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Dearborn Heights council holds public study session on proposed short‑term rental ban; legal counsel flags fines
Summary
The Dearborn Heights City Council held a study session on a proposed ban of short‑term rentals, with residents sharply divided between safety concerns and hosts’ economic arguments. Legal counsel warned the council that the $5,000‑a‑day fine being discussed could conflict with city charter penalty limits; no vote was taken.
Dearborn Heights — The City Council convened a public study session on short‑term rentals on Jan. 28 to gather resident input on a proposed ordinance that would ban most short‑term rentals (STRs) and impose civil penalties for violations.
Council chair opened the meeting by saying residents’ testimony would shape ordinance details and proposed enforcement. The chair described draft measures that included a $1,000 minimum fine for marketing a property as an STR, a $5,000 per‑day fine for hosting an STR, and a separate signed acknowledgment on certificate of occupancy forms warning owners that hosting could trigger fines. “There is no room for the short term rentals,” the chair said, urging a zero‑tolerance approach while inviting residents to propose language for the ordinance.
The proposal drew immediate questions about enforceability. Councilman Constance and other members asked how unpaid fines would be collected and whether the city could place unpaid fines on tax…
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