AirBnB hosts and renters take note: the Detroit City Council could make major changes to the city code to regulate short-term rentals. The council is considering a potential ordinance that would restrict the type and length of short-term rentals permitted in the city, as well is who is allowed to offer them.
The ordinance is designed to enhance the safety of short-term rentals, which are largely unregulated at the moment, help maintain individual neighborhoods’ character, and reduce the nuisance associated with loud or destructive guests.
If the ordinance passes, AirBnB and other short-term rental hosts must:
- Apply for short-term rental registration, which would require the owner to bring the property up to code and include safety measures such as working smoke alarms.
- Pay an annual registration fee.
- Make sure the listing is at least 1,000 feet away from any other short-term rentals.
- Own the property they’re renting, and live in it for most of the year.
- Rent the unit for 90 or fewer cumulative days in a calendar year.
- Let all neighbors within 300 feet know that the property is being used as a short-term rental.
Some say the proposed ordinance goes too far and may unnecessarily limit the number of short-term rentals in certain neighborhoods. An even stricter law prohibiting short-term rentals in certain residential areas passed in 2018, but is not being enforced due to widespread public opposition.
Whether or not the proposed regulations become law, the dedicated team at the Law Offices of Aaron D. Cox is here to help landlords navigate any legal issue they face. Give us a call at (734) 287-3664 or contact us online today to learn more.