Bay St. Louis, MS – August 21, 2024 – The Bay St. Louis City Council passed a short-term rental ordinance at its August 20, 2024 meeting.

The ordinance requires short-term rentals to be registered with the City of Bay St. Louis. This registration process ensures that properties meet city standards and undergo regular inspections. The new measure aims to protect guests and neighbors while creating a fair regulatory framework for landlords and operators.

The ordinance places an emphasis on transparency by ensuring that the locations of short-term rental properties are known, while also protecting renters and providing mechanisms to avoid potential nuisances to neighbors. This balance protects our community and our guests without violating the rights of property owners.

Mayor Mike Favre noted, “Short-term rentals have been instrumental in strengthening our local economy and helping Bay St. Louis develop into the award-winning, thriving community it is today. Bay St. Louis recognizes the important role these rentals play in filling the gap created by limited hotel and motel accommodations. This ordinance is designed to ensure that property owners, visitors and neighbors are protected. This is not about restricting short-term rentals, but about creating a legal framework that will uphold our standards and keep Bay St. Louis a premier coastal destination for residents and visitors.”

The City of Bay St. Louis will begin accepting applications for short-term rental registration on Tuesday, October 1. The application will be available on the Bay St. Louis website in mid-September.