🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Columbia, SC
Columbia Preps for STR Rules Reboot
A Deep Dive into Your Area’s STR Updates — Helping You Navigate the Ever-Changing Rental Landscape.
Columbia Preps for STR Rules Reboot
Columbia is pressing pause—but only to spring forward with stronger short-term rental rules.
On July 15, the City Council opted to delay two key votes on short-term rental proposals. Instead, officials will hold a public work session on August 5 to rework enforcement strategies, occupancy caps, and guest rules that have stirred debate citywide.
Meeting Link: TBD
Mayor Daniel Rickenmann made it clear this isn’t a stall—it’s a strategy. The proposed changes touch on some hot-button issues: raising the age limit for renters, enforcing multi-night minimum stays, and even letting hosts vet nearby guests to keep party crashers at bay. Also on the radar? Overcrowding—too many STRs are stretching the limits of their permitted guest capacity.
Currently, at least 139 short-term rentals in Columbia are unlicensed, and that’s causing alarm bells to ring. Platforms like Airbnb and VRBO will soon receive notice about these rogue listings. To beef up enforcement, the city manager is working with the planning department to hire additional staff.
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This move comes after more than a year of data collection, and officials want to ensure any changes are well-informed and community-backed. The August 5 session will include time for public comment, and proposed rule updates will be shared ahead of the meeting.
Resident and former host Ebonn Twilley added her voice to the mix, pointing out that better vetting tools are sorely needed for hosts to make safe, informed decisions. “Not every single host is bad, not every guest is bad,” she said, echoing the sentiment that most issues come from a few outliers.
Ultimately, the council hopes to implement reforms before fall festivities kick into gear. Their goal? Support the good actors, crack down on the bad, and set up a sustainable system that works for neighbors and hosts alike.
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