Following a deadly shooting at an Airbnb in Draper that left two people dead, Mayor Troy Walker says that he wanted to ban Airbnbs altogether. A few months later, the Mayor reconsidered his statement and simply wanted rentals to be regulated.
Walker admitted that his initial idea to ban Airbnbs was a knee-jerk reaction and after some time, he’s taken the idea off the table, hoping that the City Council will create reasonable regulations for short-time rentings.
According to Walker, he has seen St. George and other vacation destination cities utilize Airbnbs to their advantage. Hoping to make Airbnb a good fit for Draper, Walker and the city are hoping to learn from the way those cities have handled rentals.
Unfortunately, Walker believes that “rager parties” are a problem for Draper and it’s a heavy concern for future events and potential shootings.
The future of Draper’s relationship with Airbnb is still in the air and while it’s always dangerous to open your home to strangers, local residents and renters are hoping that a proper solution can be made.
