Missouri Vacation Home Alliance

03/09/2021

The September 30th deadline to appeal the Board of Equalization taxation decision on Nightly Rentals is quickly approaching.
If you would like to join a growing group of owners contesting this taxation, attorney Tim Davis is familiar with the situation and working already on a handful of appeals from the BoE and the Missouri State Tax Commission. He is available by phone at 417-294-1083 or by email at [email protected]

Share to groups and people that this will benefit.

06/07/2021

The MO Hancock Amendment may protect you from overreach from 100 % commercial taxation of vacation rentals.

06/07/2021

You received a card in the mail saying that your tax rate was changing to 100% commercial rate on your Vacation Rental. Contest 100% Commercial Taxation of Vacation Rentals by filling out an application at the Clerk’s Office.
You can find one by going to taneycounty.org and going to Departments then Clerk and clicking on the application for the BOE (Board of Equalization)
Your “Residential Rental Dwelling” has rights!

12/01/2021

UPDATE: RE Vacation Rental Moratorium

I’d like to thank:

Everyone who called and emailed the county on behalf of vacation rental property owners and also,

Commissioner Sheila Wyatt for returning my email and also,

Commissioner Brandon Williams
County Attorney Travis Elliott
P&Z Coordinator Scott Starrett

For caring enough to meet with a small group of concerned citizens regarding the moratorium on new applications for special use permits. There was good communication and an attempt to figure out a solution.

Since it was determined that the moratorium could not be amended without the P&Z Board approval, it would take nearly as long to process an amendment as it would for the moratorium to be lifted.

If the traditional zoning amendments to the guidance code pass on the April 19th vote, we should be able to get back to business as usual. It was advised that no action be taken at this time and that we should put our support behind the traditional zoning amendments.

If the traditional zoning amendments pass vote by the commissioners on April 19th then applications for special use permits will be processed.

It does not help us in the short term, but it will benefit property owners in the long run.

Here is what you need to know:

-If you own a vacation rental in the City of Branson, your property is not affected.
-If you own a vacation rental condo in a multi-unit building in Taney County, your property is most likely already zoned and does not require a special use permit. You are most likely not affected.
-If you own a stand-alone vacation rental home in a VR development (that has Division III approval) you are not affected.
-If you own a vacation rental that required a special use permit and you want to sell it as a vacation rental, you are affected, and any new buyer would not be able to process a permit for vacation rental approval until April 19th.
-Public Hearings will be scheduled and zoning maps will be revealed soon. I’ll get the word out when that happens.
Takeaways:
-I wish the P&Z board would have recommended a “sale” provision in the moratorium when it was conceived to allow people to apply for special use permits on properties with existing special use permits. This would have been a good consideration for property owners in the county who need to sell.
-I wish the County would change the requirement to notify the public. Newspapers are not an effective means to communicate public hearings and major county decisions anymore

11/01/2021

RE: Nightly Rental Moratorium, Taney Co

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Good afternoon County Commissioners,

This is an email to appeal to your nobler motives regarding the moratorium on nightly rentals in Taney County.

I understand the reasons why you are doing it; I know that vacation rentals have surged in public interest in recent years and that has caused a bottleneck at the planning and zoning level. Many of you who know me, know that I support a more traditional zoning model as I believe it will create an economic benefit for the citizens of this county.

I am emailing you today because many property owners and businesses will be adversely affected by the decision to place a moratorium on new applications for division III and special use permits for vacation rentals. I also believe it is unfair to single out one industry during this time.

I cannot speak for everyone, but I know some would be willing to “hit the pause button” for the greater good while the county does good work on the traditional zoning amendments to the guidance code.

My concern though, is for property owners who wish to sell their property and can not wait for the moratorium to be lifted.
Many people have been dramatically affected by a global shutdown of worldwide tourism and are in need of liquidating their property. I already have clients calling my real estate office to express this concern. The moratorium could not come at a worse time. In my experience, new buyers are not willing to close on a property without the proper permitting, nor should they, so you can see the dilemma.

Economic shutdowns are not the way.

I am looking to find a solution and am willing to help.

I had been in conversations with Brandon and Scott, who have both been extremely helpful explaining the process it takes to amend the guidance code. My original thought was to create an amendment to allow for an executive process to transfer existing special use permits during this time, but we discovered that process would take as much time to enact as the current amendments and it might be in the best interest to push through the traditional zoning aments as fast as possible to get back to business. My goal is not to overload the Planning and Zoning department. This was not a good solution.

I then asked if there was a way to amend the moratorium.
This might be a better way. Amending the moratorium instead of the guidance code might help those people who had a contract on a permitted vacation rental property for sale. This way, they could liquidate because the new buyer would be able to apply for a permit so a property transfer could take place. Permits for new vacation rentals could wait, easing the workload of the P and Z board while existing properties could have some forward movement. The county wins and property owners win.

This is all I am asking. I am asking for some grace so we may have a trickle rather than a complete and total halt.

Will you help me by putting some brain power into finding a way to help property owners in Taney County exercise their right to real estate ownership and transfer in these unique situations?

Best Regards,
Jeramie Worley

06/06/2018

Do you own a Vacation Rental in Missouri? I would love to hear your feedback! Please click the link below and take this short survey.

The purpose of this survey is to start spreading good news about Missouri Vacation Rentals and how they can positively affect our local economy. This survey is generic and confidential to protect your identity and information.

05/06/2018

What can you do to help the MO Vacation Rental community? Easy, head on over and sign our petition today! Let’s stop those bans and promote the sharing economy!

This is petition for Protect Vacation Rentals in Missouri. Join the movement! Sign now!

17/05/2018

Once again your Rep for Taney County, Jeff Justus….was silent on the issue of Vacation Rentals! Worse yet…he spoke out against you!

He did vote for Sonja’s amendment for SB 773 and here is what else …Lyle Rowland, Don Phillips and Scott Fitzpatrick all voted against it and Jeff Justus was the only Rep from our area who voted for it.

He claims that Keith Fredrick’s (good) bill offered similar language regarding sales tax, however…
You can’t just take care of the tax man…you have to take care of the individual property owner and you have to take care of private property rights.

In addition to the tax language, Keith’s bill also offered clear protections for Short Term Rentals:
1. It clearly protected them from commercial taxations
2. It clearly defined them as residential property
3. It clearly protected them from over regulation.
4. It clearly protected them from banning and protected 5th amendment rights!

Keith’s bill offered up the taxation portion as an olive branch to the hotel industry. We want to work with this industry…not against it.

So, with the passage of this amendment, the hotels got everything they wanted and individual property owners got ZERO protection.

So, It’s clear to me that Jeff Justus ….took care of
1. The tax man
2. The Agenda of Big Business

…and small business owners and private property owners received little help from him on this issue. Does he not have any idea how significant the short term rental industry is to our economy? Not just because it offers a product that the hotel industry is not offering, but owners must remodel their homes and condos to stay competitive. Our new condo inventory has been lackluster since the 90’s. Builders are just now starting to build vacation rental housing and this is causing our construction economy to boom. He must know this as he owns a plumbing supply company! These properties are creating new business opportunities for single moms and hard working families who clean or manage the property. Our retails stores benefit by owners buying TV’s, furniture and décor!! Short term rentals bring in tourists four our restaurants and shows and attractions. Can he not see this?

Why is he only listening to the Hotel Industry and their fear of loss, instead of all of these other industries that rely on the vacation rentals?

I’m going to continue to fight this until Friday when the session officially ends

I am going to continue to advocate for this industry this year and the next and the next.

I am open to dialogue with him and anyone else on this topic to try to help you understand why Stone and Taney property owners are becoming so frustrated with this one-sided issue.

I’ve scheduled a meeting for the Table Rock Vacation Home Alliance on Monday June 11th from 6-7pm at 1159 Bee Creek Rd, for anyone who wants to come together for our first official meeting. We will be discussing, elections, advocacy and our plan moving forward…ESPECIALLY regarding the recent letters from the Taney County Assessor.

Please send me a PM if you are interested in attending this meeting.

Jeramie Worley

16/05/2018

Posted by Jeramie Worley - I was up last night at 11:30 listening to the MO House floor debate as Sonja Anderson was attempting to attach her Short Term Rental Agenda to legislation, moving through the house during some last minute sessions. Her SB 773 Amendment, will add language that will add Sales and Tourism tax to vacation rentals. Most owners are already voluntarily paying this tax. The amendment is up for a vote this morning and if it passes, it will add these taxes…her amendment furthermore fails to protect vacation rental owners from protections from commercial taxation or further regulation by political subdivisions. This will undo everything we have worked so hard to do this year. If you own or are an advocate for short term rentals in Missouri, please call our text your rep RIGHT NOW. The debate is on. If you get an administrative assistant, please tell them to text the Rep in session and have them vote against Sonja’s Amendment! URGENT CALL TO ACTION!!
Sonya Anderson's BAD BILL is moving. It has been attached to Senate Bill 773. You do NOT want this bill. Drop what you are doing and call Speaker of the House Rep. Todd Richardson at 573-751-4039 and Floor Leader Rep. Rob Vescovo at 573-751-3607 and urge them to stop this bill! Remind them that this bill will create an entirely new class of taxation! In addition, the bill offers NONE of the regulatory protections that Rep. Frederick offered....those amendments were voted DOWN last night.
This is NOT a good bill and will do irreparable damage to the tourism economy at the Lake of the Ozarks! If you care about your ability to offer your home as a vacation rental, you care about stopping this bill! — contacting Todd Richardson.

10/04/2018

Special thanks to Member Brad Moncado for coming with us to Jeff City to ask our legislators to pass HB2569 out of the General Laws Committee.

09/04/2018

If you own a Vacation Rental in Missouri – Today is NOT the day to be SILENT!
If you work in the VR industry – Today is NOT the day to be SILENT!
If you sell or own REAL ESTATE in a TOURIST AREA – You must TAKE ACTION – NOW!
Today you have a VOICE!...but time is running out because the legislative session will be over soon.
HB2569 is a bill that supports and PROTECTS the vacation rental community in Missouri. It was written with input from vacation rental owners and is up for a public hearing today at 5pm in HR 6 in Jefferson City.
I’ll be going to the state capitol today to speak in support of this bill.
What can you do if you can not make the public hearing?
1. You can email and call your local rep and tell them you can not make the public hearing but you want your voice to be heard. Tell them your story.
2. You can email and call the chairman of the General Laws Committee, Representative Cornejo and tell him you support HB2569. Cornejo’s office phone number is 573-751-1484 and email is [email protected].
3. You can email and call the Speaker of the House, Representative Todd Richardson and tell him you support HB2569. Richardson’s office phone number is 573-751-4039 and email is [email protected].

You can read the bill athttps://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills181/hlrbillspdf/6352H.01I.pdf
Key points:
- Clarifies the definition of “regulation” for STR properties, to protect them from over regulation
- Establishes that STR properties must collect and remit sales tax, bringing in revenue for our state
- Determines that properties are residential and not to be assessed as commercial
- Specifically states that short term rentals are not a commercial activity and cannot be banned by an HOA without a unanimous vote of HOA members

Please share this info so we can make an impact today!!
Thanks - Jeramie

08/04/2018

If you have any interest in promoting good legislation for vacation rentals in MO, HB 2569 will have a public hearing tomorrow 4/9 at 5pm in HR6 in Jeff City. Come up and support Keith Frederick’s bill.

02/04/2018

Good Morning,
This update is being send on behalf of Jeramie Worley and the Missouri Vacation Home Alliance
The bill that we are supporting HB 2569 (Keith Frederick) has made its way to the General Laws Committee. We are very encouraged that it will be getting a committee hearing. This is great news. The public hearing on this bill may not be this week, so we are looking at next week for this to happen.
The bad news is that the bill we are opposing HCS HB 2457 (Sonja Anderson) has a sponsor that sits on that committee. Our hope is our bill with get an intelligent hearing and not be subject to any nepotism.
Rep Keith Frederick has made some really great progress convincing his colleagues in the House of Representatives that the definition of “Reasonable” should never be a loose term when it comes to laws and regulation. We hope that our language will prevail. Language that, any regulation must have be shown to have a:
1. Compelling Governmental Interest
2. It must be narrowly tailored
3. It must use the least restrictive means
I do know that HCS HB 2457 is presently in the Rules, Legislative Oversight Committee. It’s Chairman Shawn Rhodes [email protected] would be a good person to contact to insure that 2457 gets slowed down until 2569 gets a hearing.
Don’t get discouraged because it is late in the season. We can still make fantastic progress this year.
You can also encourage your local Rep (or you can reach out to) the Chairman of the General Laws Committee Robert Cornejo [email protected] and ask him to give Keith’s Bill 2569 a fair shake.
Your property rights depend on your action. Please share this note with a friend.
Please help us keep the fight going by joining the Missouri Vacation Home Alliance at: https://www.movacationhomealliance.com/
Jeramie Worley

Copyright 2017, Missouri Vacation Home Alliance. All Rights Reserved. Missouri Vacation Home Alliance is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. 1159 Bee Creek Rd, Branson, MO 65616

13/03/2018

(Posted by Jeramie Worley) There are two bills being circulated in the MO House of Representatives that will affect the Short Term Rental Industry in Missouri and you can decide which one you want to support.

One of them will cost your bottom line in taxes, regulations and possible bans and density regulations. I am supporting HB 2569 and I encourage you to do the same, because the other bill has disastrous language that can hurt us.

You must take action now.

Call to Action for Missouri Vacation Rental Owners and Industry Affiliates:
Contact the Missouri Rep in the district where you live or the district where you own property and ask for them to support:
Dr. Keith Fredrick's Bill HB 2569
Read the Bill Here
https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills181/hlrbillspdf/6352H.01I.pdf

Look up your Rep Here
https://www.house.mo.gov/

It would also help to contact the speaker of the house and let him know you support
HB 2569.

We need to take action or the needle will not move.
We are really hoping for the bill to get referred to the tourism committee.
Contact The Speaker Here

[email protected]

I took a moment to really dig into the bills and here is how it breaks down.
Sonja Anderson's bill HCS HB 2457 has come along way from last year, but It still needs major improvement. (Text Attached in PDF)
Here are the main differences between the two bills (PDF also attached)

This is what we must oppose under any circumstance
a. No enacting or enforcing banning or outright prohibiting by political subdivisions (illegal taking)
b. No banning or enforcement of prior bans by HOAs unless done prior to anyone owning in the subdivision or by unanimous consent of the owners (Mo statute supports)
c. No Business or occupational licenses
d. No full commercial property tax
e. Must have clarification of the definition of lodging establishment as 5 separate units rented to separate parties or Keith's language.
f. Marketing platforms cannot be asked to keep track of which rentals they facilitate as they do not have that information. This is Expedia trying to limit competition by marketing platforms!
​
If you look at the HCS substitute for 2457 (Sonja's Bill) including the new amendment,
Here is what I can not live with:

1. Special use permits for VR properties that rent more than 90 including the broadly defined “reasonable language.” Broadly defined “reasonable regulation” that opens people up to denial of a special use permit by a County Government, use restrictions even in permitted areas, or interpretation of the word “reasonable” by municipal officials, in power, who’s opinions oppose STR properties. I prefer the language in Keith’s bill that narrowly defines the regulation defines that a compelling governmental interest must be shown, and any regulation uses the least restrictive means. If this is not changed, 2457 or any bill or version of it will be completely worthless. Let’s make some progress here.
2. Density Regulations (Added by amendment to HCS 2457 on 3/6/18) “A political subdivision may impose reasonable regulations on residential dwellings to protect public health and safety, morals, and general welfare and to regulate the density of residential dwelling rentals in ANY zoning district. (So some people have 5th amendment rights and some don’t) Uber Cars, hotels and other similar industries are not regulated by density)

UNTIL THESE ABOVE ARE CHANGED, I CAN NOT SUPPORT or encourage anyone else to support THIS HCS HB 2457
here is what has changed for the better in 2457 (since all of our kicking and screaming)
1. The ban window is gone. (Page 6 Lines 6-14) It is now a retroactive repeal window. This is way better than a ban window as it forces political subdivisions to repeal bans.
2. Yes…”Reasonable Regulation” is not a narrowly defined as we would prefer (It still opens people up to the same issues of denial of use) This is BAD, however they have fixed:
A. No regulation shall be imposed on RDR unless it also applies to residential dwellings that are not offered to transient guests (Page 6,7 Lines 27, 1-5)
B. No business license is required (Page 7 line 4-6)
3. The 180 Day rule (Page 7 lines 7-13) to define commercial or residential use is better because it says this: “…If a residential dwelling rental that is not the owners primary residence is OCCUPIED by a transient guest for no more than 180 days per year, such residential swelling rental shall be considered as used for residential use for the purposes of zoning. This is HUGE step in the right direction. It’s better than a pro-rata and It’s fair. Some of my properties would be considered residential and some would be considered commercial. This regulation is far better than what is in place in my country because of the word OCCUPIED and not HELD OUT FOR USE TO TRANSIENT GUESTS as many counties are assessing (and also shipman implies) I can live with this language. I can even celebrate this language in a bill from their side. The reason we are making progress here is because we have opposed this bill until the language changes to something we can live with.

The only way we can get a bill passed to truly protect vacation rental owners, is to call to support Keith's bill, this will give us the support we need to continue to create and modify a bill that will protect our industry.

27/02/2018

Posted by Jeramie Worley - Today we go to Jefferson City to stand up for the property rights of Short Term Rental owners. There will be a public hearing on HB 2457 and I will speak to oppose the bill. Here is why.

1. The bill offers a window to political subdivisions to ban vacation rentals. How is this bill being advertised as a bill to protect vacation rental owners? Statewide bans are not effective and bad for tourism. This is evident by the 2018 Florida legislature rolling back regulations on vacation rentals because they have seen suppression in property values and tourism where STR are over regulated.
2. The bill includes the language “reasonable regulation” for vacation rentals that “do not have the practical effect of shutting down the business.” At first glance, this seems like good language, however, I do not think this goes far enough. Successful states such as Arizona have passed language that says that if a political subdivision wants to pass a regulation on vacation rentals, it must have a “compelling governmental interest” and the regulation must be “narrowly tailored and have the least restrictive means.” What does that mean for a vacation rental owner? This means that instead of a mandated requirement for a $30,000 retrofitted fire sprinkler system, the owner would, at minimum, be required to disclose to their guests that this system does not exist. A $30,000 sprinkler system is “reasonable” and would not have the “practical effect of shutting down the business” but would (and has) placed an unnecessary burden on STR in our state.
3. The bill changes the state statute and would classify EVERY short term rental in the state as a Hotel/Motel or “lodging establishment.” Regardless of the size or the number of nights rented, any mom or pop from Iowa who bought a vacation home in Missouri and wanted to rent it out to subsidize their income, would now be faced with “running a business” instead of owning a rental property. They could then be subject to increased regulatory burden and even, commercial taxation. This type of classification has already proven to reduce the profitability of this type of investment and could cause these investment dollars to go to another state. STR owners CONSTANTLY IMPROVE their properties, which creates a trickle down benefit for cleaners, service people, retail and appliance stores not to mention the surrounding tourist attractions.
4. The bill imposes mandatory taxes with no representation on any local tourism boards or associations.
5. Bottom Line – This bill was not asked for or wanted by anyone from Branson or Lake of the Ozarks which make up over 80 percent of the STR in Missouri. Neither was STL area or KC consulted. Vacation Rental Owners WERE NOT GIVEN A VOICE in the creation of this bill. This bill is being promoted by a political and corporate agenda rather than a desire to protect the private property rights of Missouri citizens. Rep Keith Frederick is filing a bill this week that will accomplish these things! Stay tuned for more on that.

If you want to help, Join me and contact the Speaker of the House – Todd Richardson and the Chairman of the General Laws Committee Robert Cornejo as well as your local rep and say that you do not support HB 2457 and you would rather support Keith Fredericks efforts to protect tourism and the short term rental industry in Missouri.

Or you can help by joining the Missouri Vacation Home Alliance at
https://www.movacationhomealliance.com

Copyright 2017, Missouri Vacation Home Alliance. All Rights Reserved. Missouri Vacation Home Alliance is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. 1159 Bee Creek Rd, Branson, MO 65616

05/12/2017

05/12/2017

Good Evening Vacation Rental Owners and Industry Affiliates,
A recent conversation was shared with me in which Jorgen Schlemeier, head lobbyist for the Hotel Motel Association said that they would be filing their own legislation in the House and Senate in a few weeks and making it their priority for 2018. I believe this is something to be worried about, as Gamble & Schlemeier may have lot more ability to project power on legislation than Expedia’s lobbying team did, and they could attempt to drive this conversation in a direction that would be very averse to our interests.
If you have not Joined the Alliance, now would be a good time to do so! We need our own lobbyist team in 2018 and we need to introduce our own legislation next session.
The MissouriVacation Home Alliance, is a 501c6 Non Profit Advocacy group that is For VR owners by VR owners. We already have a small a Legislative Committee and a MO Legislator who is willing to carry our legislation into next session. We are working on our 2018 plan but we will need more voices and more resources to hire a full time lobbyist.
We need a strong association.
I understand that you are all busy entrepreneurs, but we will get picked off one by one if we do not assemble under one banner. I used to think this way, until I realized how horrible it would be to let multi-national corporations direct our interests. Let's stand up and show that we are for our individual property rights.
You my be experiencing a fight already. This is already happening in key areas of our state. In places like Stone and Taney County our tax status is changing from Residential to Commercial in 2018 and your bottom line will be affected if you do nothing. In places like Marilyn Heights in the STL area a fight is waging to stop the complete banning of VR properties. Municipal Officials all over our state are feeling bold by their ability to enact regulation that will continue to damage and discourage this industry.
Don’t let the Hotel Industry direct the conversation.
Go to our website to see what we stand for and join online
https://www.movacationhomealliance.com
Forward this email
Join
We Need:
· Volunteers to contact local officials and legislators and aid in membership drives and research
· Positive Industry Data
· Written and Video Testimonials from Owners and Affiliates who have been positively affected by this industry
· People to act as Chairman of Local Associations like the LOZ Home Rental Alliance, and Table Rock Vacation Rental Owners Alliance

Thanks for taking action!

Jeramie Worley, President of the Missouri Vacation Home Alliance

Copyright 2017, Missouri Vacation Home Alliance. All Rights Reserved. Missouri Vacation Home Alliance is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. 1159 Bee Creek Rd, Branson, MO 65616

27/09/2017

Welcome to MVHA! To learn more about how to join and where we stand visit us here: https://www.movacationhomealliance.com/

Copyright 2017, Missouri Vacation Home Alliance. All Rights Reserved. Missouri Vacation Home Alliance is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. 1159 Bee Creek Rd, Branson, MO 65616