For the past eight years, short-term rental owners in Atlanta, like Giordani, have found financial relief through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, allowing them to support family needs and manage increasing property taxes.
However, the regulatory landscape has been fraught with challenges since 2017, as city lawmakers have aimed to impose regulations to address issues related to unruly party houses and the impact of short-term rentals on single-family neighborhoods.
As the city prepares for the influx of visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the pressure to regulate short-term rentals is intensifying.
City Council members are currently reviewing potential new rules, which include distance requirements between rentals and limitations on the number allowed in multifamily buildings.
While any new regulations would exempt current rental owners who have secured permits, there is widespread concern about the direction the city is heading.
Giordani expressed support for the existing permit requirement, aimed at promoting affordable housing and maintaining neighborhood stability, but questioned the need for further restrictions.
“It meets the goal of affordable housing, aging in place and not causing havoc to the neighborhoods,” she stated. “But now the city is going to the extreme. We have a great law; why are we doing this? I am not understanding.”
The discussions around regulations pit the interests of established residents against those of property owners renting their homes short-term.
Many longtime residents are wary of the impact of absentee landlords, who they feel contribute to the decline of their neighborhoods, leading some communities to advocate for outright bans on short-term rentals.
Council Member Byron Amos emphasized the dual nature of the debate when he remarked, “Short-term rental is the best thing that happened to some, and it’s the worst thing to happen to others. It’s time that we address this as a city.”
As Atlanta is well-known for its vibrant tourism scene, events such as massive conventions, sporting events, and political gatherings contribute to reliance on the short-term rental market.
With the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup expected to bring vast numbers of tourists, the need for adequate accommodations will become even more pressing.
Rich Munroe, president of the Atlanta Metro Short Term Rental Alliance, commented on the risk of delay in implementing clear regulations, noting, “The longer we drag this out, the more we risk potentially having some missteps.”
Munroe highlighted the trend where homeowners list their properties during major events to generate extra income, further complicating the regulatory landscape due to a lack of guidance and oversight.
In 2023, an estimated 1.4 million guests utilized Airbnbs in the metro Atlanta area. Yet, rental owners convey that profitability is often scarce, and the uncertainty surrounding ongoing regulatory discussions has a detrimental effect on their businesses.
Peter Usher and Lora Clemens, who transitioned into the short-term rental market out of necessity, exemplify the unpredictable nature of the business.
“I never intended to be in the Airbnb business at all,” Usher stated, adding that some months yield much better results than others.
Both own properties in Atlanta’s West End, close to the Beltline’s Westside trail, and worry about the potential impact of a proposed 1,000-foot distance requirement.
Clemens questioned how the city would fairly enforce such a regulation when it could create competition and conflict among nearby rental owners.
At a public hearing regarding the proposed regulations, Michael Harvey, a Grant Park resident who has transformed his basement into a short-term rental, expressed frustration about the lack of a clear solution for property owners in similar situations.
He proposed that the city find a better approach instead of pitting neighbors against each other in a bidding war for permits.
Proposed regulations also seek to prevent industries from dominating neighborhoods and pushing out longstanding residents.
Council Member Amos remarked that larger investment groups primarily exacerbate these issues affecting the short-term rental industry, particularly amid a national affordable housing crisis.
Giordani stressed that short-term rentals have allowed her to remain in her home despite soaring property taxes in her popular neighborhood, Cabbagetown.
“The combination of being able to have an extra income to help me pay my taxes and help me afford to stay in my neighborhood was very inviting,” she said.
While some neighborhoods, like Home Park, have grown increasingly vocal about opposing standalone short-term rentals, the city grapples with how to manage such businesses effectively.
Kathy Boehmer, president of the Home Park Community Improvement Association, reported that her neighborhood is experiencing an overabundance of rental properties, which disrupts the character and tranquility desired by residents.
She described the negative repercussions of short-term rentals, noting that some families no longer allow their children to play in the backyard unsupervised due to concerns about unruly parties and disturbances.
Amos has received numerous calls from students at nearby Georgia Tech seeking housing options, highlighting the growing concern that increased short-term rentals have limited availability for student accommodations.
Ongoing debates around short-term rental regulations were initially quiet but reignited in March when city lawmakers sought to address the long-standing issues.
In 2022, new regulations requiring permits were enacted, but compliance has been low, with only around 2,200 applications submitted as of May.
This leaves thousands of rental properties operating without proper licenses, exacerbating the challenges faced by the city.
Previous attempts to enforce residency requirements for rental owners have also faced legal scrutiny, following a federal court ruling in New Orleans which deemed such regulations unconstitutional.
Kathy McClure, vice president of the Atlanta Metro Short Term Rental Alliance, suggested an alternative to the distance requirements, proposing a cap on the total number of rental units across the city instead.
Amidst this complex conversation, an updated “party house” ordinance recently passed by the City Council further restricts commercial activities in residential neighborhoods.
However, without a clear resolution on regulating short-term rentals, the debate is expected to continue, leaving uncertainty for both rental owners and long-term residents alike.
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