St. Louis aldermen consider short-term rental reforms crime prevention tactic

by | Jun 20, 2023 | Uncategorized

ST. LOUIS – After another violent weekend in downtown St. Louis, city leaders are talking about regulating short-term rental properties.

There is momentum to get regulations passed, with some saying it’s a way of tackling crime.

Early Sunday morning, a 17-year-old was shot and killed and 10 others injured at teen party at an office space near Washington Avenue and 14th Street. Authorities say it’s unclear how the teens got inside the building.

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen discussed a pair of short-term rental bills.


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“We need to get into these places and inspect and regulate them,” Alderman Joe Vollmer (Ward 5) said. “You have a right to open a business. It’s a privilege to do businesses in residential neighborhoods that put all their heart and time and soul into their property.”

One bill would change the application and appeals processes, while another would affect how short-term rental properties are used.

Many city leaders say there need to be more rules with short-term rentals like Airbnbs to prevent parties from turning violent.

“We need short-term regulations and the process behind it. We want to make sure it’s equitable and safe for our neighborhoods,” Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard (Ward 10) said. “I think it would put an important step in helping the city move forward.”

Bryan Young, who owns and manages numerous properties in the city, would like to see some revisions to the bills and supports working with the board.

“The bill is a good start about the possible regulations. The issues are they need to line things up,” he said. “There are some bad hosts, and they should be removed from the system. But there are guests that are not following the rules.”

City residents like Elizabeth Clemmons is worried about short-term rentals coming to her street.

“I don’t want to be looking over my back or thinking someone is going to hit me across the head,” she said.

The committee did not vote on the bills Tuesday. They’re still in the exploratory stages and will have other meetings planned for the public to discuss the bills.