ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Alderman Shane Cohn (Ward 3) will step aside from future hearings on short-term rentals after the FOX Files discovered Cohn currently has properties available for rent on Airbnb.
Cohn serves as chairman of the city’s Transportation and Commerce Committee, the same committee holding hearings on two bills that would crack down on short-term rental properties.
He’s also an Airbnb “superhost” – which he did not publicly disclose during a hearing earlier this week.
The committee met for more than two hours on Tuesday. They discussed two bills, one of which would require a permit to operate a short-term rental property. Cohn did not disclose at the time that he has two different properties listed on Airbnb.
In a phone interview with FOX 2, Cohn said he hadn’t planned on voting on either bill, but thought it was important that he be included in the hearings. He said the properties available on Airbnb are near his home.
The alderman said some of his colleagues were aware he was an Airbnb host, but the Fox Files discovered some officials who were in the dark about it. Cohn promised to publicly disclose the possible conflict at the next committee hearing.
An hour after the phone call, Cohn recused himself all together. He issued the following statement, saying in part:
I have operated a short-term rental property. I also live near other short-term rental properties. Mine is carefully curated. Not all such short-term rentals are, and have caused great concerns from neighbors, and that’s a problem. I have always supported the regulation of short-term rentals. I look forward to this finally happening this session.
Board of Aldermen President Megan Green said her office was aware of the conflict, but thought the entire committee was notified. She said she agrees with Cohn recusing himself from hearings involving short-term rental discussions.
“I do think it is a good move. While it’s not explicitly required for him to do so, I think just given where the Board has been in the not-so-distant past, it’s a good move for him to be stepping aside on this issue,” Green said.
The committee’s vice chair, Alderwoman Cara Spencer, will preside over future hearings where short-term rental proposals are discussed.
The next hearing is July 11.