Short-term residential rental ban protested

A proposed ban on renting houses to tourists in the city of Las Vegas drew a property rights protest Tuesday, but the measure -- driven by a growing list of complaints about "party houses" -- will go before the City Council at an upcoming meeting.

"They have been proliferating over the Internet," said Ward 1 Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, who is co-sponsoring the ban proposal with Ward 2 Councilman Steve Wolfson. "They make it very obvious that these are for big parties."

Representatives of Charleston Neighborhood Preservation, though, said the ordinance would interfere with a property owners' rights, and were worried about unfair enforcement.

"We ... are adamantly opposed," said board member Juanita Clark, reading from a prepared statement. She said the ordinance would "put control of one's property in the hands of government officials" and spread "fear, distrust and apprehension regarding personal property."

The statement also suggested that the proposal is "running interference for the hotel-casino industry."

The proposed ordinance would ban rentals of less than 31 days in residential zones. Residential properties that are located in other zones -- such as commercial, industrial or mixed-use -- would not be subject to the ban, noted deputy city attorney Val Steed.

He also said that homeowners can still rent their property, but not for "transient lodging, like a hotel or motel."

That's the activity that city leaders wanted to address. The proposed ordinance is modeled on similar measures that have been adopted in Clark County and Henderson.

The practice already isn't allowed under Las Vegas code, but officials have been stymied in enforcement efforts because it's not specifically banned.

The ban would be a preventative measure, said Tarkanian, which could be more effective than trying to prosecute offenses that stem from a neighborhood party.

"I don't think it will cost any more," she added, since enforcement usually occurs only when there's a complaint.