Evanston committee weighs caps, enforcement and definitions in short-term rental draft ordinance

The Housing and Community Development Committee on Nov. 6 examined a staff draft ordinance that would regulate short-term and vacation rentals in Evanston, asking staff to return with a revised version that addresses definitions, geographic concentration and enforcement.

Andrew Sanderoman, building and development services manager, told the committee staff had revised the draft to remove an ‘‘owner-occupied’’ definition and to apply standards to all short-term rentals. Staff proposed a maximum of 25 short-term rental licenses per ward but asked the committee for direction on that number. Sanderoman said staff found about 135 distinct full-unit listings on hosting platforms and 78 currently licensed short-term rental units.

Committee members questioned both the proposed per-ward cap and the definition of short-term rental. Several members urged clearer language so that furnished month-to-month apartments used to house students or international residents would not be swept into a short-term…