CLEVELAND (WJW) — Ward 3 councilman Kerry McCormack is doubling down on reining in short-term rentals within the city of Cleveland.
Two teenagers shot overnight Saturday near West 7th Street and Jefferson Avenue were taken to a hospital. According to McCormack, the boys were part of a large group staying at a short-term rental.
“Obviously, you don’t want this to happen to young people. I’m glad to hear they are OK, but at the same time, we can’t have this in our neighborhood,” he told FOX 8.
“What we found out was the unit being used for the short-term rental — the tenant did not have permission from the building to do that,” McCormack said. “So these are the types of unregulated situations that lead us to these issues.”
This comes just two months after a party at a vacation rental home on West 6th Street in Tremont got out of control. Doorbell video shows someone pulling out what appears to be a handgun.
“If you own your property and don’t have any issues, that’s one thing. But unfortunately, we have properties that become nuisances — whether its parties or criminal incidents, things like that,” McCormack said.
Right now, it is technically illegal to operate a full-time Airbnb in the city of Cleveland without seeking a zoning change and other regulatory approvals — unless you live in the home.
McCormack said a new policy has been introduced and is expected to hit committee in the next few weeks that would allow the city to crack down on these types of properties.
“The policy we are putting forward has a path to allow for legal limited lodging. Once you get there and you are a problem or a nuisance, we will have a license we can pull from you,” McCormack said.
