The worst Airbnb experience anyone ever had was portrayed in the fictional movie Barbarian, which came out in 2022; however, in Greensboro in 2024, there are a lot of people who have some horror stories of their own thanks to the fact that their neighbors rent their house out to short-term Airbnb clients who sometimes are noisy, cause commotion in the neighborhood, throw large parties, or otherwise make themselves a nuisance.

In April, the City of Greensboro imposed new regulations – things like restricting occupancy, limiting cars parked at an Airbnb house and taking other steps.  It was an attempt to get a grip on the problem and, this week the City of Greensboro announced a new weapon to help effectively manage Airbnb problems and those of other “short-term rental” services.  The city is now offering a hotline for residents to call to report issues of concern with problems the short-term rentals cause in their neighborhoods.

Now you can report an issue of this type by calling 336-387-6137.

In addition, those suffering due to short-timers in their area can also submit a report using an online form. That form can be found at https://secure.hostcompliance.com/greensboro-nc/tips/type.

Both options are available 24/7 every day of the year.

Complaints made will be recorded by a third-party vendor working for the City of Greensboro that will immediately contact the owner/operator of the Airbnb or other short-term rental service and make them aware of the problems at the property in question.

The owner/operator will then be expected to handle the situation from that point forward.

The owners and operators of Airbnb and other short-term rental residences have to have an approved zoning permit from the city for their property to legally rent out rooms or residences for a period of under 30 days.

Since the ordinance took effect earlier this year, the city has received 453 zoning permit applications, issued 382 permits and denied 47 applications.

Some of the rules that the city put on short-term rentals include the requirement to apply for a zoning permit, pay the application fee, and prominently place the permit inside the rental.

Some of the rules implemented at that time include the following:

  • Rentals are only allowed in residential dwelling units.
  • No more than one dwelling unit or 25 percent of dwelling units within a multifamily building can be used for a short-term rental.
  • A maximum of two adults are allowed per rented bedroom.
  • There can be no publicly announced or promoted events that “involve more than two times the number of guests that are allowed in a short-term rental.”
  • No exterior signs advertising a short-term rental are allowed.
  • Hosts of “whole house” short-term rentals must be located in Guilford County or a neighboring county. Also, the hosts must post their contact information in a prominent location within the rental space that is readily accessible throughout the rental period.
  • Parking is limited to one car per bedroom rented, and parking is also subject to any relevant community standards.

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