Michael-Paul Hart: Let’s take a balanced approach to short-term rentals

I believe that local government is, for the most part, nonpartisan. Our daily operations are generally very operational, with much time spent on land-use development and equally on solving safety and sanitary challenges in our city. Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to Proposal 205— which aims to create a local ordinance to structure laws around short-term rentals—in the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee.

Before hearing from committee presenters and community members, I read the proposal and had concerns about the potential infringement on property rights. After hearing from a dozen or so residents from Indianapolis, it was clear that the impetus for the proposal stemmed from partying and noise disturbances, primarily in residences near downtown.

The objective for many petitioners was to identify the individuals who owned these properties. But the proposal went further than just identification; it created restrictions on the types of structures that could be short-term rentals and imposed a fee for individuals to be short-term-rental owners in Indianapolis.

This policy stands out to me because it won’t solve the problem. The troubles these individuals face will persist even with a registry program. Partying won’t stop simply because we have a registry under the proposed ordinance. I’ve seen this firsthand when working with my district members to address problems with commercial properties owned by out-of-state businesses. Knowing who the individual is does not solve the problem.

Additionally, this proposal is unnecessary and excessive. A few years ago, the City-County Council created a registry for landlords and established tenants’ rights programs. The ordinance requires landlords to register with the city and outline tenants’ rights in their leasing agreements. During the Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee meeting about short-term rentals, I noted that we can appease our neighbors’ concerns by expanding our existing registry program to include short-term rental hosts.

This proposal reflects my philosophy that local government is nonpartisan. On the evening of this committee meeting, I found myself disagreeing with both my Republican and Democratic colleagues. I was surprised by the willingness of my Republican colleagues on the committee to limit property owners’ rights and not so surprised by my Democratic colleagues’ inclination to bloat our municipal code with policies that ultimately won’t solve the concerns our constituents brought forward.

In conclusion, while the intention behind the short-term rental proposal is understandable, the approach is flawed. Expanding our existing registry program to include short-term rentals is a more effective solution that respects property rights and addresses the community’s concerns without unnecessary and excessive legislation.•

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Hart is a Republican representing District 20 on the Indianapolis City-County Council.