Moved by Councillor Worling, seconded by the
Chair (the Lord Mayor) -
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
a
growing number of Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) hosts are relying on
external lockboxes or key safes to facilitate guest access, and many of these
devices are being attached to public infrastructure such as street signs,
poles, fences, railings, bike racks, trees as well as on heritage items within
the City of Sydney area;
(ii)
the
City of Sydney is a predominantly high‑density municipality, with 97% of all
dwellings being medium or high‑density. This intensifies pressure on the
public domain and increases the importance of keeping shared spaces
uncluttered, navigable, and safe;
(iii)
lockboxes
on public assets can obstruct pedestrian paths when being accessed, compromise
mobility, interfere with maintenance operations, create visual clutter, and
contribute to safety concerns when visitors access devices at unusual hours;
(iv)
publicly
located lockboxes are vulnerable to theft and code‑sharing, increasing risks of unauthorised entry to rental STRA
properties, apartment buildings in which STRA is located and compromising
neighbourhood safety;
(v)
there
is no reliable way of determining how many of the lockboxes attached to public
infrastructure are actively being used for short‑term rental
access, as opposed to those that have been abandoned or left behind by previous
operators; and
(vi)
the
City’s Public Domain Policies aim to ensure public spaces remain safe,
accessible, uncluttered and equitable, yet there is no explicit provision
addressing lockboxes attached to City‑owned or managed infrastructure;
(B)
Council
also note that:
(i)
similar
practices have been prohibited in Melbourne, where councils have taken decisive
action to ban lockboxes on public infrastructure due to safety, access, and
misuse of public assets for private gain;
(ii)
other
global cities have adopted alternative key‑handover models that avoid placing lockboxes
on public assets, such as private providers who offer secure, shop‑based or 24‑hour locker‑based key
exchange points used extensively by Airbnb hosts and property managers; and
(iii)
in
Madrid, STRA hosts commonly use key‑exchange points such as convenience stores,
petrol stations, cafés, or staffed retail outlets to facilitate guest access,
avoiding the need for public‑domain lockboxes;
(C)
Council’s
position is that STRA lock boxes should not be placed on council property
including, but not limited to, trees, tree guards and council fences due to
issues of public safety and impact on and damage to council property; and
(D)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
investigate
options, in line with Council’s stated position, for removal of these items,
including allocation of enforcement resources and a public education campaign
prior to the undertaking of any enforcement action; and
(ii)
report
back to Council detailing the recommended approach.
Carried unanimously.
X113756