Columbia council reviews tighter short-term rental rules, staff asks for more enforcement staff and tech

City of Columbia officials discussed proposed changes to the city—s short-term rental (STR) ordinance and enforcement approach at a city council meeting, with code enforcement and the city attorney outlining rule changes and staff asking for new enforcement positions and software upgrades.

David Hatcher, director of code enforcement, told council the division tracks 446 registered short-term rentals and a suspected 149 that are not registered. "We are extremely busy, and tend to be the go to department when somebody needs something done at the city," Hatcher said, describing routine inspections, abatement work and daily incident notifications from the police department.

Hatcher recommended adding one full-time staff member dedicated to STR enforcement plus two part-time positions for evenings and weekends, upgrading case-management software and evaluating alternative third-party STR data vendors. He also recommended a visible identifier for permitted STRs (a decal or sign) and closer coordination with online booking platforms so the city—s permit status is reflected in listings.

Why it matters: Staff told council that under the existing moratorium and enforcement posture, many properties are not in compliance and the department lacks the manpower to pursue daily summonses and other penalties. Hatcher said 345 of the 446 registered STRs would be ineligible for a permit under the proposed moratorium criteria he described, and owner-occupied units made up 81 of the 446 registrations (about 18 percent).

What the draft ordinance would change: Senior Assistant City Attorney Jessica Kynard walked council through the marked draft ordinance. Proposed changes discussed by staff included requiring the responsible local representative to hold a property manager license with the South Carolina Real Estate Commission (LLR), requiring business licenses for both owners and managers when they are distinct entities, raising a minimum guest age to 25, setting a two-night minimum stay, requiring at least two off-street parking spaces for a permitted unit, and clarifying occupancy as two people per bedroom (excluding minor children) plus two additional persons with that occupancy rule applying 24 hours a day.

Kynard said the draft adds neighbor-notification requirements and a local contact that must answer calls and respond day or night, and a local-guest screening rule that would require hosts to seek additional verification when a booking originates within 30 miles of the property. The draft includes a new violation category for repeated incidents of parties or other neighborhood disturbances, and a new provision allowing the police chief (or designee) to immediately revoke a permit for "extreme behavior," including acts of violence, unsafe living conditions or illegal activity.

Enforcement tools and penalties: Hatcher described the existing point-and-fine system: points carry a penalty of $100 per point, "first offense is 1 point or a $100 fine, and each offense thereafter is 5 points or $500 fine," while a serious offense can be 10 points; 15 points within a 12-month period can lead to permit revocation. He also described an administrative penalty process that starts after notice of noncompliance (a $500 administrative penalty was cited) and the ability to issue daily summonses for ongoing violations.

Staff operations and tech: Hatcher said the division conducts about 30,000 inspections a year across more than 27,000 long-term rental properties and the city—s 446 registered STRs, and has begun using a City Detect program (cameras on city trucks with AI) and expands CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) efforts with the police department. He told council the current case-management software has limited reporting and tracking and recommended exploring alternatives and additional vendor services such as 24-hour hotlines and data updates.

Public comments and industry response: Three members of the public spoke at the hearing. Elmwood Park resident Justin Barstow described repeated disturbances at a neighboring STR he said is advertised for large groups and said Elmwood Park residents would support a cap on non-owner-occupied STRs in their neighborhood and a lower total occupancy cap. "It's the violations and the accruing of points that really help permanently solve the situation," Barstow said.

Ellen Bundy, also an Elmwood Park resident, urged treating STRs more like hotels, raising license fees and using permit revenue to fund enforcement.

Ben Johnson, a partner in a short-term rental management firm, said he supported capacity restrictions but opposed the blanket requirement that responsible local representatives hold a property manager license and warned that a two-night minimum stay would push some legitimate short stays to nearby jurisdictions. "The problem is not the people who follow the rules. The problem is always the people who break them," Johnson said.

Council reaction and next steps: Councilors raised concerns about the property manager license requirement—noting many owner-occupants rely on STR income and may not hold that license—and asked staff to examine alternatives, such as accepting a real estate license. Councilors signaled a priority to move quickly on staffing and software changes so the enforcement team can address the more than 100 properties staff believes are operating without required permits.

Council members discussed taking a first reading and returning for a second reading on a stated date if the ordinance were advanced; staff said amendments could be made between readings. No final vote on the ordinance text occurred at this session.

Votes at a glance: The meeting did record roll-call votes to enter and to exit executive session for matters that included legal advice related to short-term rentals and items related to employment. Both motions passed on roll call (all members recorded in the transcript voting in the affirmative).