With the University of Notre Dame so close, South Bend was recently listed the best college town in the country to invest in short-term rentals through platforms like AirBnb and VRBO. But the mayor isn’t jumping for joy.
Vacation spots typically attract the most short-term rental investors but college calendars offer consistent demand all year. After all, bad weather can dampen a vacation season but college football games are played rain or shine.
Mayor James Mueller’s administration on Friday announced it wants the common council to start regulating short-term rentals. The administration says such rentals have grown steadily across the city since 2020, frequently creating problems with neighbors and artificially increasing property values.
At 5 p.m. Monday on the third floor of City Hall, city staff will lead a public meeting before the council’s Community Investment and Zoning & Annexation committees. An administration spokeswoman says the meeting is intended to begin a public discussion before they file an ordinance for the council’s consideration.
Earlier this year short-term rental analytics firm AirDNA ranked the nation’s nine best college towns for investors. South Bend topped the list, with the lowest average home price of $247,000.
