After the recent shootings of two teenagers outside a Tremont Airbnb, calls have renewed for stricter regulations of the short-term rental market in Cleveland. While there are proposed legislative actions on the table, some neighbors of a house on the near west side have said they can't come fast enough, and that the city hasn't been responsive to their complaints.
“It’s been a crazy six months. It’s actually hard to believe it’s only been six months,” said one Irishtown Bend resident, who asked to remain anonymous. The neighbor said parties at the property make noise at all hours – on both weekends and weekdays.
Ward 3 councilmember Kerry McCormack agrees something needs to change.
“We can’t have this in our neighborhood. That’s exactly why we’re working with property owners like this to get rid of these problem short-term rentals,” he said. “We don’t hate Airbnb, they’re a part of our economy but we want to make sure they’re under control.”
He told Fox 8 in February that, “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."
In Cleveland, property owners can host short-term renters — people renting for fewer than 30 days — year-round, but only if the owner uses it as their primary residence and lives there for more than half the year. Those limitations are rarely enforced.
Despite speaking with McCormack and reaching out to police, the resident says issues persist.
“They put all these things in place but it appears the city doesn’t have a mechanism to enforce it,” the neighbor said of the property, which is owned by someone with a number of properties offering short-term rentals in Northeast Ohio.
Neighbors also allege the property rents to minors, who in turn have raucous parties without supervision and instances where they suspect drugs are being sold.
“Let’s say there are 10 cars at 11:00 to 1 in the morning and then by morning there’s not a car in sight. So it’s a little fishy in that regard. Usually I don’t check into a hotel and then leave in the middle of the night,” said the neighbor.
They also said renters and partiers have arrived at neighboring houses, mistaking them for the Airbnb.
Beyond reaching out to the city, neighbors say Airbnb and VRBO, which the property is sometimes listed on, have been frustratingly unhelpful. (Scene's awaiting comment from Airbnb. The property owner didn't respond to a request for comment.)
“Airbnb has given no help whatsoever and for every police call I make a corresponding complaint to Airbnb and they’ve done nothing. We’re beating our head against the wall and it’s like this is ridiculous.”
Critics also point out that, unlike hotels, short-term rentals don’t function as businesses and generate revenue for the city accordingly.
For another neighbor involved in the Irishtown Bend Block Club, action from the city would make a big difference.
Enforcing issues like “the noise ordinances and how many people are there and making sure that it's not rented to 15 year olds and 16 year olds,” would help the situation, they said, as would, “trying to limit it to smaller gatherings at least in the residential area. Trying to make sure that everyone has been completely vetted.”
But for some, change can’t come soon enough.
“Everybody seems to be so outraged when something bad happens–the last one in Tremont– I saw some of the grievances from the neighborhood group. Why does it have to be shootings for anybody to ever listen? And is it going to take somebody getting killed to ultimately put an end to this? All of us can see how it’s operating–it’s a matter of time.”
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