Officials are looking into capping how many short-term rentals can operate at one time in the city limits.
Mayor Stephen Jones floated the idea Tuesday during the city council meeting at the Municipal Complex, asking City Attorney Jeff Turnage to explore whether implementing a cap would be possible.
The suggestion wasn’t prompted by any specific incident or complaint, Jones said, but rather in hopes of being proactive.
“I’ve seen more communities look at the impact it has on neighborhoods and housing availability, and I feel there needs to be something in place before it becomes an issue rather than after,” Jones wrote Thursday in an email to The Dispatch. “Columbus short term rentals have grown significantly since I have been in office – just look at how many were on the agenda seeking approval at our last meeting.”
During the meeting Tuesday, the council approved five residences to be used as short-term rentals. But since the city passed an ordinance in October requiring owners to register their short-term rentals, Building Director Nathan Katona estimates the city has permitted about 40 properties in total.
Airbnb lists roughly 60 properties within Columbus city limits, but Katona said his office is still working to nail down the exact number.
“I haven’t noticed any concentration (of short-term rentals) yet,” Katona told The Dispatch on Thursday. “… I can tell you where they’re not. If there’s covenants or things like that restrict it to single-family residential use only, then we can’t grant a permit in that neighborhood.”
While Jones acknowledged the value short-term rentals bring to the city, particularly when it comes to alternative lodging options and tourism revenue, he said his aim is to ensure an increase doesn’t negatively affect access to long-term housing.
“If the market shifts too heavily toward short-term rentals, it could reduce available housing in certain neighborhoods – over time raising the price of long-term rental on families and single parents who are already struggling to pay bills,” he said. “I also want to preserve the character of our neighborhoods while ensuring that any rentals operate responsibly.”
While Katona is uncertain whether the current number of short-term rentals in the city is having an effect on long-term housing options, he said a potential cap is worth looking into.
“Obviously, you make more money (listing a short-term rental) than you do in a long-term rental, but that creates scarcity and therefore, the prices rise, and we’ve seen that across the country,” he said. “So I think it’s very founded and a good idea to be checking into. Whether it’s a problem in Columbus right now or not, I don’t know.”
There’s no timeline for implementing the potential cap, Jones said, though it could be a while. In a press release issued Wednesday, the city announced the hiring of its new city planner, Cory Clark, who is set to start in September.
Jones said he would like Clark’s input on implementing a short-term rental cap, as well as the perspectives of “residents, property owners, neighborhood representatives and the business community” before pursuing any policy changes.
“My goal isn’t to eliminate short-term rentals – it’s to strike the right balance so we can support tourism and economic development while protecting housing opportunities for residents,” he said. “Many cities have adopted regulations that aim to balance these competing interests rather than prohibit short-term rentals outright.”
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
