EAST LANSING, Mich. Two bills moving through the state House and Senate would stop local governments from banning short-term rentals like those leased through Airbnb or VRBO. We deal with our own unique rental challenges," Stephens said. The state legislators who introduced the bills did not respond to requests for comment. Members Only Briefs Legislator Guidebook Ohio Government Websites; Site Search. About Post Author Andre Ash, Digital Anchor Should SB 446 or HB 4722 pass, "All of this work and reasonable regulation would be tossed out and . A vote is expected within two weeks. 70 percent of voters oppose legislation that would take away the power of local governments to control short-term rentals, 82 percent of voters agree thatlocal governments in Michigan are better equipped to protect their neighborhoods from the negative impact of short-term rentals than the state government in Lansing. Question should be asked of those supporting the Michigan Housing Coalition whove signed on acknowledging housing issue across our state, yet also are pushing hard for unfettered short-term vacation rentals, Rigterink said. Proponents of the bill say that its passage will help property owners earn extra income and will give tourists more lodging options. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The bills define short-term rentals as residential housing available for a term of no . MML says Lansing outright prohibiting local government from banning STRs statewide is . 2021-2022 Regular Session. Careers The substitutes would keep short-term rentals from being zoned out of existence, but would not stop local ordinances from regulating noise, traffic, advertising and capacity. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Delhi Twp - Holt - Dimondale - Southside Lansing, East Lansing, Haslett, Okemos & Williamston, East Lansing, Haslett, Okemos, Webberville & Williamston, East Lansing - Okemos - Haslett - Williamston - Webberville. After the Houses passage of HB 4722, the bill advanced to the Michigan Senate and was referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform. Want to see more local news? Both bills were created to amend the "Michigan Zoning Enabling Act." The two pieces of legislation had hearings last week. Introduced in Senate Feb 16, 2021. Blog City leaders are noticing the boom and some are concerned about the growth. Stephens said if these bills pass, everyone in the surrounding neighborhoods could be impacted. If House bill 4722 or Senate bill 446 pass, short-term rental rules would become the same in every district and East Lansing would need to allow them. Two senators, including the Senate president pro tempore . A municipality could still limit the quantity of short-term rental units owned by an individual or restrict the total number of short-term rentals as a percentage of all residences. This legislation protects private property rights by preventing short-term rentals from being zoned out of existence and also allows local governments to effectively regulate these properties, he said. See Assembly Version of this Bill: A39 Current Committee: Senate Children And Families Law Section: Family Court Act Laws Affected: Amd 352.3, 446, 551, 656, 759, 842 & 1056, Fam Ct Act; amd 530.12 & 530.13, CP L; amd 240 & 252, Dom Rel L Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions: 2015-2016: S7394, A10661 2017-2018: S2167, A668 Two billsHouse Bill 4722andSenate Bill 446would eliminate your townships ability to do so. Cities have some homeowners who argue that maintaining what they call the "character of the neighborhood" requires keeping renters out altogether. Critics say the two bills Senate Bill 446, sponsored by Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton; and House Bill 4722, sponsored by Sarah Lightner, R-Springport would strip local control over rentals made popular by sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. GENERAL BILL by Hooper. Bill authors are adamant that the bills will not . Another city might not necessarily need to do that because they dont have the influx of rental properties.. Airbnb's Senior Vice President of Policy says more and more people are driving from one part of Michigan to another, opting to vacation in a home with their immediate family and friends. | 0 Id*,|=0eL"KqYEbcHCj5!AGXDp3@D KX)"B!6j1k`^V}VfmC{vf1;jVc,L):I>7%ZDtbHpFEjtZqP5"chqgN8ctfE+x#Fl+"%\\cu[wP(M(;=y{POfQW1749>6q'#9]vn}"Yc{ :-&lyM{r>C Bill author Rep. Sarah Lightner, R-Springport, acknowledged that hotels are still struggling to recover from pandemic lulls, but argued that the bill gives travelers more lodging options, which is an overall gain for the states tourism industry. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. In short, lawmakers claiming the current bills wont take away local control is a false narrative, Rigterink said. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, stop Michigan communities from outright banning short-term rentals, short-term rentals through services like VRBO, Airbnb and Homestay. Commercial investors, out-of-town business interests, and real estate brokers. Theres a simple way to strike a balance between the rights of people who wish to rent their property on a short-term basis and the desire of their neighbors for tranquility. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "Now you have people who recognize its a safe option and typically costs less.". ;z3BOxQaagw~gn .PWPIeJ4H7x?^x~Q~xO?,_W3y0cY#oW?a-Z`D?uT$P _{};gps ;._#\?~"Q!Bk~]_#OgpWt{ZC 1Hje(,1sP O %"/, LrO mAIJ |%3KGcXel]y/$=X*9d`+Wk~]t State legislators are looking to force local governments to ease restrictions on short-term rentals, but the Michigan Municipal League says the one-size fits all bills will hurt residents more than theyll help tourism. Jennifer Rigterink, Michigan Municipal League legislative associate, called the substitutes laughable as a solution. Brian Westrin, the general counsel with the Michigan Realtors Association, said it feels good to the homeowner, too. Donate 140 W. Main Street Midland, MI 48640 P.O. (The Center Square) - Local governments are pushing back on bills that aim to prevent cities from banning short-term rentals (STR) Senate Bill 446 and House Bill 4722 seek to allow homeowners to convert their homes to short-term vacation rentals. Bill up for public hearing Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence. . | Passed Assembly Sep 02, 2021. As currently written, House Bill 4722 and Senate Bill 446 would impede a local government's ability to inspect these mini-hotels to ensure they are being operated safely. Grand Rapids needs to add more than 9,000 housing units over the next four years to keep up with demand, city manager Mark Washington said. The Michigan Municipal League is in support of H.B. We implore the Senate to reject this rolling disaster headed to a neighborhood near you.. A June 2021 survey of 400 registered Michigan voters conducted by the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association (MRLA) indicated that 89% of respondents were concerned that the removal of local control over short-term rentals would result in higher housing costs, increased crime, and fewer homes for residents. endobj Still, the passage of HB 4722 has raised the ire of Michigans hospitality industry. Senate Bill 446 is sponsored by Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, and House Bill 4722 is sponsored by Sarah Lightner, R-Springport. Visit the FOX47News Website. Commercial investors, out-of-town business interests, and real estate brokers. Imagine renting out your home for the weekend and then getting charged criminally because the city says your home isn't zoned as a rental. <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> document.currentScript.parentNode.insertBefore(trinityScript, document.currentScript); Two Michigan House and Senate committees have endorsed legislation that would prevent local governments from banning short-term rentals, and it awaits approval by the full chambers of the Legislature. 2023 Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Michigan Supreme Court, Lawmakers Have the Chance to Straighten Out Short-Term Rental Issues. Lawmakers have tried to tackle regulation of short-term rentals in the past, but Lightner said HB 4722 was a narrower bill to stop cities from banning short-term rentals outright. These bills do a good job of recognizing that. It [HB 4722] certainly is very restrictive to local governments with regards to short-term rentals in my opinion, he said. In response, Lightner penned a substitute to the House bill. Local governments count on zoning to shape their communities and preserve the quality of life so important to their residents. The average Airbnb host in Michigan made $5,300 in 2020. Senate Bill 77 - 135th General Assembly. This calamity is entirely avoidable, he said. However, even myself, I used a hotel multiple times a year, but Ive also done short term rentals. Many communities across the state have enacted regulations to address detrimental impacts short-term rentals have had on the quality of life in neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)AP. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). May 24, 2021. The potential for public safety hazards is a key reason the Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs opposes this legislation. East Lansing is different than Traverse City, its different than Detroit, right? Further, rental properties would no longer have to abide by local regulationsuch as inspections and licensingunless the same requirements are applied to all owner-occupied residential property as well. The bills do not include any compromises local government groups have proposed to address concerns raised by proponents of the legislation. Under the bill, voters would not be eligible to be removed from . Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association President and CEO Justin Winslow said the bill takes power away from local governments and will slow the recovery of the hospitality industry. The bills remove local governments' ability to outright. Though local governments could not ban the rentals under the proposed law, they could still regulate them under noise and other ordinances, similar to how they regulate long-term rentals and single-family homes. '&textSelector=' + encodeURIComponent(btoa('.page-article')); var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], . | Related: Game day visitors are focus of new short-term rental company in Ann Arbor. Basically what these bills are attempting to do is take a one-size-fits all approach to short-term rentals in the state of Michigan, said East Lansing Mayor Aaron Stephens. We have older homes in the city," he said. Bill authors are adamant that the bills will not overstep local zoning ordinances. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Cities also would have to allow at least 30% of housing to be rentals before setting a cap. Earlier on Tuesday, senators passed the bill on a 16-14 party-line vote. Related: Lawmakers look to stop cities from banning short-term rentals, but some say they add to housing shortage. It was supported by Representative Greg Markkanen, R-Hancock. The bills will preempt your townships local zoning authority to regulate short-term rentals. 'http' : 'https'; Dan Gilmartin, Michigan Municipal League CEO, called the push for a ban against bans a scare tactic during a Monday morning press conference. But if House Bill 4722 or Senate Bill 446 becomes law, vacation rentals would become legal in those districts. The people making decisions should be the people who live in your community.. "We have a population of about 3,700 people which means we have one short-term rental for every 16 people in our community," Michael Caine, the city manager for Boyne City, said. If you can find one, it's likely going to cost you. endstream endobj startxref The legislation defines a short-term rental as the rental of a single-family home, a one- to four-family home, or any unit or group of units in a condominium, for no more than 30 days. Airbnb reported that the UP was one of the companys most popular destinations during the summer of 2021. Haeussler was particularly critical of the language of the bill, which classifies a short-term rental as a residential use of property, rather than a commercial use. . Today's breaking news and more in your inbox. When you introduce a market of you can always Airbnb your property, you know, youre going to see those prices increase and its going to be a lot more difficult for people to move in and live in the city, said Stephens. Citizen Review Boards; Requiring the county commission or other governing body of each county to establish a citizen review board with the authority and ability to independently investigate law enforcement agencies within that county, etc. Who loses? The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonprofit research and educational institute that advances the principles of free markets and limited government. Box 368, Houghton, MI 49931 | 906-482-1500, the rental of a single-family residence, a dwelling unit in a 1-to-4-family house, or any unit or group of units in a condominium, for terms of not more than 30 consecutive days., any other conditions that may create a nuisance., an attack on families and the communities they call home., Who gains from commercial interests getting full access to our residential homes for revenue generating short-term rentals? trinityScript.src = 'https://trinitymedia.ai/player/trinity/2900010071/' + The proposed legislation is supported by the Michigan Realtors and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Text for S.446 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): A bill to provide the President with authority to enter into certain plurilateral trade agreements with benefits only applying to signatories of those agreements, and for other purposes. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Last week, Rep. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, and Rep. Jack OMalley, R-Lake Ann, proposed House Bill 4985. St. Clair Shores says its zoning ordinance doesn't permit short-term rentals, and the number of Airbnb-affiliated properties in the city went from 10 or 15 down to zero. Stephens, said with the ease of renting these properties, he's worried they'll turn into month-by-month leases, effectively allowing rental properties where the city doesn't currently permit them. In St Clair Shores, one host is fighting criminal charges, accused of engaging in commercial activity by renting his home out. Michigan has only recovered 83.2% of its hospitality jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. endstream endobj 123 0 obj <>/Metadata 9 0 R/Pages 120 0 R/StructTreeRoot 25 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences 138 0 R>> endobj 124 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 612 792]/Parent 120 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 125 0 obj <>stream GENERAL BILL by Shoaf Department of Economic Opportunity; Requires Secretary of Economic Opportunity to appoint deputy secretaries & directors for specified divisions of DEO; exempts loans made with funds administered by DEO from certain taxes; revises eligibility requirements for certain grants awarded by DEO; removes scheduled repeal of Florida . Senate Bill 446, which mirrors HB 4722, has not been voted on in the Senate. What you may not have known is there is a legislative battle playing out in Michigan over property rights and municipal rights over short-term rentals, like Airbnb. Please continue to engage your legislators during their in-district coffee/office hours on this issue. The bills will preempt your township's local zoning authority to regulate short-term rentals. Representative Markkanen's office declined the Gazette's request for comment. 4 0 obj Are we going to be able to hold landlords, whether its short-term or long-term, to some kind of baseline building maintenance code?. An act relating to the reconstitution of the University of Vermont Board of Trustees Each side says the other wants governmental overreach. SB 446: Citizen Review Boards. js.id = id; Box 568 '?pageURL=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location.href) + Senate third reading PASSED voting: (18-12--0) 2021-06-24: Senate: Senate miscellaneous motion: Senator Gray moved in accordance with Senate Rule 28B, I move to suspend Senate Rules 2J, 8A and B and notwithstanding Senate Rule 16, for the purpose of placing Senate Bill 1844 on the order of business, Third Reading of Bills. Concerns around rentals eating up an already low housing supply are also at the forefront, Gilmartin said. East Lansing officials are very much opposed. Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, who authored S.B. Publications %PDF-1.7 % Of Michigans 533 cities and villages, not one has a full short-term rental ban on the books, Gilmartin said. RESOLUTION OPPOSING HB 4722 AND SB 446 BECAUSE THEY DEPRIVE MICHIGAN RESIDENTS OF THE RIGHT TO REGULATE SHORT-TERM RENTALS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHEREAS, the Michigan Legislature is considering House Bill 4722, Senate Bill 446, and similar substitute bills known as H-1 and S-1 (the "Bills"), and SB 446, if passed by the House and Senate and signed into law, would specifically grant local governments regulatory authority to enforce rules for noise, advertising, preventing nuisances, inspections, and dwelling capacity limits.