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Lockboxes are often used to hold spare keys or for guests to find a key for an Airbnb. Picture: City of Sydney<\/p>\n
MORE: Alarming truth about kids growing up in rentals<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re cutting you off, and by you, we mean lockboxes,\u201d the pair said.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the growth of AirBnBs, lockboxes like this are littered all around the inner city.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom April next year, we\u2019ll be getting the bolt cutter and removing any lockbox attached to public infrastructure in the City of Sydney.<\/p>\n The Council website explains the lockboxes create trip hazards, interfere with maintenance and damage public assets like trees and fences.<\/p>\n Cr Thompson and Cr Ellsmore said in the video that they\u2019re trying to show STRA investors that they aren\u2019t welcome in the city because \u201cevery house should be a home\u201d in a housing crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cAirbnb used to be about helping people share their homes but over the years it\u2019s been dominated by investors ripping thousands of rentals away because the rules help people make more money this way,\u201d Cr Ellsmore said.<\/p>\n MORE: Famous aviator\u2019s waterfront home listed<\/a><\/p>\n Sydney Greens Councillors Matthew Thompson (L) and Sylvie Ellsmore (R) announced lockboxes would be cut. Picture: Instagram<\/p>\n Reactions online highlight community support as well as some confusion about what happens for people who use lockboxes for spare keys to their private rentals.<\/p>\n \u201cBut what about people like me who put spare keys in a lockbox because I live alone and I frequently forget my keys,\u201d one user commented.<\/p>\n \u201cYes!!!! I was literally walking down George Street today thinking to myself that it\u2019s getting ridiculously out of hand!!!,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n Other users highlight broader issues: \u201cWhat we really need is national leadership \u2026 to make AirBnBs less attractive for investors. Make having an Airbnb a financial drain.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sydney council area already has a cap on how many days an STRA can be rented if the host doesn\u2019t live in the property.<\/p>\n MORE: 80yr low: proof Gen Z has it worse than anyone<\/a><\/p>\n Sydney\u2019s Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Miller said it\u2019s difficult to distinguish if a property is a primary residence but she has an issue with STRAs being managed like a business. Picture: Christian Gilles<\/p>\n The council is now also considering a ban on STRAs in areas with a high concentration or where rental vacancy levels fall below 3 per cent.<\/p>\n Sydney\u2019s Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Miller has previously spoken on the issue saying nothing was stopping investors from exploiting loopholes and effectively rezoning an area to commercial use.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mythology of the solution to the problem is more supply is completely eroded when you look at what the supply that we have is actually being used for,\u201d Cr Miller said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government needs to be able to provide us a database that is completely transparent, that identifies properties, their ownership status, their use status, the nights that they are being rented out on and the revenue being generated,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n MORE: \u2018Not a fix\u2019: Aus workers reject the \u2018fun\u2019 office<\/a><\/p>\n Executive director of Business Sydney, Paul Nicolau said the proposed changes to STRAs would negatively impact the economy. Picture Thomas Lisson<\/p>\n Executive director of Business Sydney, Paul Nicolau represents local owners and said in a Daily Telegraph opinion piece that restricting STRA will negatively impact the local economy.<\/p>\n \u201cCurbing Sydney\u2019s short term rental accommodation sector to solve homelessness is a \u2018lose-lose-lose\u2019 proposition for Sydney,\u201d Mr Nicolau wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cThe visitor economy would suffer, jobs would be lost and more people would be caught up in the homelessness crisis.<\/p>\n \u201cThe solution to the housing crisis is to be found elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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