🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - St. Joseph, MI
Proposed Downtown STRs Tabled for More Review in St. Joseph
St. Joseph Hits Pause on Downtown STR Proposal
The St. Joseph City Commission isn’t quite ready to greenlight a set of new short-term rental units downtown. This week, commissioners chose to table a request that would have converted apartments at 520 State Street and 515 Market Street into eight short-term rentals, opting instead to give the community—and city staff—more time to weigh in.
The proposal came from property owner Brian Barrett, who argued that his building is uniquely positioned for short-term rentals. Located near a hotel and away from single-family homes, Barrett said his units would blend in with the area’s existing character.
“From the beginning, all I’ve asked is that the various board members take a realistic look at where our property sits,” he told commissioners, stressing that STRs in this particular location wouldn’t disrupt neighborhoods.
But city officials aren’t fully convinced. The St. Joseph Planning Commission had already recommended denial of Barrett’s request, raising alarms about the ongoing loss of affordable housing in the community. That concern hung over Monday’s meeting as residents and commissioners debated whether more STRs would chip away at housing options for locals.
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For a moment, it looked like the commission was heading toward outright denial. Then Barrett made a different request: table the proposal so staff can re-examine the city’s short-term rental rules. Commissioner Michael Sarola supported that move, noting that “strong feelings on both sides” make further discussion the wisest path. His hope is that dialogue between Barrett, the city, and the public could lead to a compromise.
Mayor Brooke Thomas also agreed with slowing things down. While she defended the city’s track record of keeping STRs limited to certain areas, she said it’s worth taking a closer look at this case in particular. The big question, she noted, is whether allowing short-term rentals in Barrett’s building would truly alter the neighborhood’s character.
For now, the proposal is in limbo. The commission will revisit it at a future meeting, once staff and stakeholders have had more time to sort through the tension between housing preservation and rental flexibility. One thing’s for sure: the STR debate isn’t cooling off in St. Joseph anytime soon.
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