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Short-term rentals: rules for Airbnb-style homes (ORD 28-2026)

Ordinance 28-2026 would treat short-term rentals as a form of Bed and Breakfast Establishment under city code and add criteria for that use. ordinance p. 7 On Sept. 8, 2026, the Housing, Planning & Development Committee discharged it so Councilmembers Bullock and Baker could keep working on the language. minutes p. 4

Issue pages: ORD 28-2026

What was decided

No final vote has been taken; Council deferred Ordinance 28-2026 on July 20, 2026. minutes p. 2 ▶ 0:19:55

July 6, 2026: Council referred Councilmember Bullock's letter and Ordinance 28-2026 to the Housing, Planning & Development Committee. minutes p. 6 ▶ 0:45:44

Sept. 8, 2026: the committee voted to discharge the item so Councilmembers Bullock and Baker could continue to work on the language. minutes p. 4

What the documents say the reasons are

Councilmember Bullock's letter says the City knows of several dozen short-term rentals while rental websites list several hundred, and that complaints to Council and City Hall are increasing. letter

The ordinance cites concerns about long-term housing, neighborhood stability and public safety. ordinance p. 7

Housing & Development Manager Ian Andrews told the committee on July 13 that 78 homes are registered as short-term rentals. minutes p. 3

The debate

July 13: Councilmember Bixenstine voiced support for an annual operating license, a local manager, an occupancy tax, a three-strikes rule and limits on the number of short-term rentals per block. minutes p. 2

Councilmember Baker outlined the arguments for outlawing short-term rentals and for regulating them with fees, and said he was undecided but that regulation is needed. minutes p. 2

Chair Evans said he was leaning toward regulation and that the short-term rental market further reduces available housing. minutes p. 2

Sept. 8: Building Commissioner Parmelee said the problems are people and nuisance issues rather than structures, and that his biggest worry is 15–20-unit buildings on commercial corridors becoming short-term rentals. minutes p. 3

Fire Marshal Birth asked for clear, well-marked exits, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and kitchen fire extinguishers in short-term rentals. minutes p. 3

The minutes record a councilmember saying that passing the ordinance as written would essentially outlaw short-term rentals, and suggesting Cleveland's model as a starting point. minutes p. 4

At public comment, an owner who runs two short-term rentals asked for rules that prioritize responsible owners, and neighbors of several rentals supported regulation. minutes p. 4

What residents said online

The eComment report for the July 13 committee meeting lists 7 comments on Ordinance 28-2026: 6 in support and 1 neutral. minutes p. 4

What residents can do

Comment online through the City's eComment portal when the ordinance is on an agenda. eComments

Speak at public comment, as residents did at the Sept. 8 committee meeting. minutes p. 4

Not in the public record we found

A revised version of the ordinance from Councilmembers Bullock and Baker had not been posted in the Council records we pulled as of Oct. 13, 2026. issue page

Every meeting where it came up

  1. Sep 8, 2026. Housing, Planning, & Development Committee: Communication from Councilmember Bullock regarding resuming deliberations on proposed rules for Lakewood… minutes ▶ 0:39:01 Meeting recap →
  2. Sep 8, 2026. Housing, Planning, & Development Committee: Short-term rentals treated as bed-and-breakfasts, with new rules. minutes ▶ 0:39:00 Meeting recap →
  3. Jul 20, 2026. City Council: Short-term rentals treated as bed-and-breakfasts, with new rules. Outcome: Deferred. minutes ▶ 0:19:55 Meeting recap →
  4. Jul 13, 2026. Housing, Planning, & Development Committee: Communication from Councilmember Bullock regarding resuming deliberations on proposed rules for Lakewood… minutes ▶ 0:00:23 Meeting recap →
  5. Jul 13, 2026. Housing, Planning, & Development Committee: Short-term rentals treated as bed-and-breakfasts, with new rules. minutes ▶ 0:00:31 Meeting recap →
  6. Jul 6, 2026. City Council: Bullock proposes resuming work on short-term rental rules. Outcome: Referred. minutes ▶ 0:39:00 Meeting recap →
  7. Jul 6, 2026. City Council: Short-term rentals treated as bed-and-breakfasts, with new rules. Outcome: Referred. minutes ▶ 0:45:44 Meeting recap →

News coverage

Every sentence links to its public source. Where the record is silent, this page says so. The meeting list is curated; new matching agenda items are flagged for review before they are added. How this is made