Airbnb owners react after Columbia officials heighten enforcement on short-term rentals

COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WKRN) — People who invested in short-term rentals in part of Maury County are worried about changes to enforcement and possible regulations.

Since July of 2022, City of Columbia’s zoning regulations have allowed short-term rentals within homes where the owner lives and some mixed-use areas. However, officials say some owners have not followed the zoning rules. In a statement on their website , leaders said in part:

“Residents have become concerned about the impact of transient accommodations in established residential neighborhoods.”

Now there’s heightened enforcement of short-term rentals, but the move isn’t sitting well with some property owners, like Suzanne Roberts who owns a triplex rented on Airbnb.

“We received a certified letter, basically stating that we needed to shut down our Airbnb and that they were no longer allowing Airbnb’s in certain zones,” Roberts told News 2.

Roberts has managed the Airbnb for the last three years. Over that time, she and her husband have hosted guests from all over the country, from wedding parties to softball teams, as well as international visitors.

In addition to hosting guests, Roberts said owning the Airbnb has allowed her family to have an extra stream of income.

“They have loved staying at our place, walking to the square and supporting all the local businesses. I mean, our family definitely relies on the income that we have from Airbnb,” said Roberts. “You know, nobody works for free, rents their spaces for free, or anything like that. So, we definitely got into it for an extra source of income.”

News 2 reached out to city planner Kevin McCarthy about the enforcement. He sent a statement that reads:

“Since July 2022, Columbia’s zoning regulations have permitted Short Term Rentals (STRs) within owner-occupied homes in some mixed-use and commercial areas. The zoning ordinance prohibits STRs in primarily residential areas. Many nonconforming STRs operate in spite of these regulations due to the strong demand for vacation rentals in Columbia. The city has recently increased enforcement of the standards related to STRs in response to resident complaints. This has begun a community conversation about when, where, and under what circumstances residential buildings should be used as STRs.

Planning and Zoning staff will facilitate a public forum on Wednesday, October 23rd at City Hall. The purpose of the forum is to bring together stakeholders from across Columbia to discuss the issues related to STRs and suggest policies which will benefit residents, property owners, and visitors. We recognize that not everyone can make it to City Hall on a weekday evening; residents and property owners can also share their thoughts related to STRs through an online survey.

Planning staff will present the community’s comments to the Columbia Municipal Planning Commission in December 2024. The Planning Commission may recommend that the City Council adopt specific changes to the regulations based on this direction from the public. We look forward to hearing from residents and property owners in order to develop regulations which effectively serve all stakeholders. Anyone interested in more information can visit www.columbiatn.com/STR . “

Kevin McCarthy

However, Roberts told News 2 it’s inaccurate that short-term rentals are leading to issues in the community.

“We don’t have people coming in having parties. We have house rules. Airbnb manages all that,” said Roberts.

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The city’s planning and zoning department will host a public forum on Wednesday, October 23, at city hall. The goal is to talk about reasonable locations, limits and policies surrounding short-term rentals.

It’s a conversation Roberts says she’ll be present for. “I want to see Columbia grow. I want to see businesses supported. I just feel like there’s some wrong battles being picked, and people who have the right intentions are going to pay the price for that.”

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