As Columbia votes to restrict Airbnbs, this Midlands city is following suit
On the same night that the Columbia city council voted to bar any new Airbnbs and other short-term rentals in most of the city’s neighborhoods, another Midlands city considered its own set of new regulations.
The city of West Columbia will temporarily halt the issuance of any new business licenses for short-term rentals while the city council determines what new regulations it will set, Mayor Tem Miles told The State following a Tuesday night meeting.
“Our concern is a potential heavy influx of short-term rentals ... since Columbia has blocked them, we’re worried about demand over here,” Miles said. The city of around 18,000 sits just across the Congaree River from the state’s capital city.
West Columbia city council members discussed the topic, couched as receipt of legal advice related to short-term rentals, during a closed-door executive session that lasted a little over an hour. The council voted to adopt a resolution regarding amendments to the zoning ordinances that regulate short-term rentals homes like Airbnbs. It tacked on a pending ordinance doctrine, which gives it the ability to immediately pause the issuance of permits while it determines the new regulations.
Officials targeted short-term rentals as a council priority in May 2025, according to city documents. The plans included collecting data on how many short-term rentals the city had and what their impact was, adding a dedicated staff position to ensure oversight of the homes and developing new regulations.
West Columbia joins Columbia in addressing concerns over Airbnbs. The city of Columbia had initially passed rules around Airbnbs in 2023, allowing them to operate if they obtained a permit. With Tuesday’s vote, the Columbia City Council effectively banned new short-term rentals.
The decision, which followed months of public debate, came after a June 6 shooting an Elmwood Park Airbnb left one teenager dead and injured three others.
The city of West Columbia isn’t likely to have a fully fleshed-out plan by its next council meeting in February, Miles said.
“I’d hate to even say how long. We’re essentially at a starting point with this regulation.”
State reporter Morgan Hughes contributed to this story.
