On Oct. 6, the City of Berea passed Ordinance 9-8 instituting regulations on short-term rental properties in the city.
Short-term rentals are defined as those less than 30 days and are often rented through services such as Airbnb or Vrbo. Before this legislation, it was only required of landlords to obtain a permit before renting their property long-term. Now, they must have a permit for short-term rentals as well.
One responsibility that comes with holding a permit to rent in Berea is that city codes and requirements are posted in the home so that renters are aware of the rules they must follow. For example, in Berea, it is illegal to park on the fire hydrant side of the street, over the sidewalk, or on the lawn in front of the property. Both short-term and long-term inhabitants must be made aware of these regulations.
To enforce this requirement, landlords are held accountable for parking violations, in addition to the punishment distributed (a parking ticket) to the driver. If a renter’s tenant(s) commit three or more parking violations within a two-year period, for example, the property owner is issued a $750 fine, and they are unable to obtain a renter’s permit for the following year.
Some Bereans expect to see an increase in the number of rentals through Airbnb or similar sites. Because BW students are now required to live on campus for their first three years, landlords will have less students to rent to and will look to direct their business elsewhere. Another factor in the expected uptick is the upcoming relocation of the Cleveland Browns to nearby Brook Park. The stadium will bring in weekend travelers, and Berea is not currently home to any hotels.
Councilwoman Erika Coble represents Ward 4 of Berea, the district with the highest concentration of BW student constituents. Coble’s goal is “to improve the conditions for off campus living.” Before this permit requirement, the city was unable to hold property owners accountable for parking and safety violations. She has worked to establish a connection between BW, its students, and the City of Berea, which will strengthen with regulations to keep student neighborhoods safe.
City Council has a meeting scheduled for Monday, November 10, during which they will explore the addition of further regulations on short-term properties extending beyond permit requirements. One of these methods of regulation could be a bed tax, which would be a nightly fee paid to the city by short-term residents. The meeting is open to anyone, including BW students.
