New proposal creates registry and fee for short-term rental properties in Indianapolis

A proposal to add some local control over short-term rentals in Indianapolis moved forward this week.

Property owners who provide short-term rentals and advertise on sites including Airbnb and Vrbo would need to register and pay a one time fee of $150 dollars under the new ordinance.

The Metropolitan Economic Development Committee passed the proposal. Indianapolis City-County Councilor Kristin Jones said it is in response to a call from residents about increased problems at short-term rentals.

“It's simply a registry and a permitting process, and this is what my constituents in the city, not just mine, but the residents of Marion County have asked of us,” Jones said.

Johnson said the ordinance and registry would establish contacts for police to reach out to when issues at properties arise.

Dakota Pawlicki, president of the Fountain Square Neighborhood Association, formed a coalition to address short-term rentals. He said neighborhoods are dealing with an increased number of problem properties and points to a recent shooting at a party in Fountain Square this month.

“That that property is actually characteristic of others our coalition seeks to address and other operated by negligent owners and operators the property had already been removed from Airbnb is now removed by Vrbo,” Pawlicki said, “but there was still blood in the streets that had yet to be cleaned up and they had already reposted it on their own website for rental again.”

Director of Business and Neighborhood Services Abbey Brands said the city is limited in moves it can make to regulate short-term rentals.

“This ordinance is essentially written within the shell of what we are allowed to do based on state statute related to short term rentals,” Brands said.

The proposal heads to the full council. If adopted it would go into effect next year.