French Quarter short-term rentals

A 35-year Quarter resident urged a no vote, saying short-term rentals ruin the neighborhood, create security risks, and that other cities have reversed course by banning them.

The VCPORA executive director said 75% of public comments opposed any Quarter expansion, detailed enforcement failures including fraudulent permits on city-owned property, and urged keeping VCE-1 closed to STRs.

The VCPORA president called the consultant study flawed on French Quarter hotel counts, warned exceptions create more exceptions, and asked the commission to remove any Quarter expansion from the recommendation.

A condo resident described a unit that repeatedly violates the building's STR ban and a poorly monitored nine-unit bed and breakfast, urging no further STRs in the Quarter.

A Quarter resident since 1995 warned that allowing even a few STRs in VCE-1 will lead to the next exception on Chartres and Royal Streets.

A French Quarter civic leader called the VCE-1 change disastrous for a fragile neighborhood whose residents maintain the historic brand that draws 90 million visitors.

A first-time speaker and longtime former bartender said STRs priced service workers out of the Quarter and argued supporters caused the vacancy problems they now want zoning to fix.

A former planner and Master Plan committee member asked the commission to listen to residents and deny short-term rentals in the Quarter.

A St. Philip Street resident said she can't tell whether neighbors are renting for three days or 30 and warned supporters' historic buildings would be altered with tax credits to enable STRs.

A French Market business owner of 18 years said tourist traffic has collapsed and no economic impact data was presented, asking the commission to request the data and defer.