Renting a vacation house this summer? Airbnb is cracking down on parties in Kentucky

Beth Musgrave
·2 min read
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A popular web-based platform for vacation rentals announced this week it was cracking down on parties ahead of Memorial Day weekend.

Airbnb said in a statement it will enforce its no party rules on Airbnb rentals in Kentucky and across the country.

“With the summer holidays approaching, we are announcing measures aimed at reducing the risk of disruptive and unauthorized parties in Kentucky, as we continue to draw a hard line on parties and promote responsible travel,” according to an Airbnb spokesperson.

The platform will not allow certain 1-night and 2-night reservations over both Memorial Day weekend and Fourth of July weekend for entire home listings in Kentucky and throughout the United States.

The platform piloted the block last year and estimates that it may have stopped at least 100 people booking in Kentucky from holding parties during Memorial Day weekend. On its website, Airbnb boasts that its guest screening technologies have helped hosts avoid booking guests who may hold disruptive parties.

The move comes as more cities are either passing or strengthening regulations on short-term rentals, including Airbnb. Large, disruptive parties at short-term rental properties has become a growing concern.

Lexington is in the process of adopting regulations for short-term rentals, which includes a registration fee and guidance on where new short-term rentals can go. It’s not known how many short-term rentals are in Lexington because there are currently no regulations or ways to track short-term rentals.

Louisville is also reviewing its short-term rental policies. Short-term rentals have been regulated in Kentucky’s largest city since 2015. However, complaints about the proliferation of short-term rentals in popular Louisville neighborhoods has prompted elected leaders there to call for more stringent guidelines on how many short-term rentals can be in neighborhoods. A possible moratorium on new short-term rentals is moving through the Louisville Metro Council as it debates stricter short-term rental guidelines.