More states legalize co-living; PadSplit adds insurance for hosts

Legislative efforts to bring back the modern boarding house are gaining steam nationwide, driven by the need for more affordable housing. Several states have passed laws. Others have legislation stalled in committee or awaiting a vote. To build on potential growth from new laws, Atlanta-based PadSplit – the country’s largest co-living marketplace – is launching an insurance program. The program aims to remove barriers keeping property owners out of the shared-housing market. EmpoweredRE Insurance underwrites HostGuard, which bundles protections for property damage, evictions and general liability. It also covers zoning actions that limit occupancy. Lawmakers have targeted occupancy limits, which dictate how many unrelated people can live under one roof. Iowa was the first to enact reform, passing a law that eliminated local caps on unrelated renters. Co-living legislative moves So-called “Golden Girls” laws – named for the 1980s TV sitcom – have passed in Oregon, Colorado, Washington and Hawaii. Texas enacted its version last year as part of broader housing reform. That law applies only to college towns, including College Station, home to Texas A&M. At the city level, Seattle a...