Chattanooga City Council members believe state legislators will make the final call on short-term rental rules when they reconvene for the 110th General Assembly in a few weeks.
“The bottom line is the whole issue may be moot because the Tennessee Legislature could be poised – because of litigation in Nashville and Memphis – to say [local government has] no say-so in it,” Councilwoman Carol Berz said in a recent candidate forum.
Carol Berz
Ken Smith
Chip Henderson
Jerry MitchellCouncilman Ken Smith also said he fully expected state lawmakers to step in, likening the situation to when the General Assembly passed legislation concerning Uber and other ride-sharing programs.
Last fall, the council grappled for months on how to regulate the growing number of short-stay room rentals across the city, made easier by popular internet booking sites like Airbnb.
People packed the council’s public hearings on proposed short-term rental rules. Those against short-stay rentals said they worried about safety and quality of life, while rental operators – many of whom admitted they were operating outside the law – cited their right to make extra money. All asserted their property rights.