Stricter Short-Term Rental Regulations Up For Alexandria City Council Review

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Short-term rental hosts and guests could be faced with stricter guidelines in Alexandria if approved by the city council.

On Feb. 22, Alexandria City Council will receive a proposal on new regulations for short-term rentals. Short-term rentals refer to rooms of homes rented to a person for less than 30 days. These types of rentals are permitted in the city with guidelines. The new proposed guidelines would continue to allow short-term rentals with new policies on occupancy, parties and events, parking, accessory dwelling units, complaint resolutions, permit applications and neighbor notifications.

According to a city staff report, monthly short-term rental listings have ranged from 575 to 735. There are five companies renting multiple units — Mint House with 24 units at Bell Old Town Apartments (750 Thronton Way) Sonder renting 16 units at Kasa Del Ray Apartments (2415 Mt. Vernon Ave.); a private owner renting 16 units in various locations; Vector Travel renting 11 units at Arrive Alexandria Apartments (240 Yoakum Pkwy); and a private owner renting eight units at 116 N. St. Asaph and 118 N. Alfred St.

The city has received 62 complaints over the years about short-term rentals since 2018, with 32 reported in 2024 alone. Complaints submitted through the city's 311 system between 2018 and 2024 included parking issues, noise from parties, a child urinating in the front yard, guests yelling in the front yard in the early morning, trash bins being left out or overflowing and more. At the Alexandria Planning Commission public hearing, several neighbors living near short-term rentals described issues with parking, noise and large parties.

On occupancy, city staff are proposing limiting the rentals to two people per bedroom plus two additional people at all times. That limit excludes children 3 and under. No more than 10 people would be permitted in any short-term rental, regardless of bedrooms.

Some residents have requested a ban on large gatherings to mitigate noise and parking issues. City staff say the proposed occupancy limit would apply to gatherings. For rentals in commercial, office and mixed-use zones, events beyond the occupancy limit would only be allowed if events are permitted as an accessory to the short-term rental use. Renters would also need to follow rules on hours, delivery and pickup hours, outdoor food and materials storage, and trash removal.

On parking, city staff propose creating parking minimums. Rentals in an enhanced transit area zone would need to provide one parking space for one bedroom, two parking spaces for two or three bedrooms, three spaces for four bedrooms and four spaces for five bedrooms. Those outside the transit area would have to provide no spaces for one bedroom and one space for two, three, four and five bedrooms.

That number is calculated by a requirement of 0.75 parking spaces per bedroom in non-transit areas and 0.25 spaces in transit areas. Fractional numbers 0.5 and above are rounded up to the next whole number. The guidelines would be above the residential parking requirement of 0.5 spaces per dwelling unit and hotel requirement of 0.2 spaces in transit areas and 0.25 spaces in non-transit areas.

On accessory dwelling units, city staff propose removing a 120-day limit per year on using accessory dwelling units as a short-term rental. However, the city proposes banning use of the main home and accessory dwelling unit as a short-term rental listing at the same time.

Other regulations would address guest behavior and complaints. City staff are proposing that short-term rental operators provide a "good neighbor guide" to guests. The guide would inform guests of rules to respect neighbors, including occupancy limits, 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. quiet hours, a request to keep noise levels to a minimum at all times, following proper trash and pet waste disposal, parking rules and locations, and local transit information.

To address complaints, city staff propose having operators or their property managers be available by phone 24/7 to address complaints. The city would require a quick response within one hour on quality of life violations like occupancy, large parties or events and noise ordinance violations.

The city is also proposing a short-term residential permit application for properties used more than 10 days per year as short-term rentals. The owner would need to provide contact information, if the property is owner occupied, occupancy, parking locations, and more. Operators who run a rental without a permit and receive two zoning citations would not be able to apply for a short-term rental permit for one year.

Operators would also be required to notify neighbors of their intent to create a short-term rental. The Alexandria Planning Commission recommended an expanded notification requirement to properties within a 100-foot radius. City staff are proposing notification to just abutting properties.

City staff are not proposing any new guidelines on noise but say city code regulates noise. Similarly, trash and recycling is covered under city code, but city staff are proposing short-term rental operators post information about waste disposal.