In 2025, the Indianapolis registry will begin to crack down on parties that rent short-term rentals

Indianapolis, Indiana – An industry that is expanding along with the number of tourists is receiving some new regulations as a record-breaking year for Indianapolis tourism draws to a close.

In order to hold owners responsible for harmful and disruptive activities on their properties, a new Indianapolis policy will establish a registry of short-term rental owners in the city and impose a three-strike system.

In 2024, IMPD responded to many shootings that occurred at short-term rental houses. On July 7, someone was shot during a party at a short-term rental home in Fountain Square. In September, IMPD looked into a comparable circumstance at a short-term rental home in the 4000 block of Carrolton.

The Coalition to Address Short-Term Rentals was founded by Judith Essex and other local leaders in response to these kinds of problems.

“We were always hearing about all the issues that were occurring with the short-term rentals in the downtown areas,” Essex remarked. She served as the Southside Neighborhood Association’s previous president.

“Some of these buildings raised safety concerns, and it was clear that we needed some regulation,” Essex stated.

That is what a new ordinance from the Indianapolis City-County Council will try to accomplish. A record of short-term rental owners in Indianapolis will be established by the council’s 2024 laws, which also establish a three-strikes policy to hold neighbors responsible.

“There’s always a problem reaching the accountable party,” Essex stated. “It’s much simpler if it’s owner-occupied, but if it’s corporately owned, there’s typically a local property manager hired to handle problems, and they’re not always the easiest to contact.”

In 2025, the registry and ordinance will go into effect.

“Hopefully, we will now be aware of the owners of these properties,” Essex stated. “Getting all of these registered is the most important first step, as it will give us a means of contacting and holding people accountable.”

In an effort to stop prohibited gatherings, Airbnb, one of the biggest websites for short-term rentals, has included technology for well-known holidays.

According to Nathan Rotman, Director of Policy and Strategy at Airbnb, “It’s technology that looks at the type of listing being booked, how long people are staying, the distance from where their home is, and whether it’s a last-minute booking.”

According to Rotman, on New Year’s Eve in 2023, the technology prevented almost 30,000 people from making an Airbnb reservation.