Title
Amending Chapter 379 of the Legislative Code updating short-term rental host and short-term platform responsibilities.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL DOES ORDAIN:
SECTION 1
Sec. 379.05 - License applications.
(a) Short-term rental platform license:
(1) Application for the issuance or renewal of a short-term rental platform license shall be made in writing to the director on a form provided by the director and comply with requirements set out in chapter 310 of the Legislative Code.
(2) No license may be issued pursuant to this chapter if short-term rental platform license held by the applicant, officer or any other person holding a twenty-five (25) percent or greater beneficial interest in the property to be used as a short-
term rental has been revoked for any reason other than nonpayment of license fees within the previous five (5) years.
(3) In addition to grounds for adverse action set out in chapter 310 of the Legislative Code, adverse action may also be taken if the applicant, officer or any other person holding a twenty-five (25) percent or greater beneficial interest in the
short-term rental platform has been convicted of a felony within the past five (5) years, or any gross misdemeanor or misdemeanor involving the use of force, possession or sale of a controlled substance, prostitution or indecent conduct.
(b) Short-term rental host license:
(1) Application for the issuance or renewal of a short-term rental host license shall be made in writing to the director on a form provided by the director and comply with requirements set out in chapter 310.
(2) Short-term rental host licenses must be accompanied by an affidavit of compliance attesting that each dwelling unit, or portion thereof, offered for short-term rental use satisfies the safety requirements of this chapter.
(3) The application shall include all requested information including the exact location of the dwelling unit or units which will be used as a short-term rental.
(4) The applicant shall be owner(s) of the short-term rental property to be used as a short-term rental. The full legal names and addresses of all corporate officers and persons holding a twenty-five (25) percent or greater beneficial interest
in the business shall be provided on the application.
SECTION 2
Section 379.06 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 379.06 - Short-term rental platform general provisions.
All short-term rental platforms must comply with the following:
(a) Possess a valid short-term rental platform license issued in the city pursuant to this chapter.
(b) Provide the following information electronically to the city on a quarterly basis:
(1) The total number of short-term rentals in the city listed on the platform during the applicable reporting period by zip code;
(2) The total number of nights listings within a zip code were each listing in the city was rented through the short-term rental platform during the applicable reporting period.
(c) Inform all short-term rental hosts who register with the short-term rental platform of the short-term rental host's responsibility to collect and remit all applicable local, state and federal taxes unless the short-term rental platform does this on
the host's behalf.
(d) Remove listings from the platform upon notice from the city that a short-term rental host has not obtained a license in the city, or the short term rental license has expired or been revoked.
(e) Include the short-term rental host's license number on the listing.
SECTION 3
Section 379.07 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
Sec. 379.07 - Short-term rental host general provisions.
All short-term rental hosts who offer dwelling units, or portions thereof, for short-term rental use in the city must comply with the following within 5 business days of a request from the department:
(a) Provide documentation and a signed declaration of compliance attesting to compliance with subsections (b) through (j).
(b) Provide local contact information to all short-term rental guests during a guest's stay. The local contact must be available to respond to inquiries at the short-term rental during the length of the stay.
(c) Comply with all applicable city, state and federal laws.
(d) Ensure that all dwelling units have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarm(s) in every bedroom and on all habitable floors and a properly maintained and charged fire extinguisher.
(e) Post the following information in a conspicuous place within each dwelling unit used as a short-term rental:
(1) Emergency contact information;
(2) Contact information for the short-term rental host or the responsible party;
(3) Street address;
(4) Floor plan indicating fire exits and escape routes;
(5) Information about how a guest can contact the city department of safety and inspections to report any concerns or complaints; and
(6) Maximum occupancy limits.
(f) Maintain liability insurance appropriate to cover the short-term rental use in the aggregate of not less than three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) or conduct each short-term rental transaction through a short-term rental platform that provides equal or greater coverage.
(g) Remit all applicable local, state and federal taxes unless the short-term rental platform does this on the short-term rental host's behalf.
(h) Keep a short-term rental host registry that includes at a minimum a cumulative tally to date of the number of nights that each listing on the platform is booked for rental during the remaining months of the calendar year and documentation of the amount of rent paid by guests and the number of guests for each night the unit is rented in connection with the rental of each short-term rental listed on the platform during the applicable reporting period.
(i) Provide the department of safety and inspections with accurate information regarding the name and contact information for responsible party.
(j) Provide proof that the short-term rental license number is included on any short-term rental advertisement.
SECTION 4
Section 379.08 of the Saint Paul Legislative Code is hereby deleted as follows:
Sec. 379.08 - Penalty.
Each violation of section 379.02 shall be a petty misdemeanor.
SECTION 5
This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force thirty (30) days following its passage, approval and publication.