TOLEDO, Ohio — Hosts on short-term rental apps like Airbnb and Vrbo could soon need special permits to operate in Toledo city limits.
Some city leaders say the new regulations are a matter of public safety. It was learned Tuesday afternoon that Toledo City Council is holding off until next week to debate the new proposal to regulate short-term rentals.
In their proposal, Councilmembers Katie Moline and Theresa Gadus cite safety and accountability as the reasons to implement a new permit system that would require more than 150 short-term rental providers to register each of their properties with the city.
But some folks vehemently disagree.
Shelly Shaw, a three-year Airbnb host in Point Place, shared a letter with WTOL 11 that she drafted to the council outlining how she and others self-regulate and think the city is just looking to charge for permits without providing much in return.
Similar laws have been popping up all across the country and already exist in some Ohio cities, including Columbus.
If passed as written here in Toledo, short-term rentals would face far more requirements. A local contact would be required 24/7 in case of complaints; at least $1 million worth of liability insurance would be needed; and simple things such as occupancy, smoke detectors, and parking requirements would be implemented.
"One of my concerns is they expect us to respond to any complaint within 45 minutes," Shaw explained. "What other business in the city of Toledo (have) that regulation? What? Are regular landlords expected to do that? No. They can go weeks, months without responding to loud noises from their renters, long grass, trash in the yard."
Shaw added that most of these regulations already exist for each of the platforms.
"For over the last 100 years they haven't needed to be regulated," she said. They've rented to their short-term renters, everybody's been happy, there's been no issues. So again, you say 'why now?' I think they're just jumping on the bandwagon of, 'Hey, let's get our piece of the pie.'"
If passed, each short-term rental host would need to apply for a permit with the city. It would come with an application fee of $50 and each permit would need to be renewed annually.
Gadus and Moline were unavailable Tuesday for further comment.