A legislative victory in Nashville Airbnb case

August 18, 2016 | By CALEB TROTTER

Last month, PLF filed an amicus brief supporting the Anderson family and their right to advertise and rent out their Nashville home via Airbnb. One of the issues addressed in the brief is Nashville’s ban on signs that advertise a home’s availability as a short-term rental. The Andersons wanted to place a small, temporary sign in their yard during a popular Nashville weekend festival in the neighborhood, and put a small sticker in the window next to their front door to alert their guests that they found the correct home. Unfortunately, they were informed by the Nashville Metro government that the signs were not allowed. Believing that the sign ban was an unconstitutional violation of their First Amendment rights, the Andersons sued.

In a nice development, this week, the Metro Council unanimously voted to repeal the unconstitutional sign ban. The Andersons, and everyone else in Nashville, are now free to place signs and advertise their home’s short-term rental availablity just like other property owners can advertise that their home is for sale or for rent long-term. While there are other unconstitutional aspects of Nashville’s short-term rental ordinances that remain, those issues will be addressed in the pending lawsuit. Congratulations to the Andersons, other Nashville property owners, and the Beacon Center for this victory.