Tuscaloosa does not require an on-site host, but its short-term rental operating procedures require that the name and phone number of a local responsible party be posted at the rental and that this contact answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to problems, complaints, and emergencies.
Tuscaloosa's short-term rental rules rely on a 24/7 local-contact requirement rather than a live-in host mandate. Under the City's operating procedures, the name and phone number of a local responsible party must be posted at the rental, and that party must answer calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to problems or complaints. This designated contact functions as the point of accountability for noise, parking, trash, and emergency issues, which is especially important during University of Alabama game-day weekends when many owners are absentee. The City's official STR page reiterates that 'there must be a contact available 24/7 for the rental property in case of emergencies.' There is no published requirement that the owner physically reside at or be present during a guest's stay. The 24/7 contact obligation works alongside the City's insurance and inspection requirements: the City must be listed as an 'additional interested party' on the policy, and operators must comply fully with building and fire codes verified at inspection. Where a property is approved by special exception, the Zoning Board of Adjustment may add further conditions governing management and responsiveness.
Failing to post a local responsible party's name and phone number, or failing to maintain a contact who actually answers calls 24/7 to respond to problems and complaints, breaches the City's short-term rental operating procedures and the license conditions. Unresponsiveness to repeated emergencies or complaints can jeopardize the license and any special-exception approval.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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Tuscaloosa has a five-stage water conservation plan (Sec. 16-36) tied to Lake Tuscaloosa levels and demand. In Stage 2, irrigation is limited to two days a w...
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Tuscaloosa Code Sec. 13-67 bars allowing weeds, grass, or kudzu over 12 inches, or letting vines, underbrush, downed trees, or limbs become overgrown so as t...
See how Tuscaloosa's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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