Resident warns ADU rules and short-term rentals are shrinking Bowling Green's long-term housing supply

During the public hearing on Ordinance 9365, Rev Drain, who gave his address for the record, said short-term rentals and rental-property prevalence in Bowling Green have increased since 2023 and are disadvantaging residents seeking long-term housing or homeownership.

"I'm concerned with the prevalence ... of rental properties in Bowling Green and the increase ... since the zoning code read in 2023 in short-term rentals," Rev Drain said. He estimated the number of short-term rentals had risen "nearly twofold," further characterizing the growth as "somewhere between by a third and a half." He argued that ADUs used as short-term rentals remove housing that otherwise might be available to residents who want to live and work in the city long-term and keep children in local schools.

Committee members acknowledged the concern but emphasized this hearing focused on a narrow code fix; they urged that broader housing-policy choices and enforcement resources be examined in a more expansive public process. The committee did not verify the numerical estimate provided by the commenter during the hearing.