BIRMINGHAM (WWJ) -- That infamous Birmingham pool party seems to have been the last straw. There will be no more short-term rentals permitted in the upscale Oakland County community.
Birmingham city commissioners voted unanimously Monday night to ban Airbnb and VRBO rentals in the city.
Existing short-term rental licenses will remain valid until April 15, 2027, at which time the permanent ban will take full effect.
This comes after viral video over the summer showed a wild weekend pool party that spun out-of-control, with neighbors calling police to complain about loud music, profanity, vehicles blocking the street, and nearly nude women dancing on top of cars. The party, at a home on on Westchester Way, started with about 50 people, but tripled to 150 people before police shut it down.
The homeowner was ultimately charged with multiple misdemeanors.
Also, in back in April of this year, there was a shootout during a party at an Airbnb rental on East Lincoln Ave. Three men were charged with assault with intent to murder in connection to that incident.
After residents flocked to the commission to complain, the city put a six-month moratorium on the rentals, which was set to expire in a few days.
Supporters of the ban said short-term rentals disrupt neighborhoods and cause safety concerns, while others argue that the city should more strictly regulate these rentals, rather than banning them outright.
