OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The city of Overland Park has dealt with two Airbnb shootings in the last year.
Now, the mayor and city council are ready to talk solutions, similar to what many surrounding cities have implemented in the past.
On April 4, Overland Park City Council will talk about whether to scratch short term rentals.
This comes after a shooting at a party in the 9700 block of West 145th Terrace that killed Sharell Holloman, a mother of eight.
"So it's important we have a conversation about what fits in our residential neighborhoods," Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog said Tuesday.
For example, the city of Leawood doesn't allow short term rentals, instead they require a minimum stay of 30 days.
Overland Park will consider that option and whether short term rentals are a benefit to the city.
"I think there can be, if they're managed correctly, but it's a matter of how many days and what the use is," Skoog said. "I don't think that party houses in middle of residential neighborhood make sense."
KSHB 41 News reached out to cities on both the Kansas and Missouri side in the metro about their short-term rental policies.
Out of those who got back with us, Roeland Park, Merriam, Lenexa, Kansas City, Missouri, Liberty and Independence have license and/or registration requirements.
Mission, Shawnee and Blue Springs don't.
"I would think, at minimum, we would require them to do rental registration like every other rental property if they're not currently following those registrations," Skoog said.
In May 2021, Overland Park police responded to a shots-fired call at an Airbnb property in the 6400 block of W 151st Place. No one was shot in that incident.
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