Housing affordability is a widely recognized crisis in the Adirondacks, a region that has for decades been losing quality housing to second homes and vacation rentals.

Though many factors impact housing values and availability, the recent explosion of short-term rentals due to the popularity of booking platforms like Airbnb and VRBO has further reduced the housing stock accessible to year-round residents in the tourism-dependent communities of the Adirondacks.  

What impact are short-term rentals (often called STRs) having on communities throughout the Adirondacks, and what steps can local governments take to reduce those negative effects?  

Adam Bailey, now Adirondack Program Manager for the Center, sought to answer these questions through his Cornell University Master of Regional Planning capstone project in 2022. Municipal Short-Term Rental Policies: Analysis and Recommendations for Adirondack Communities represents months of detailed research into the prevalence, impact, and management of short-term rentals in the Adirondacks and nationally. The report aims to help local leaders make informed decisions on behalf of their communities by exploring these key questions: 

  • What is the status of short-term rentals and how are they contributing to the housing shortage in the Adirondack region? 
  • What are the community benefits and detriments of short-term rentals? 
  • What actions have local governments throughout the nation, state, and region taken in response to short-term rentals? 
  • Among the methods used, which are most effective and appropriate to Adirondack communities? 

Adam began his research after interning for the Center and completed it after joining our staff full-time last summer. Though the report was prepared with a focus on the Adirondacks, the themes and recommendations are relevant to communities throughout the entire Northern Forest region and other rural communities nation-wide. 

Read Adam’s blog about need for communities to regulate short-term rentals. An executive summary of his paper is also available.

Contact Adam Bailey with questions or comments.