Atlanta City Council rejects proposal banning new Airbnbs, other short-term rentals in Buckhead
The Atlanta City Council has rejected a plan to ban short-term rentals, including Airbnb and Vrbo, in parts of northeast Atlanta.
On Monday, the city council voted 7-6 against the proposal, which would have impacted District 7. The area includes parts of Buckhead, Brookhaven, and Lindbergh/Morgoso. Two city councilmen did not vote.
The legislation, proposed by District 7 Councilman Howard Shook, would have limited short-term rentals.
"The proliferation of the use of property for short-term rentals in and near residential zoning districts has impacted the quality of life for residents and threatens to disrupt the distinctive character of neighborhoods within Northeast Atlanta," the legislation read.
Critics have argued that short-term rentals take residential units off the market, leaving them for tourists rather than locals. Atlanta officials have also complained about house parties at the rentals that have frustrated neighbors.
At Monday's meeting, multiple short-term rental hosts took part in the public comment section to ask the council not to support the proposal.
"I believe we have to work together to find an optimal solution for all sides," host AJ Satcher told the council. "Short-term rentals provide too much of an added benefit to the city to begin throwing out blanket bans on all short-term rental operations, all because of a few bad actors."
"I was one of the first people in the city of Atlanta to obtain a short-term rental license, been operating over three years, never had not one incident, not one issue," host Isom Loman said. "I've hosted neighbors in the community whose pipes have broken. I've hosted people from, you know, overseas, have already had someone reach out to book for the upcoming World Cup, and I feel like it's a positive part of the community ... I feel like it's a positive thing for the city."
While Atlanta does not have an overall ban on these rentals, one part of the city has limited permits for homeowners. Earlier this year, the City Council approved a ban on new short-term rentals in the Home Park neighborhood, close to Georgia Tech.
Airbnb has pushed back against other cities' efforts to regulate it, including suing New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco over rules.
The company estimates that its guests contributed $518 million in GDP and an estimated $126.5 million in total tax revenue in 2024. Airbnb also estimates about $70 million in GDP will be generated by travelers in and around Atlanta during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.