After house party shootings, Roselle discusses future of short-term rentals like Airbnb, VRBO
Short-term rentals in Roselle could be restricted or banned as a result of the June 27 rampage in which more than 60 shots were fired during a house party near Roselle and Picton roads.
"What is being done to keep residents in Roselle safe?" said one resident whose comment was read during Monday's online village board meeting. "These types of incidents have occurred in other suburbs and have caused harm in those communities, as well."
Police arrived at the house to find one man dead and four others wounded, they said Tuesday in a statement. The property was advertised on VRBO and Airbnb.
Mayor Andy Maglio, Village Attorney Jim Knippen and Village Administrator Jeff O'Dell proposed a moratorium on short-term rentals.
As an alternative, the village could require property owners to register with the village before renting their property, limit the number of rental days, limit the number of people staying at the property or limit the number of short-term rentals any property owner can operate.
Village trustee David Pileski said the village should consider a referendum in November asking residents whether Roselle should be a home-rule community, which he said would give more leeway to regulate short-term rentals. The deadline for putting a proposal on the Nov. 2 ballot is Aug. 17.
"We owe everyone the opportunity," Pileski said. "Just because it may be on the ballot doesn't mean that it will be successful. It gives our community a chance to have a dialogue and conversation. Everyone deserves to have that opportunity."
Similar cases have raised concern around the suburbs. A man was shot and killed in March during a party at a short-term rental in Barrington Hills. Mayor Martin McLaughlin said short-term rentals already were prohibited.
Lake Barrington banned leases shorter than three months after a shootout on Route 14 in Barrington that injured two people who had been at a house party at a short-term rental property.
In Roselle, further discussions of short-term rentals will take place July 27, with the mayor assigning two trustees look into home rule referendums and regulation of short-term rentals.
No one is charged and the investigation is still ongoing, Roselle police Chief Steve Herron said.
• Trey Arline is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.