Scottsdale has unanimously approved a new ordinance aimed at short-term rental houses that host disruptive parties, giving police broader authority to act and raising the stakes for property owners.
The action comes as the city says this is one of the busiest weekends of the year for short-term rentals, with the ordinance taking effect just ahead of the Fourth of July. City leaders said repeated nuisance issues at some properties pushed Scottsdale to move beyond warnings.
In May alone, Scottsdale issued 56 charges and citations. Police also responded to 48 nuisance-related calls involving loud parties, criminal investigations, assaults and welfare concerns.
Mayor Lisa Borowsky said the city had reached its limit.
"Why now? We’re just really tired of it. It’s gone on too long", Borowsky said.
Borowsky said the city believes a relatively small share of owners are responsible for many of the issues.
"I would say there’s about 10% of the short-term rental, STR, unit or property owners that constitute the bad actors in Scottsdale", Borowsky said.
Under the previous rules, officers responding to noise complaints had few lasting options. According to the city, partygoers could lower the volume, wait for police to leave and then start the party again.
"The police leave and then, you know, they’re called back out, continues to go", Borowsky said.
The ordinance creates a formal definition for what Scottsdale calls an "event center." If a house party is advertised on social media or tickets are sold for entry, the city can classify the home as an event center. That gives police more authority to intervene even if the gathering quiets down when officers arrive.
"What we are looking to do is create a greater ability to enforce the regulations and enhance the ordinance", Borowsky said.
The city said attendees can be fined, while property owners face tougher penalties, including the potential loss of their rental license and the ability to operate the home as a short-term rental.
The article also noted that some short-term rental platforms are taking steps to address the problem, with Airbnb using artificial intelligence to flag potential problem rentals.