Daily Regulatory Notes 05/05/2026
Cities address STRs. Schenectady County, NY launches mandatory online registry; Orange County, CA ramps up enforcements; Austin, TX reports enforcement; Craig, CO approves ordinance; Jamaica Beach, TX partially blocks ordinance; Viroqua, WI; Huntsville, AL. READ MORE
Schenectady County has launched a mandatory online registry for short-term rental operators, requiring all hosts to register and obtain a Certificate of Authority in order to legally collect and remit occupancy taxes.
The system, developed in response to a 2024 New York State law, introduces monthly reporting requirements with payments due by the 20th, aiming to standardize compliance and improve tax collection. Officials say the portal will streamline administration while supporting oversight of rentals defined as stays under 30 days.
Austin officials report early success from a major overhaul of short-term rental regulations, with increased compliance and rising hotel occupancy tax revenue following stricter rules adopted in 2025.
The city shifted to a business licensing model and imposed new requirements on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, including listing verification, removal of unlicensed properties, and tax collection responsibilities, targeting widespread noncompliance. Additional measures, including a new licensing system launching May 18 and platform verification requirements starting July 1, signal continued efforts to strengthen oversight.
Craig City Council has approved a new short-term rental ordinance establishing a basic regulatory framework focused on registration, marking the city’s first formal step toward tracking STR activity.
The policy allows rentals in all zoning districts with no cap on licenses, but requires inspections and a local responsible contact, while keeping fees minimal to encourage compliance. Officials emphasized the ordinance as a starting point that can be expanded as the market grows, though residents raised concerns about potential future housing and neighborhood impacts based on experiences in similar communities.
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Cities across Orange County are ramping up short-term rental regulations ahead of the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, with new rules and enforcement measures targeting neighborhood impacts and compliance.
Placentia has adopted stricter controls including permit caps, guest limits, spacing requirements, and a two-night minimum stay, while Brea is significantly increasing fines—up to $5,000 for repeat violations—to strengthen enforcement under a pilot program. These updates follow pressure from the OC Grand Jury to improve oversight, tax collection, and regulation of STRs, even as some cities face legal setbacks like Santa Ana’s overturned ban.
A federal judge has partially blocked enforcement of Jamaica Beach’s new short-term rental ordinance, preventing the city from applying rules that restrict how first-floor space below flood elevation can be counted or advertised in occupancy calculations.
Government Websites by CivicPlus®While siding with property owners on that issue, the court upheld most of the ordinance, including occupancy caps, insurance requirements, and enforcement provisions, finding they are tied to public safety and nuisance concerns. For now, the injunction applies to specific plaintiffs, while the rest of the city’s STR framework remains in effect.
Housing officials are proposing new short-term rental restrictions that would limit rentals under seven days to 210 days per year and explore caps on the total number of permits issued.
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The Housing Advisory Board says the measures are intended to address concerns that short-term rentals are reducing long-term housing availability and is also considering higher fees for multi-property and non-local operators. Enforcement would rely on annual reporting, tax compliance, and complaint-based violations.
The City of Huntsville has filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down several short-term rental properties allegedly operating in residential zones where such uses are prohibited.
According to the complaint, Casago International and entities operating as Patriot Family Homes managed multiple properties in residential districts despite zoning rules restricting short-term rentals to designated commercial and high-density areas. City officials also allege the operators failed to obtain required business licenses and did not remit the city’s 9% lodging tax and nightly surcharge.
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Work continues at the Capitol! I’ve been appointed to the joint committee for SB 1066 & 1088, which focuses on property tax classifications and short-term rental regulations. https://t.co/tmAlEss5Hn pic.twitter.com/nnnKAJBPkK
— State Representative Tiffany Price (@PriceforMO) May 4, 2026
A woman was killed and two people were injured in an early morning shooting May 3, 2026, at a short-term rental house in the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood in north Indianapolis. It's raised safety concerns and prompted calls for stricter policies and oversight of short-term… pic.twitter.com/OnlbMHZe0T
— WISH-TV News (@WISHNews8) May 4, 2026
Starting in August, vacation rental owners in Anchorage will no longer be allowed to post or advertise listings without a city-administered registration number. https://t.co/kqBwp1DSLv
— Anchorage Daily News (@adndotcom) May 4, 2026
Birmingham enacts moratorium on short-term rentals, urges more regulations https://t.co/NGxMUddxeb
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) May 4, 2026
Richardson halts new short-term rentals ahead of World Cup surge
— Collin Chronicles (@CollinChronicle) May 3, 2026
City approves 90-day moratorium on new STR permits amid resident complaints.
Read more: https://t.co/b6qkey0QV6#Richardson #RealEstate #ShortTermRentals #Texas pic.twitter.com/vEf9Zbhq2G
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