This week’s Industry News covers short-term rental policy updates in Atlanta, Green Bay, Galveston, and Southampton, plus Comparent’s first annual ranking of the top 100 management companies. Let’s dive in.
The Atlanta City Council voted 7-6 on Monday to reject a proposal that would have banned short-term rentals in several northeast Atlanta neighborhoods. Several vacation rental operators spoke during public comment, urging the council not to move forward with the proposal and encouraging members to work together on solutions rather than implement blanket bans. The close vote is a clear win for local operators and underscores the importance of showing up and speaking out as cities continue to revisit short-term rental policies.
The Town of Southampton temporarily adjusted its short-term rental rules this week to accommodate the U.S. Open Golf Championship, taking place from June 18th-21st. Under the current regulations, rentals must meet a 14-day minimum stay requirement, but during the event, properties can be rented for as few as three days. Officials say the temporary change is intended to increase local lodging availability, support local businesses, and reduce traffic from people commuting to the event. Some residents expressed concern about potential congestion and overcrowding, while vacation rental operators welcomed the flexibility. This move is similar to Kansas City’s recent temporary permit program and highlights how municipalities are experimenting with temporary event-driven rules to balance neighborhood complaints and tourism.
Green Bay’s Planning Commission rejected a proposal from the Equal Rights Commission to cap short-term rentals at 180 days per year. The commission noted the proposal “would be ineffective at both of its goals: getting more affordable housing on the market and ridding the city of nuisance properties.” Nearly 50 people spoke during the public comment period, with many short-term rental operators warning that the cap would put them out of business, and city staff noting that enforcing the limit would be challenging. Those supporting stricter rules cited concerns about noise, parking, and neighborhood disruption, but the Planning Commission also declined a proposed seven-night minimum stay requirement. The decision will now be presented to the City Council on December 2nd.
Comparent has released its first annual ranking of North America’s top vacation rental management companies, called the Comparent 100. The ranking is based on the number of properties companies manage and includes details on leadership teams, operational scale, and guest reviews, covering more than 172,000 properties in total. Founder, Brooke Pfautz, hopes the ranking provides much-needed transparency in an industry where data on management size and performance has been limited. The Comparent 100 will be updated each Fall and will highlight consolidation trends and operational metrics that will help enable easy comparisons across operators.
The Galveston City Council approved a new three-strike system for short-term rentals. Under the new regulations, three verified violations within 12 months, regarding issues such as noise, parking, waste, fireworks, and other public-safety concerns, can trigger a review by the Short-Term Rental Licensing Board. The board can recommend a suspension or, in cases of repeat violations, permanent revocation to the City Manager. Owners must now also provide a 24/7 local contact to address complaints, with failures to respond counting toward strikes. Officials say the changes aim to protect the neighborhood's quality of life, while hosts caution that the new rules place unrealistic expectations on operators.
As we enter the holiday season, expect more updates on short-term rental regulations and new opportunities in the vacation rental market. Check back next week for the latest news!