
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Franklin Coley; [email protected]
Survey: Most MT Voters Concerned about Negative Short-Term Rental Impact
Montana legislature considering bills that could cause vacation rentals to spread, do little to increase housing affordability
Helena, MT (April 3, 2023) – Large majorities of Montana residents are concerned about the negative impact of short-term rentals in their communities, according to a new survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the Alliance for Stronger Communities.
The survey results come as Montana state legislators are considering a slew of land-use and zoning reform bills, including some that could expand the use of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), but limit local governments’ ability to regulate the properties. At a time when the state is already seeing the spread of short-term rentals, with little to no oversight, it’s critical these bills include guardrails to ensure ADUs are used for long-term rentals to house Montanans.
A vast majority of Montana voters – 83% – agree that lawmakers should prioritize the interests of homeowners and renters in residential areas above those of out-of-state commercial short-term rental investors. A majority of Montana voters – 71% – believe it is important for local officials to actively monitor short-term rental properties to deter criminal activity in residential areas. 58% of Montana voters also agree that the presence of commercial short-term rental properties in residential communities raises concerns about neighborhood safety.
“The data is clear: Montanans want local officials to be able to protect against poorly crafted policies that could lead to even more commercial short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods,” said Alliance for Stronger Communities President Franklin Coley. “To ensure that problems like increased noise, pollution, and crime do not proliferate in Montana neighborhoods, the state must preserve local oversight of short-term rentals. This is necessary to ensure the rights of Montanans come before the interests of out-of-state short-term rental investors.”
Additional findings from the survey include:
- 67% of voters agree that residential areas should be inhabited by people who intend to live there for more than a few days.
- Among the top concerns about short-term rental properties in Montana’s residential communities are noise disturbances, cited as a concern by 62% of voters.
- 53% of Montana voters agree that the presence of short-term rental properties in residential communities is harmful to a neighborhood’s sense of community.
- 50% agree that the presence of short-term rental properties in residential communities would deter them from buying or renting in a certain neighborhood.
Morning Consult Survey Methodology: This poll was conducted between March 11-21, 2023, among a sample of 239 registered voters from Montana. Interviews were conducted online and weighted to approximate a sample of Montana RVs based on age, gender, education, and 2020 presidential vote choice. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 6 percentage points.
About Alliance for Stronger Communities
Alliance for Stronger Communities is a coalition of neighbors – including child safety advocates, former law enforcement officials, parenting voices and bloggers, civic leaders, housing experts, homeowner association presidents and academics – coming together to form a collective voice to address issues impacting neighborhoods across the country.
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