Battle over short-term rentals reignites at City Hall

The legislation would also cap the number of short-term rentals allowed in multifamily apartment buildings and exempt current licensees from the required buffer zone between single-family rentals.

At the center of the debate is The Landmark condominium tower in downtown, which — council member Liliana Bakhtiari said last week — has been overrun with party guests that are a nuisance to permanent residents and have forced some condo owners out altogether.

The building’s association leaders and short-term rental owners lined up during a recent public hearing to hit back against the claims, saying the additional income has helped keep up with increasing property costs.

“The number of party issues that we have at this location, the fact that most owners have been pushed out due to the Airbnb properties — it is exactly condominiums such as yours that makes regulations such as this incredibly important,” Bakhtiari said during a hearing on the legislation.

Kathy McClure, vice president of the Atlanta Metro Short Term Rental Alliance, said that when the first-time lawmakers took a stab at industry regulations in 2022, the legislation was “chaotic, misguided, (with a) overly burdensome implementation process.”

“To this day, none of us wants to see that happen again, and so what we’re looking for is an ordinance that’s legally sound, practical and enforceable,” McClure said.

Single-family homeowners who have built their own short-term rental businesses in basements or accessory dwelling units in their backyards also testified that the proposed changes would potentially force them to shutter their rentals.

Grant Park resident Michael Harvey said his family renovated their basement in 2016 as a short-term rental. He said he and a neighbor both rent out their space and are an example of the complications for new owners who face the proposed 1,000-foot distance requirement between single-family vacation rentals.

“We need to make sure that we protect the right for our citizens to host in their own private residences,” he told council members. “Maybe you can come over and referee a fight to the death and see who gets the license — but I think we come up with a better solution than that.”

Council members opted to hold the legislation while the Department of City Planning gets input from all of Atlanta’s neighborhood planning units.

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Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

Last week, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens touted the support of the Atlanta Professional Fire Fighters for his reelection bid — his first formal endorsement of the campaign.

Throughout his first term, Dickens championed a number of public safety improvements that were noted in the announcement by union president Nate Bailey.

“Mayor Dickens has stood behind the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department throughout his first term,” Bailey said. “His administration has delivered historic pay raises, pension enhancements, state-of-the-art equipment and a world-class training facility.

The mayor last year feuded with Bailey when Bailey said city’s firefighters were shortchanged in a new comprehensive compensation study that recommended pay raises. Dickens responded by saying that every other city union were pleased with the salary adjustments.

That dispute appears to be over.

“Firefighters aren’t just city employees — you are mentors, protectors, neighbors and heroes. And my commitment to you will never waver,” Dickens said in a statement of the endorsement.

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Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com