A controversial proposal to outlaw short-term home rentals in Atlanta’s single-family neighborhoods won support Nov. 3 from Buckhead’s Neighborhood Planning Unit A on conditions that it addresses certain exemptions.
City Councilmember Howard Shook of Buckhead’s District 7 filed the legislation in September after controversies about local mansions being rented out for parties. The proposed ordinance seems unlikely to pass but has sparked discussions.
Shook — who is a neighbor of one of Buckhead’s currently notorious party houses on Roxboro Road — previously said he was frustrated with the lack of progress from city staff on legislation to register and license short-term rentals. In October, Councilmember Andre Dickens filed legislation to create just such a system. And in the same month, the council passed an ordinance tightening an existing ban on “party houses.”
However, the short-term rental ban ordinance is still going through the NPU review process ahead of a Zoning Review Board hearing expected sometime in December.
NPU A’s executive committee recommended supporting the ordinance, according to chair Brink Dickerson, as long as it was amended to address three items: rentals for movie and TV productions; subletting; and “rent-backs,” where the seller of a home temporarily becomes the tenant of the buyer while looking for a new place to live.
Residents who attended the virtual NPU A meeting — about 25 people were there, including city staff members — agreed in a voice vote to recommend approval with those conditions.