June 2, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 5A
N
o longer a mom-and-pop,
starving-student operation, the
Airbnb Community is a $30
billion global company.
At the time of this writing, according
to a March 2017 study conducted by
CBRE Hotels’ America Research, 40
percent of Airbnb’s revenue is driven
by multi-unit owner/investors. These
are people who buy and rent out entire
dwellings and then also rent out two or
more properties — people for whom this
is clearly a business and not simply a way
to make ends meet or to supplement a
fi xed income.
Over the last years, Seaside, Astoria,
and Cannon Beach have experienced the
effects of this unregulated dynamic dra-
matically eroding the livability and small
business environment in our towns.
The proliferation of Airbnb’s un-
licensed, unregulated “illegal hotel”
operations extracts profi ts from our
communities.
This proliferation broadsides local
law-abiding owner/operators, negatively
impacts neighborhoods, zoning ordi-
nances, regulatory compliance and tax
revenues.
Airbnb inventory consumes residenc-
es that otherwise could be available as
affordable housing for local families.
This consumption also perpetuates
“urban creep,” forcing unnecessary
development.
Consequently, Airbnb impacts our
natural environment, such as the a 40-unit
Wahanna complex that was approved
proximate to a wetland area based on the
need for more affordable housing.
If Airbnb complied with existing
ordinances and if Seaside had monitored
its activity, illegal Airbnb housing might
have been available for families to rent
and the wetlands would not have been an
issue.
Did this factor into the equation when
making the decision to approve the new
complex?
GUEST COLUMN
CYNTHIA MALKOWSKI
Failing to agree to operate in a
transparent way, Airbnb also appears not
to comply with short-term rental regula-
tions, licensing, tax, zoning laws or any
other public health requirements.
When Seaside (or Clatsop County)
tacitly turns a blind eye, this creates an
unfair playing fi eld that disadvantages
those of us who live here and who create
jobs by participating in our community.
We are the ones who have to make it
through winter.
Airbnb, in an attempt to maintain
secrecy and unfair advantage, approached
Seaside with its own contract called a
voluntary collection agreement, which it
wants the city to sign.
This is like a stranger approaching you
to ask if you want some candy.
The terms imply that taxation and
licensing will somehow be addressed,
yet the city will not have access to the
information it needs in order to verify
overnight stays and the number of Airbnb
properties.
The contract would allow Airbnb to be
audited once within a 48-month period,
prevent transparency by failing to dis-
close the addresses for neighbors to know
who is next door, side-step licensing
requirements and be exempt from a tax
look-back. Wow.
If Seaside inks this contract, we
should all be able to have those same
terms.
A March 2017 report entitled “Airbnb
Agreements with Local and State Tax
Agencies” demonstrates the following:
• Unjustifi ed favoritism for Airbnb and
its lodging operators,
• Improperly ceding tax authority to
Airbnb,
• Granting huge benefi ts to third-par-
ties who have not signed the agreements,
• Unfair treatment of other taxpayers,
businesses and citizens,
• Violating standards of transparency
and democratic governance,
• Undermining compliance with tax
and regulatory laws
• Spreading undesirable precedents
through laws patterned after the agree-
ments.
Our municipalities must insist on the
same ground rules that govern the rest of
us, which include voluntary disclosure
agreements, not VCAs, that require en-
tities to pay taxes, hold proper licensing,
and open books for audits.
Our municipal leaders must enforce
compliance as a condition for Airbnb
doing business within the city limits of
our town.
In addition, according to Seaside’s
two-year strategic goals plan, our leaders
must move quickly to defi ne the param-
eters and enforceability of VRD/STR
permits. How much is too much?
In the meantime, until this goal is
clearly accomplished, instead of approv-
ing VRDs by the handful every month as
has been the trend, I request the following
in order to protect our community:
• A directive to all entities such as
Airbnb, Vacasa, Flipkey, VRBO, Ho-
meaway, to cease business within the
city of Seaside until such time that they
demonstrate that they abide by the same
rules as our other compliant businesses.
• A moratorium on any more VRD/
STR licensing, until the city is able and
willing to defi ne its goals and the means
of enforcing these goals
• An overture on the part of the city
to assure advocates of local businesses,
affordable housing and land conservancy
that our concerns regarding the threat
by illegally operating entities will be
substantively addressed.
Cynthia Malkowski is general manag-
er of Arch Cape Inn & Retreat.
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H EATING & C OOLING
Expert Service,
Repairs & Installation
Residential & Commercial
Gas, Oil & Electric Furnaces
Ductless Systems • Fireplaces
Locally Owned & Operated Water Heaters • Heat Pumps & AC
Commercial Refrigeration
Cannon Beach, Oregon
503-440-6975
CCB#199205
Airbnb fails to meet rental standards
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P AINTING
Randy Anderson
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CCB# 89453
36 Years Experience
Anderson Painting
(503) 738-9989 • Cell (503) 440-2411 • Fax (503) 738-9337
PO Box 140 Seaside, Oregon 97138
www.andersonpainting.biz
“Custom Finishing”
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Laurelwood Compost • Mulch • Planting MacMix
Soil Amendments
YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF
(no Scotch Broom)
503-717-1454
34154 HIGHWAY 26
SEASIDE, OR
Mike, the Wheel, was born
in Detroit, Michigan, on May 3,
1958, and died in Central Ore-
gon on May 13, 2017.
After high school, Mike
started his journey to the West
Coast with stops in Denver,
Colorado, and Kennewick,
Washington.
Mike met Barb in Denver —
thanks to Barb’s twin sister — in
the summer of 1982, when Barb
was on vacation and needed a
golf partner. The couple came to
Cannon Beach for the summer
of 1983, and never left. Mike
and Barb were married on the
beach in Cannon Beach on June
30, 1984, with all members of
their immediate families in at-
tendance. Mike was a painting
contractor in Cannon Beach.
Mike’s side of the family in-
OBITUARIES
Michael William Knop
Laurelwood Farm
May 3, 1958 — May 13, 2017
C ONSTRUCTION
cludes: his father, Bill; brother,
Larry and Barb No. 2 (Aman-
da, Alex); sister, Jane and Ken
Bridge (Christopher and Rox-
anne, Sara and Joe and Josh);
brother, Phil; and Aunt “Joe”
and the camping cousins, Kris
(Tim), Kate and Kelly (Doug).
He was preceded in death by his
mother, Irene.
Barb’s side of the family
includes: brothers-in-law, Jim
and Marianne Eggers, (Nathan,
Rachel, Brooklyn, Courtney),
Steve and Di Eggers, (Emily
and Michael, Kelly, Stepha-
nie), Phil Eggers, Joe and Lori
Eggers (Jacob, Zach); sisters-
in-law, Margaret Zerr (Michael,
Cassandra), Katy and Jeff Eu-
cker (Adam, Alyssa), Mary and
Tom Davis (Anna), and Patty
and Dana (Nicole, Melanie,
Zach); a niece, Jennifer (Jon)
Johnson; and 12 great-nieces
and nephews. He was preceded
in death by his father and moth-
er-in- law, Stew and Patricia
Eggers; brothers-in- law, Fred
Zerr and Paul Eggers; brother
and sister-in- law, Alden and
Tina Thomas; and a niece, Alli-
son Thomas.
Mike and Barb were ex-
tremely lucky to have had two
wonder dogs. Boomer was the
fi rst dog, and Zoomer followed.
Boomer and Zoomer were a big
part of Mike’s heart.
Mike requested a party, and
his party will be held on Satur-
day, June 10 (Belmont Day) at
Cheri’s Café in downtown Can-
non Beach, starting at 2 p.m. To
honor Mike’s life, do not buy
fl owers, but rather plant some-
thing permanent. Mike would
want you to wear casual, col-
orful clothes to his party. Mike
believed in living life to the
fullest, chasing dreams, placing
bets, cherishing and cultivating
relationships, enjoying hobbies,
learning something new every
day and reading.
It was important for Mike
to live in paradise, catch and
release and spend quality time
with friends, especially at
Cheri’s. Horse racing, brew-
ing beer, cooking great meals,
baseball, hockey and fl y fi shing
were Mike’s favorite pastimes.
Hughes-Ransom Mortuary
and Crematory is handling the
arrangements. Visit the memo-
rial tribute at www.hughes-ran-
som.com to leave a message or
sign the online guest book.
B oB M c E wan c onstruction , inc .
E xcavation • u ndErground u tiitiEs
r oad w ork • F ill M atErial
s itE P rEParation • r ock
owned and operated by
503-738-3569
34154 Hwy 26, Seaside, OR
P.O. Box 2845, Gearhart, OR
S erving the p aCifiC n orthweSt S inCe 1956 • CC48302
F LOORING
CCB# 205283
y
ou ou
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ep alk
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Flooring
Auditions for ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for Clatsop youth
The time has come for all
young theater lovers in Clat-
sop County to take a trip to
Wonderland.
During summer, all local
grade-school children have
the opportunity to take part
in a production of “Alice
in Wonderland (and Back
Again),” written by Randy
Wyatt and based on the books
by Lewis Carroll. The play
will be directed by Seaside
resident Katherine Lacaze.
Auditions will be held at
5:30 p.m. Friday, June 9, at
the Bob Chisholm Commu-
nity Center, 1225 Avenue A
in Seaside. The play features
dozens of fun roles, large and
small, including Alice, the
Queen and King of Hearts, the
Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit,
and fl owers, soldiers and ju-
rors galore. No prior acting
experience is necessary.
Rehearsals will take place
in Seaside a couple times per
week from mid-June to Au-
gust. The performances are
scheduled for Aug. 18, 19 and
20 at the Seaside Civic and
Convention Center.
The program is being pro-
vided to children for free,
thanks to support from the
recreation district and a grant
from the Clatsop County Cul-
tural Coalition.
Organizers also are look-
ing for community volunteers
to help with costumes, set de-
sign and stage management.
For more information or au-
dition requirements, contact
Lacaze at 503-741-5668 or
fi nd Alice Comes to Seaside
on Facebook.
NORTH COAST DOOR CO.
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Serving the North Oregon Coast for Over 28 Years
MOBILE KARAOKE WITH KJ/DJ
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503-842-5300
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