Wichita Standard

Short Term Rentals - Policy Updates for Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.

What is a Short Term Rental?

The definition for a Short Term Rental typically means "the practice of renting out a furnished room, suite, home, apartment or dwelling unit for a short-term stay."

Although Wichita has seen a significant increase in the number of Short-Term Rental (STR) properties being offered through Airbnb, Vrbo, and other similar online platforms over the past few years, the City of Wichita Unified Zoning Code (UZC) does not specifically identify or define STRs as a land use.

According to Granicus, the number of unique STR units in Wichita increased from 337 units in April of 2021 to 442 units in February of 2022. Short Term Rentals are not permitted in the unincorporated Sedgwick County. Based on the UZC, there are generally three options for how a Short Term Rental can be legally operated in the City.

Possible Changes

In response to public comments and requests about this rapidly evolving industry, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Planning Department has been researching best practices in other communities and exploring changes to how Short Term Rental properties are regulated.

The possible changes consist of the following elements:

updates to the Unified Zoning Code

a new short-term rentals licensing program

a new section of the Wichita Municipal Code to address party houses

Visit Wichita.gov/STR to learn more about the proposed changes. Draft copies of these proposed changes are also attached below. 

Let Us Know What You Think

The Wichita-Sedgwick County Planning Department would like to hear residents’ thoughts and concerns about Short Term Rentals and what changes (if any) the City should put in place to regulate them.

Planning Department staff will be presenting information on these topics at upcoming District Advisory Board meetings (schedule listed below).

December 5th - District Advisory Board I

December 7th - District Advisory Board III

December 12th - District Advisory Board II

January 4th - District Advisory Board V

January 9th - District Advisory Board VI

February 6th - District Advisory Board IV

Please note: this a process to determine whether regulations and/or changes to the Unified Zoning Code are a good fit for Wichita. Draft documents are subject to change.

Original source can be found here.