Lake Forest Association May Ban Short Term Rentals
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
August 10, 2025
DAPHNE Ala. Many residents of Lake Forest have voiced concerns in recent years about short-term rentals in their community.
Some say that the STR is causing decay of the area, and now the homeowner association is looking at possibly restricting anyone from leasing their home on a short-term lease.
Now, the Lake Forest subdivision in Daphne is considering new policies that would halt short-term rentals within the community.
Dr. Byrian Ramsey, president of the Lake Forest Homeowners Association, said through community feedback in the form of emails, online forums, and personal conversations, as well as in meetings with Daphne City Council, Lake Forest’s Board of Directors feels it is their responsibility to act in the best interest of its members. He said there are about 30 short-term rentals contracted within Lake Forest.
“Many residents have voiced concerns that STRs undermine the stable, residential character of Lake Forest,” Ramsey said. “Families choose this community because it offers a sense of neighborliness and consistency, and they fear that STRs bring a rotating door of guests who have no long-term commitment to our neighborhood.”
Concerns within the Lake Forest community regarding short-term rentals include its impact on property values and an unequal burden of accountability between Lake Forest residents and short-term rental residents, as they are not held to the same community standards as permanent residents, such as having to follow noise ordinances and amenity usages. Safety and security in the area has also been a frequently cited concern, with residents feeling uneasy with reports of unknown vehicles, unfamiliar individuals roaming the neighborhood, and an overall sense of increased vulnerability.
One resident stated that the STR do not take care of the property and treat the area more like a cheap motel. She said that she has raised concerns for more than two years.
Ramsey said the proposed change is not anti-renter, saying the board recognizes that responsible landlords can provide well-maintained homes to tenants who are an asset to the neighborhood. The new policy encourages longer-term rentals, with the policy itself redefining long-term rentals as six months or longer, as opposed to 12 months under the previous policy.
A vote on the proposed policy changes is scheduled to take place Aug. 28 in a special meeting between members, with an approval of 66-and-2/3% of those in attendance needed to move forward.
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