🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Covington, KY
Covington Defends Housing with STR Opposition
Local Voices vs. State Power: Covington’s STR Stand
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Covington’s Board of Commissioners took a strong stand this week, unanimously opposing Senate Bill 112—a statehouse proposal that would strip local governments of their ability to regulate short-term rentals.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Craig Richardson, would ban cities from requiring STR licenses, imposing density limits, or mandating residency requirements for owners. In effect, it would override Covington’s carefully crafted STR regulations passed in 2023 and 2024.
City leaders voiced concern that the bill would undermine local control over zoning, housing affordability, and neighborhood quality of life.
Director of External Affairs Sebastian Torres explained that residents worry about housing stock being swallowed up by STRs, turning residential blocks into “boutique hotel districts.”
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
The vote to oppose SB 112 was unanimous. Other cities, including Bellevue and Fort Wright, have already taken similar positions, warning that state preemption would erode local control over zoning, housing affordability, and neighborhood stability.
Mayor Amy Martin criticized the deferral of another tax proposal, saying, “I believe a deferral is a ‘no’ and this council doesn’t have the political will to say it.”
Commissioner Alan Duthie added that services like beach cleaning and bylaw enforcement cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands each year. Without tools like STR regulation and accommodation taxes, those costs fall directly on residents.
Mayor Ron Washington and commissioners also opposed a separate alcohol tax bill, while supporting reforms to occupational tax collection. But the STR vote stood out as a defense of local autonomy.
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