ST. LOUIS – Last weekend’s downtown shooting is the latest instance where a space not intended for large crowds became the epicenter of violence. One south St. Louis resident channeled his frustrations into a campaign for short-term rental reform.
Violence at short-term rental properties has been a growing issue across our region. Now, two bills aimed to add new rules and regulations set for discussion Tuesday morning are expected to see large crowds voicing their frustrations.
“We don’t have the same safety, we don’t have the same confidence, we don’t know who our neighbor will be night for night,” said Steve Pona, a Southwest Gardens resident.
Pona and his wife have hit the tipping point, with seven problem rentals, including parking and loud parties.
The Ponas and hundreds in their online Facebook group are behind an anti-short-term rental poster campaign seen around town. They’re pushing for what they see as common-sense solutions, such as having an owner on site.
“Limit the number of properties that are available for short-term rentals in a radius, be it 500 feet or 1,000 feet. They shouldn’t be close to schools. They shouldn’t be in historic neighborhoods such as this,” Pona said.
There have been so many problems at one particular short-term rental on South Kingshighway for years, but over the last few weeks, it’s gotten so bad, residents have started putting out signs saying, “Neighborhoods Are For Neighbors, Not Short-Term Rentals,” echoing problems around the city and the county.
“You have a quality of life being ruined, you have homeowners that sunk his heart and soul into a property and, all of a sudden, some outside entity is coming in and running a business in what should be a residential area,” said Alderman Joe Vollmer (Ward 5).
Vollmer, who represents Southwest Gardens and The Hill, said he’ll be supporting bills 33 and 34. Both propositions call for new regulations in order to thwart renters from taking advantage of the system.
Top of mind: having an onsite or nearby property owner.
“This is a start of a process that will take some time so we can get this right, you can always amend it, but there’s so much that’s not in bills 33 and 34 that we need to cut into shape to get it into focus and keep this people in line,” Vollmer said.
The bills will go before the St. Louis Board of Aldermen at Tuesday morning’s Transportation and Commerce Committee meeting.
“We need to be setting the standard for short term rentals, not bringing up the rear,” Pona said.