Parkville lifts cap on Airbnb, VRBO for World Cup. Will others follow suit?

Parkville’s mayor believes the city may be the first in the Kansas City metro area to loosen restrictions on short-term rentals for the World Cup.

The Parkville Board of Aldermen on Tuesday unanimously approved a measure to allow more short-term rentals.

In 2019, the city adopted short-term rental restrictions to control the increase in Airbnb properties in residential areas. Four rentals are allowed per ward, for a total of 16. They have to be on an owner-occupied property, and only one rental unit is allowed per structure.

From May 1, 2026, through July 31, 2026, these rules will be loosened. Property owners will still need a permit and there must be one parking spot per unit. There will not be a limit to rentals per ward. Both landlords and homeowners can apply for a permit.

“Even though it’s for a year away, it’s best to get something in law ahead of time so you can get people educated,” said Stephen Lachky, the community development director of Parkville.

Lachky said he attended a Mid-America Regional Council round table earlier this year about how local government bodies can prepare for the influx of people passing through the Kansas City area for the World Cup. One of the many questions that came up was where an estimated 600,000 people will stay during the matches.

One suggestion was allowing more short-term rentals for municipalities with restrictions on Airbnb and other short-term rentals.

Lachky immediately brought the conversation back to the city administrator and got the conversation going.

“I think what helped us was back in 2019, officials wanted us to be proactive about Airbnbs,” he said. “Because of that, there really wasn’t much fear or concern about doing this type of policy.”

Dean Katerndahl, Parkville’s mayor, said the city took its time talking to residents and businesses about the short-term rentals a few years ago. Now, he’s hoping residents will put brochures in their homes to encourage visitors to stop by local businesses and restaurants.

“Some people we understand for events like this will go stay with their grandmother or something, and they rent out their house, he said. “They can make a boatload on it.”

Before making any decision, Parkville consulted VisitKC and other organizations on how to approach the time frame for the lifting of the restrictions.

With teams being based in Wyandotte, Riverside and Lawrence, the city figured its residents could profit from Parkville’s proximity to the bases.

Parkville staffers are taking pride in being the first city in the area to adopt this policy, but Katerndahl isn’t too surprised they’re first.

“We’re Parkville,” said Katerndahl. “We’re on the cutting edge.”

This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 5:17 PM.