(MPRN-Lansing) A fight is brewing at the state Capitol over whether the Legislature should preempt local rules on expensive rental properties.
Local governments and neighbors say short-term vacation rentals are changing the character of neighborhoods. The battle is getting particularly fierce in Great Lakes shoreline communities where rental properties can go for thousands of dollars a week.
Lucy Welch lives in Spring Lake on the Lake Michigan shoreline. She says neighbors recently started renting out their home to vacationers.
“It’s like a fraternity party at night and during the day, it’s like living next to a resort.”
Landlords and rental agencies say local governments should not be able to tell homeowners what to do with their property. A hearing on the bills is expected later this month.
Other Bills
The state Legislature has several other bills in the works that would limit local government authority. Several preemption bills passed the state Senate last week.
One bill gets rid of a local government’s ability to prevent employers from asking for a potential employee’s wage history during an interview. Another says cities and counties can’t pass their own food and beverage taxes.
Republican Senator Peter MacGregor is that bill’s sponsor. When defending the bill, he gave the reason most lawmakers give when it comes to bills that preempt certain activity.
“We can’t have a patchwork of certain cities and certain counties tax certain items and others don’t.”
Opponents of preemption bills say local governments should be able to make these decisions for themselves.
