The city of Atlanta has been pushing to crack down on short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods, citing the fact that some such places have been used to host wild parties that cause disturbances for neighbors. Atlanta City Council passed an ordinance limiting these rentals that was supposed to take effect in 2022, but its enforcement has been delayed until March of 2023.

Short-term rental sites such as AirbnbAirbnb are the main avenues through which people rent these properties. City Councilman Howard Shook was behind September 2020's proposal to ban short-term rentals in residential areas. Shook explained that he supported the ordinance because "more and more you're seeing the neighbors say, 'I'm getting tired of living next to somebody where I never know who's supposed to be there and who isn't and who's coming and who's going.'"

As an alternative to Shook’s proposed ban, Atlanta City Council passed regulations on short-term rental properties on March 15, 2021, imposing fines for loud parties and other violations. This resulted in the city passing an ordinance requiring hosts to use their “best efforts to assure that use of the premises by short-term rental occupants will not disrupt the neighborhood and will not interfere with the rights of neighboring property owners to the quiet enjoyment of their properties.” 

Though this ordinance was passed in 2021, Atlanta has encountered several setbacks in enforcing it. Groups, including the Atlanta Metro Short Term Rental Alliance (AMSTRA), have challenged its legality, claiming that the $150 nonrefundable application fee and other stipulations are “unnecessarily burdensome.” 

People supporting limiting or banning short-term rentals believe that property owners are responsible for ensuring their guests will not disturb the peace of residential neighborhoods. They want the city to take extra measures to encourage owners to limit their clientele to those willing to obey the rules set forth. 

Those people who are opposed to imposing limits or bans on short-term rentals maintain that property owners should have the ability to make their own decisions regarding how their properties are used. They should not be required to pay the same 8% tax rate as hotels or limit rentals to two adults per bedroom.

The question up for debate: Should short-term rentals be banned in Atlanta?