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Arvada residents urge stricter short-term rental rules after drive-by shooting
Summary
Neighbors described a May 9 drive-by shooting tied to a short-term rental and urged the City Council to adopt regulations including minimum-night stays and vetting; city staff contacted residents and the property has stopped renting pending follow-up.
Neighbors in northwest Arvada urged the City Council on May 20 to adopt stricter short-term rental rules after a drive-by shooting tied to an Airbnb on their block.
“On May 9, ’10 ’30 PM, we had a drive by shooting on our street,” resident Jamie Layer told the council during public comment. Several neighbors described chaotic scenes and property damage. “There are no regulations, so anyone is welcome to come stay at this Airbnb,” Layer added.
Longtime resident Michael Lair said bullets struck homes and that people were injured: “I walked a young lady over to a neighbor’s house where she could take refuge because her face was all bloody.” He said the property was being operated as a “party house” that advertises features such as a hot tub and game room. Resident Casey Goldberg said she had received quick follow-up from council members after reporting the incident and described two bullets striking her home’s exterior: “It was like a war zone on our street.”
Other neighbors pressed for specific regulatory changes, including minimum-night stays, age limits and zoning restrictions for short-term rentals. Karina Gonzalez Blake said about 1,000 Airbnb listings exist in the Arvada area and that 19 were within a square mile of the shooting; she told council members, “This was over 30 shots fired. My 11-year-old daughter is incredibly traumatized by this situation.” Jeremy McGreeny thanked Councilmember John Marriott and Mayor Lauren Simpson for quick action to temporarily halt rentals at the property and asked the council to consider “proper vetting or minimum night stay.”
The city’s immediate response was described in public comment as prompt outreach. Goldberg said she was contacted by council members within 24 hours and met personally with Mayor Simpson. Jeremy McGreeny told the council the house “has been at least temporarily shut down.” Councilmembers and staff did not propose a formal regulatory change during the meeting; several council members later discussed the issue during remarks and encouraged staff to continue follow-up.
Speakers who addressed short-term rental policy urged limits that would discourage commercialization of residential neighborhoods. Former Planning Commission member Mike Griffith said the land development code update in 2020 left unresolved choices about whether to allow “horizontal hotels” in residential areas and reiterated a previously discussed idea: “I was very supportive of having a regulation that would make the Airbnbs only available if it was your primary residence.”
The council did not vote on a short-term rental ordinance on May 20. Staff and council members indicated they will continue to engage with residents and enforcement partners; several residents said they will submit complaints and petitions to the city clerk as part of that process.
Looking ahead, residents asked the council for clearer enforcement tools and faster mechanisms to halt rentals when safety concerns arise. Councilmembers who spoke thanked residents for reporting the incident and said they would push for further information from police and code enforcement.
