Oak Park Places Six-Month Moratorium on New Short Term Rentals
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Sept. 7, 2026)
Oak Park, MI — The City of Oak Park has approved a six-month moratorium on issuing new licenses for short-term rentals as city officials take a closer look at how those properties should be regulated. They’re also looking for resident input through an online survey.
The moratorium, approved by City Council on Aug. 17, applies to properties being rented for 30 days or less. The decision follows a recent shooting that took place at a short term rental, along with an ongoing review of short term rental activity and concerns about the impact of transient rentals on residential neighborhoods.
On Aug. 3, Oak Park Public Safety responded to reports of multiple gunshots at a short term rental on Coolidge Highway. They arrived to find an 18-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man dead at the scene. At least two other individuals were taken to the hospital with injuries.
The City has not released additional details, saying the matter remains an active criminal investigation, though they do ask that anyone with information contact Oak Park Public Safety at 248-691-7520.
Oak Park currently does not have a separate licensing category specifically for short term rentals. Instead, short term rentals have historically been regulated under the same provisions that apply to other rental properties. Those regulations, outlined in Chapter 18 of the City Code, include registration, licensing and inspections every two years or when there is a change in tenancy.
Director of Communications & Public Information Brittany Toth said the moratorium will give staff time to review the current system, research professional planning practices, and determine whether short term rentals need additional requirements.
“The moratorium was adopted to provide time for the City to evaluate whether additional regulations specific to short-term rentals are needed to support public safety, neighborhood stability, and quality of life,” Toth said.
The city does not currently have a precise count of how many short term rentals (STRs) are operating in Oak Park. Because they have not historically been tracked separately from other rental properties, Municipal Services and Code Enforcement staff are now reviewing property records to determine the extent of short-term rental activity.
Oak Park also does not currently use a third-party service to identify unlicensed short-term rentals.
There are several companies that offer software and services to local governments to help identify and monitor STRs. These systems can scan online rental platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, identify properties being advertised as short-term rentals, and compare those listings with municipal licensing and property records. Some services can also provide information such as rental addresses, listing activity, screenshots and other documentation that can help a municipality determine whether a property is properly registered or operating in violation of local regulations. For example, Royal Oak issued a request for proposals in 2025 for short-term rental management and compliance software and later approved an agreement with Deckard Technologies for short-term rental engagement. Other companies, including Granicus’ Host Compliance, offer similar services.
The moratorium does not shut down existing short term rentals. Existing STR landlords that are currently compliant with Oak Park’s general rental requirements and inspection schedules are permitted to continue operating.
The city is now asking residents to weigh in as it considers what future regulations should look like.
Residents can complete the city’s Short Term Rental Policy Survey through Oct. 15. Resident feedback will be used in developing the long-term approach that will eventually be brought back to City Council.
“Most importantly, we need to hear directly from our residents,” Toth said. “Your feedback will directly guide the long-term approach we bring back to Council to keep our neighborhoods safe, strong, and stable.”
Oak Park’s review comes as the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office has also taken a closer look at short-term rental safety.
In June, Prosecutor Karen McDonald released a set of Short-Term Rental Safety and Accountability Best Practices after shootings at short-term rentals in Birmingham and Hazel Park earlier this year. The Birmingham shooting occurred April 11 at a short term rental on East Lincoln Street after a party, while the May 29 shooting at a short-term rental in Hazel Park occurred during what police described as an after-prom party and left one person dead and another injured.
The recommendations include verifying the identity of guests, prohibiting parties and events, establishing occupancy limits, using exterior security cameras and noise-monitoring technology, requiring a local person to respond to complaints, screening reservations for potential problems, and maintaining registration and licensing with local authorities. The guidelines are not legally binding, but McDonald said they are intended to provide a framework for municipalities and responsible landlords as they consider ways to keep neighborhoods safe.
Click here to complete the Oak Park STR survey.
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