Here’s what to know about Airbnb policies in the Kansas City area
If you or your neighbor are starting up a new Airbnb business, there are a few things you should know.
Short term rentals, like Airbnb or Vrbo, are becoming one of the most popular ways to explore a new city or get quick quality lodging for a weekend away.
Some people see short term rentals as a useful tool for people looking to make more money each month or for people who want to explore a new city and get an authentic experience.
Others could live without them. Joseph Rexwinkle, who oversees the short term rental program within Kansas City’s Department of Planning and Development, said the city sees a lot of complaints regarding short term rentals.
After a deadly shooting took place last weekend in a short term rental in Overland Park, Mayor Curt Skoog announced a meeting to look more closely at these kinds of rental properties in the city.
Currently, Overland Park does not have regulations on short term rentals. The city council will host a discussion on the matter on April 4.
“Issues associated with the growing trend of homeowners utilizing their properties as short term rentals have come to the attention and been a topic of discussion among Overland Park City Council members for some time,” Skoog said in a statement.
So, what are the requirements for turning your one bedroom apartment into a weekend getaway? Here’s what you need to know about Airbnb-like rentals in the Kansas City area.
What to know about short term rentals in KCMO
In 2018, Kansas City Council passed an ordinance to regulate short term rentals, including Airbnb and Vrbo listings.
The regulations include an approval and registration process that requires prospective hosts to update their neighbors about any new short term rental units. In some cases, hosts even need to get signatures from their neighbors to receive approval from the city.
“I think we’ve done a really great job with laying out a program that strikes a good balance between, you know, allowing those opportunities and at the same time, not allowing people to be a nuisance to our great neighborhoods,” said Beth Breitenstein, a spokesperson for the city’s planning and development department.
When first trying to establish an Airbnb, prospective hosts need to apply for a short term rental permit. The city has a questionnaire to figure out if the property you are trying to rent is already in an approved area, or if you need to apply for additional approval to receive your permit.
There are a few kinds of approvals depending on what kind of rental it is: One for people who live in the rental unit full time, and another for properties that the hosts don’t live in full time.
After filling out the survey and learning about what kind of approval is needed, potential hosts can apply for their city approval by visiting the Compass KC system, where they can fill out and submit the application for review.
A part of this approval process includes notifying all of your adjacent neighbors and your neighborhood association that there will be a short term rental in your building and providing them with a description of the rental, the number of guests that could be occupying the residence and the city’s regulations regarding short term rentals.
Once the property has approval from the city, you must register for a short term rental permit, which you can also do through the Compass KC online system. All rental units must have this permit to operate.
Aside from approvals and permits, there are rules that each host needs to abide by in order to keep their short term rental:
The unit can’t be in an accessory structure. It must be in the main building on the property.
There can be no more than eight guests at a time.
There can be no more than two guests per bedroom, plus one extra person, per dwelling.
The space can’t be rented as a party space, meeting space, reception space or any other event that’s open to non-resident guests.
No food service can be provided by the host.
The short-term rental permit issued by the city must be on display inside the unit.
There can be no signs or evidence outside the unit that the property is being used as a short term rental.
How to issue a complaint if you have concerns?
Rexwinkle, who oversees the short term rental program within the City’s Department of Planning and Development, said the rules set in place for short term rentals are largely enforced when issues or complaints are brought to their attention.
He said his office sees a lot of complaints about short term rentals, but they often don’t include much detail about what the specific issue is, making them hard to follow up on.
“So the more information they can provide us on the event or whatever the rule was, they think was broken, the easier or better it is for us to enforce it,” Rexwinkle said, adding that the city’s 311 resident hotline system is one way of the best ways to file a complaint.
“Our 311 request service [is for] our for people to let us know about properties of concern or if they see something that they’d like us to know and investigate. So that’s also an important piece that we built to the program,” said city spokesperson Maggie Green.
If you just want to learn about what short term rentals are in your neighborhood, Rexwinkle suggests residents use Compass KC, where you can search the term ‘short term rental’ and see where permits have been issued in the city.
What to know in Overland Park
Although Overland Park doesn’t have an actual short-term rental policy, there are ways to file a complaint or make the city aware of your concerns.
Obviously, if there is an emergency, residents can call 911. If it’s a noise issue or something else that’s not an emergency, neighbors can also call the Overland Park Police department’s non-emergency line at 913-327-6300.
If you have more general concerns about short term rentals in your neighborhood, you can reach out to your city council member or the mayor. To find the contact information for Overland Park’s 12 council members or to see upcoming meetings, visit here.
“Short term rental operators need to be considerate of their neighbors and the community, and we need to ensure our residential neighborhoods will continue to be safe and welcoming,” Skoog said in a statement.
What to know in Olathe
Similar to Overland Park, Olathe does not have any regulations on short term rentals. If a neighbor does have a concern, they can reach out to the city clerk’s office who can redirect them to someone who can help.
If you happen to live in a city that does not regulate these kinds of rentals but there is an Airbnb that is disrupting the neighborhood, you can also reach out directly to Airbnb by visiting airbnb.com/neighbors. Vrbo also has a complaint form for concerned neighbors.
Do you have other questions about Airbnb or other housing concerns in Kansas City? Ask us at kcq@kcstar.com