Daily Regulatory Notes 07/16/2025
Cities address STRs. Columbia, SC delays proposal; Winthrop, MA passes ordinance; Dearborn, MI approves amendments; Bossier Parish, LA schedules public meeting; Pittsburgh, PA introduces bill. READ MORE.
Columbia City Council is delaying action on two short-term rental proposals to revisit enforcement, occupancy, and guest eligibility rules, with a public work session set for August 5.
Among proposed changes are raising the minimum rental age, requiring multi-night bookings, and improving guest screening to prevent parties. Officials say at least 139 rentals are operating without licenses, and platforms like Airbnb will be notified of non-compliant listings. The city plans to hire more enforcement staff ahead of a busy fall.
Winthrop’s Town Council unanimously passed a strengthened short-term rental ordinance last week, putting new guardrails in place to better protect residents, renters, and neighborhoods.
The updated policy shifts oversight from the Zoning Board of Appeals to the town’s licensing board and introduces regular inspections from public health, fire, and inspectional services. A 1.5% cap on STRs based on total housing stock now limits growth, while a $300 annual registration fee—set to increase by 2.5% each year—helps fund enforcement. Rentals must be owner-occupied primary residences, with strict bans on non-owner-occupied, income-restricted, or problem properties. Occupancy is capped at two people per bedroom, with a six-person max, and each STR must list a local operator available to respond to complaints within an hour.
Dearborn’s City Council unanimously approved new zoning amendments on July 15 that ban short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods and single-family homes, limiting them exclusively to the city’s downtown districts starting January 1.
The changes require all STR operators to register and maintain a license with the city, part of an effort to preserve neighborhood character and address resident complaints about noise, parking, and property maintenance. While city officials emphasized the new rules are zoning-based and not punitive, many STR owners voiced concern that the move threatens their financial stability and ignores responsible operators.
Bossier Parish officials are responding to growing community pushback against short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO by holding a public meeting on July 30 to gather feedback.
The meeting, organized by the Bossier City-Parish and Benton Metropolitan Planning Commissions, invites residents and stakeholders to voice concerns and propose solutions for regulating STRs in local neighborhoods.
Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Deb Gross has introduced a long-awaited bill to tighten regulations on short-term rentals, limiting their use strictly to overnight stays by registered guests and prohibiting gatherings or hospitality activities.
The legislation would cap STR units to two in buildings with 20 or fewer units and five in buildings with more than 20, in areas where they’re allowed. In zones requiring special exceptions, only one unit per lot would be permitted. All operators would be required to obtain a city license. The bill heads to council for further discussion next week.
In case you missed it:
Genelaine Urbano
READ: Daily Regulatory Notes 07/15/2025
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