Arlington Heights bans short-term rentals, but could change if Bears come to town

Arlington Heights officials will impose a ban on short-term rentals beginning this summer, but say they plan to revisit the issue if the Bears come to town and there’s an increase in demand for places to stay.

“I’m not looking forward to some permanent long-term ban. There’s room for this to grow and be worked on. But something needs to be done now,” said Mayor Jim Tinaglia, who suggests a task force might be needed to examine the issue should a Bears stadium be developed at the former Arlington Park site.

For now, the interim set of regulations approved unanimously by the village board Monday prohibits the rental of overnight dwelling units for a period shorter than 30 consecutive days and defines them in village code as “nuisances.”

The ban — set to take effect July 1 — doesn’t apply to hotels, motels, lodging rooms, or residential units pursuant to a rental agreement inked in conjunction with a property sale.

Trustee Colin Gilbert said it’s important to act now before corporations or others try to buy houses for use as short-term rentals near a Bears stadium.

“This is a situation here where we can say yes to the Bears, and we can also make a commitment that we are going to try to keep our neighborhoods and their character intact,” Gilbert said. “We are effectively putting people on notice as to what the expectation will be in town so that we’re not stuck in a position three years from now trying to figure out who gets grandfathered in and who doesn’t.”

Neighbors have complained to village hall for years about noise, cleanliness and quality of life issues related to short-term stays in residential neighborhoods.

“I’ve already seen what it can do to a town,” said Kate Zurek, who lives next to a house being rented on Airbnb. “There are new cars every couple days. They’re partying during the day. They’re partying during the night. … I don’t feel safe.”

Jack Cascone, assistant to the village manager, said there are anywhere from 10 to 20 properties in town listed on rental reservation sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. Those websites will be informed of the new ordinance and be expected to uphold the 30-day minimum rental, he said.

Village officials will also periodically check the sites for compliance, but will rely heavily on complaints from neighbors, Cascone said.

Devin Gray, an Arlington Heights resident who manages an Airbnb in town, called for “smart, safe” regulations instead of an outright ban. He said hotels aren’t the best option for families like his, or — citing an example of a recent local couple who rented from him — elderly people having their house remodeled.

Gray said he already has bookings for later this summer when the ban goes into effect.

“As a resident and a father, I appreciate the goal. I want to aim to raise my family in the safest community that I can here,” Gray said. “However, I’m a little concerned that we’re taking an approach of banning use instead of regulating harm. We’re probably overstepping a little bit.”