The worst Airbnb experience anyone has ever had was portrayed in the fictional film Barbarthat came out in 2022; however, in 2024, there are plenty of people in Greensboro who have their own horror stories to tell because their neighbors rent their homes short-term to Airbnb customers who are sometimes loud, cause a neighborhood ruckus, throw large parties, or otherwise prove to be a nuisance.

In April, the City of Greensboro enacted new regulations – such as limiting occupancy, limiting the number of cars parked in front of Airbnb homes, and other measures. This was an attempt to get a handle on the problem, and this week the City of Greensboro announced a new weapon to effectively deal with the problems with Airbnb and other “short-term rental” services. The city now offers a hotline where residents can report problems caused by short-term rentals in their neighborhood.

You can now report a problem like this by calling 336-387-6137.

In addition, individuals experiencing reduced hours in their area can also submit a report using an online form. The form can be found at https://secure.hostcompliance.com/greensboro-nc/tips/type.

Both options are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Complaints submitted are collected by a third party vendor working for the City of Greensboro who will promptly contact the owner/operator of the Airbnb or other short-term rental service and alert them to the issues at the property in question.

The owner/operator is then expected to get the situation under control from this point onwards.

Owners and operators of Airbnb and other short-term rental properties must have an approved city zoning permit for their property in order to legally rent rooms or accommodations for periods of less than 30 days.

Since the ordinance went into effect earlier this year, the city has received 453 applications for building permits, granted 382 permits and denied 47 applications.

The city’s regulations for short-term rentals include the requirement to apply for a building permit, pay the application fee, and display the permit in a prominent place in the rental property.

The rules introduced at that time include the following:

• Rental is only permitted in residential units.
• A maximum of one residential unit or 25 percent of the residential units within an apartment building may be used for short-term rentals.
• A maximum of two adults are allowed per rented bedroom.
• No publicly announced or advertised events may take place “with more than twice the number of guests permitted for a short-term rental.”
• Outdoor signs advertising short-term rentals are not permitted.
• Hosts of short-term whole-home rentals must be residents of Guilford County or a neighboring county. Additionally, hosts must post their contact information in a prominent location within the rental space that is easily accessible throughout the rental period.
• Parking is limited to one car per rented bedroom and is subject to all relevant community standards.