(Michigan City, IN) - Short term rentals in Michigan City will have to be registered.  The city council passed an ordinance requiring vacation home rentals register with the city by a 5 to 4 vote last night.  The action is in response to complaints such as loud noise coming from short term rental homes.

Councilman Don Pryzbylinski questioned the need and said the police department Is already busy enough handling more serious matters.  “Last year, we had eight murders in Michigan City. This year, we’ve had I believe two.  Shootings are on the way up.  I think the police department has better things to deal with than to worry about making sure an Airbnb is registered,” he said.

Supporters of the ordinance say short term rentals having to register will allow laws governing things like noise to be better enforced because the names of the property owners are on record and they can be contacted easier to make the corrections.

Councilman Sean Fitzpatrick alleged the ordinance is a form of discrimination by singling out certain homeowners using their properties to subsidize their incomes.