City leaders discuss potential regulations for AirBnB rentals

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – There could potentially be a change in the way AirBnB homes are rented out in Starkville.

It’s a proposal that was brought up during Tuesday’s board of aldermen meeting, whether to charge an annual fee to short term renters.

This includes AirBnB rentals along with weekend and game-day rentals.

It’s a hot topic and many have mixed views on the idea.

“I am not in favor,” said Dorothy Hendrick, who’s been an AirBnB renter in Starkville for four years. “I am against being told how many times I can run my business.”

Hendrick said she enjoys the business that comes her way through AirBnB.

However, what she doesn’t enjoy is hearing about the the potential regulations aimed towards short term renters like her self.

“I find it unfair,” Hendrick expressed. “I think that if they are punishing people for renting property, they should impose the regulation fee on all investment property. I think it’s discriminatory.”

Starkville city leaders are considering implementing the following regulations: charging a $300 annual license fee, limiting the amount of time the property can be rented out to 10 weekends or 30 days out the year, and requiring all property owners to live at the home they’re renting.

“Ten weekends? That pretty much serves the football market,” said Hendrick. “That pretty much serves the tourism part of the city and being able to have those large weekends covered, but then they’re leaving us out in the cold for the rest of the year. We can’t pay our bills with just 10 weekends.”

Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty brought up the idea and regulations during the board meeting.

“Short term rentals are just a revolving door,” said Beatty. “It’s people coming and going from everywhere.”

Beatty said the problem the city is running into is out of town renters.

According to the alderman, someone from out of town will rent out a home, but when the home isn’t being used, it sits vacant and he believes that damages the integrity of the neighborhood.

He wants the renters to be fully invested in the city of Starkville

“It’s a business,” Beatty explained. “It’ll change the nature of neighborhoods, maybe for the better, but we don’t know and what we are trying to do is get a handle on it before it’s a lot of them out there, and then we look back and say oh, why didn’t we take a look at this before there were a lot of them and these unattended consequences happen.”

City leaders will host a public meeting on this issue at the Sportsplex on Thursday.

The public is encouraged to come out and give their input about the proposed regulations.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Beatty said he expects city leaders to vote on the issue sometime in November.