Short-term rental companies, like Airbnb and VRBO, have become mainstream for travellers.
And as the industry expands, some Ohio cities are weighing new regulations. The municipalities cite concerns over noisy parties, neighborhood disruptions and, in some cases, violent incidents. Shootings at rental properties have increased scrutiny on the industry in cities like and in southwest Ohio.
Hocking Hills is debating , while in northeast Ohio has effectively banned short-term rentals through zoning regulations.
Bowling Green in western Ohio is one of the latest communities to enact restrictions.
A recently adopted ordinance requires short-term rental owners to register with the city, to pay the city鈥檚 hotel lodging tax and to ensure a local representative is within 35 miles to respond to emergencies.
City councilwoman Kathleen Dennis said the changes will improve public safety.
鈥淚t's a good thing for our neighborhoods to know where they are, that they鈥檙e operating as a business and contributing back to the community at some level,鈥� Dennis said.
But, Dave Stokley with the Northern Ohio Short Term Rental Association said the large majority of short term rentals, or STRs, are operating without issue.
鈥淲hen something goes wrong, it makes a great news headline,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut no one's talking about the 78 people that stayed at my properties last night that didn't cause any problems.鈥�
Bowling Green鈥檚 ordinance
The number of short-term rentals in Bowling Green has shot up in recent years. Dennis said they went from a couple to around 50 in the small western Ohio city.
She said the college town already struggles to maintain enough moderately-priced housing. She worries that short-term rentals are exacerbating the issue.
鈥淲e're kind of validating the fact that this house is being taken off the market. 鈥� It's being turned into a business. By kind of recognizing that and asking them to be good neighbors in our neighborhood, I feel that's the least we can do for our community,鈥� Dennis said.
She said the city鈥檚 new legislation makes it easier to track STRs. She said the registry in particular will help residents and public safety officials better understand what鈥檚 going on in their community.
鈥�We are speaking out and saying to our neighbors and our neighborhoods, we do care about you and your health and well-being, your comfort and safety in your community, and if you don't want to have a lot of noisy parties next to you, we鈥檝e got your back,鈥� she said.
Short-term rental owners鈥� push back
Stokley, who owns a short-term rental company, said Bowling Green鈥檚 ordinance is mostly reasonable.
But, he said, density caps 鈥� like Cleveland is considering 鈥� or moratoriums on rentals go too far and hurt Ohioans鈥� livelihoods.
鈥淚t's limiting a legitimate business that frankly contributes in a lot of positive ways to the local economy and local communities,鈥� he said.
In Bowling Green鈥檚 case, Stokley said adding a local representative within 35 miles of the rental won鈥檛 change how emergencies are handled.
鈥淭he idea sounds reasonable but in practice it doesn't add real accountability. Whatever authority you grant that [representative], any serious situation ends the same way: a call to the owner and a call to the police,鈥� he said.
In a statement to the Ohio Newsroom, a spokesperson for Airbnb, one of the most popular short-term rental sites, said they have active measures in place to prevent disruptive parties.
鈥淭he safety of our community and local neighborhoods is a priority. We invest in these efforts鈥攆rom banning disruptive parties to running standard criminal background checks on U.S. hosts and guests unlike other accommodation sites鈥攚hile working with local leaders to help champion balanced and fair rules that uphold everyday Ohioans鈥� right to share their homes and earn extra income,鈥� the spokesperson wrote.
Statewide debate
Regulation of short-term rentals is being talked about at the Ohio Statehouse, too.
One Republican legislator has proposed legislation that would . On the flipside, other Republican representatives are proposing .
Stokely with the Northern Ohio Short Term Rental Association said he wants to see the state intervene to prevent cities from treating short-term rentals any differently from long-term rentals.
鈥淭he length of the stay is not an appropriate reason to discriminate against rental properties,鈥� he said.
Dennis, on the other hand, said it should be up to local communities on what鈥檚 best for their neighborhoods.
鈥淚 feel like it should be left to the communities to do what they want to do with the STRs in their communities,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause if the state comes along and says you can or cannot regulate these things, that could have a huge impact on how a community functions.鈥�