Airbnb banned in parts of Detroit, and even the mayor's confused

Even Detroit's mayor seems baffled how one line in a 216-page zoning packet can ban Airbnb rentals in certain Detroit neighborhoods.

The ban in the city's amended zoning ordinance went into effect this week, preventing homeowners in zones R1 and R2 from having "paid overnight guests" in homes. That means no Airbnb hosting at homes in those areas, which cover a large swath of the residential part of the city. The language in the amendment seems to imply that apartments, lofts, and building developments are spared from the ban.

The zoning ordinance amendment passed through the city council last year as part of a larger revamp. The planning commission proposed 27 code amendments, including this quick line about prohibited uses of home occupations in R1 and R2 for short-term rentals. But no one really noticed it until now. Not even the mayor, who approved it.  Read more...