Bloomington cites 34 property owners using short-term stay options for violating housing code

The city's planning department sent a notice to the Bloomington Board of Realtors and Monroe County Apartment Association last Friday advising that 34 property owners within the city had been issued notices of violation for renting out part or all of their residences to visitors without the city's permission. 

The Herald-Times obtained a copy of this letter, as well as city confirmation, on Wednesday afternoon.

"This issue is one communities across the country are dealing with, as property owners are using internet sites such as Airbnb, Vrbo, Craigslist and other sites to advertise rooms or homes for vacation usage without properly coordinating their activities with local governments," planning department director Tom Micuda said in the letter.

City attorney Patricia Mulvihill wrote in an email to The Herald-Times on Wednesday that zero fines have been issued on this topic, and the notices were issued merely to alert residents of the problem.

The city has noted two common forms of violation through these sites: property owners or tenants leasing out part of their residence, and property owners leasing out entire facilities, similar to a vacation home format, according to Mulvihill.

The city's municipal code currently says only a hotel, motel, resort, vacation cabin rental, camping cabin or bed and breakfast falls within its definition of a "lodging establishment."