Missouri Vacation Home Alliance

09/03/2021

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.

07/06/2021

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

07/06/2021

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!

01/12/2021

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

01/11/2021

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.

06/05/2018

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!

05/17/2018

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

05/16/2018

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.

04/10/2018

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.

04/09/2018

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

04/08/2018

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.