NJ Bill Could Make Some Barnegat-Area Rentals Cheaper

BARNEGAT, N.J. — Some rentals around Barnegat, Manahawkin and LBI might get a little cheaper. State Senator Bob Andrzejczak sponsored a bill Monday to exempt private, short-term rentals from additional taxes.

The law would make transient accommodation taxes and fees only applicable if rented through a market place. A transient market place would be defined as a marketplace or travel agency that offers short-term rentals and also provides a means for reserving and paying for the rental.

That means online marketplaces such as Airbnb would still be subject to those taxes. But small, private renters along the Jersey Shore wouldn't.

"The law was originally intended to tax major commercial companies such as Airbnb but it ended up hurting small, private renters all along the shore," Andrzejczak said in a statement.

"Folks that have been renting their shore house to their friends and family aren't doing it to make a fortune but more to offset the cost of home ownership," Andrzejczak added. "This tax was never meant to hurt the independent renters, and I am glad that the legislature is following through with what we promised earlier this year by moving this forward."

The bill cleared the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee by a 5-0 vote.

Josh Meltzer, who works in public policy for Airbnb, provided testimony to the New Jersey Senate on Monday that the company opposes the bill.

"We are proud to support our communities by collecting taxes on behalf of all our hosts in cities and towns across New Jersey," Meltzer said. "As such, we oppose the loophole created by S.3158 which would reduce revenue to local and state services and tilt the playing field against innovative platforms like Airbnb."

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