Daily Regulatory Notes 05/21/2026

Salem Lakes, WI

Salem Lakes officials are moving toward new short-term rental regulations after the village board unanimously directed staff and legal counsel to begin drafting potential Airbnb rules following complaints about neighborhood disruptions, party houses and safety concerns.

Salem Lakes Democrats Begin Push For Airbnb Restrictions, Unanimously Approve Ordinance Effort - Kenosha County Eye

SALEM LAKES, Wis. — Salem Lakes officials unanimously voted Tuesday night to begin pursuing what could become broad new restrictions on Airbnb and other short-term rental properties, directing Village Attorney Remzy Bitar — whose legal services bill the village at hundreds of dollars per hour — to begin developing options and possible ordinance language that […]

Kenosha County EyeKevin Mathewson

Officials discussed a wide range of possible measures, including local permits, registration requirements, occupancy limits, annual well testing, smoke detector verification and even a minimum 30-day stay requirement that could significantly affect weekend rentals.

Kansas City, MO

Kansas City-area governments are temporarily relaxing and adjusting short-term rental rules ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup as cities prepare for an expected surge in visitors during June and July.

Independence removed caps on the number of short-term rentals and eliminated limits on how many listings one host can operate, while Kansas City, Missouri, reduced permit costs from $200 to $50 through July 31 to encourage more operators to register and collect occupancy taxes.

Bakersfield, CA

Kern County officials are weighing a possible increase to the transient occupancy tax on hotels and short-term rentals, but early feedback shows overwhelming opposition from lodging operators in unincorporated areas.

County staff said a proposed increase to the long-standing 6% hotel tax could generate nearly $4 million in additional annual revenue, though about 98% of surveyed hotel, motel and Airbnb operators said they oppose the idea, citing weak tourism demand, rising operating costs and concerns that rural travelers are especially price-sensitive.

Fort Myers, FL

Fort Myers Beach officials are stepping up enforcement of the town’s short-term vacation rental registration ordinance by sending warning letters to property owners who could not be verified as compliant under local rules.

The Community Development Department said the town is first seeking voluntary compliance and giving owners time to complete the registration process before stronger enforcement measures begin. Town staff will conduct follow-up reviews starting June 5, and owners who remain unregistered after that date are being urged to contact the town to avoid possible penalties or additional action. Officials also noted that enforcement measures could extend beyond property owners to include operators, rental agents, guests or others connected to properties found violating the ordinance.

Registration can be completed online at fmbgov.com/STR.

Social Listening 🎧: Podcast

Policy talk doesn’t just happen in the news cycle—it can also live in long-form audio. STRisker’s Podcast Signal turns hours of episodes into actionable insight, indexing transcripts so you can surface key mentions of STRs, ordinances, and local decision-makers in seconds.

Create Your Watchlist - 14 Day Free Trial

Laketown Township, MI

Laketown Township has approved a new short-term rental ordinance that significantly limits where Airbnb- and Vrbo-style rentals can operate, including a ban on renting entire standalone homes in residential zoning districts.

Under the rules, homeowners in residential areas may still rent attached rooms or accessory dwellings if they live on the property, while mixed-use districts will allow only one short-term rental unit per property and agricultural zones will prohibit short-term rentals entirely. The ordinance also introduces occupancy-related visitor caps, limiting the number of additional guests allowed on a property unless a special use approval is granted. The new rules take effect May 26 and replace a temporary moratorium on new short-term rentals, while existing approved operators will be allowed to continue under prior conditions.

DeKalb County, GA

DeKalb County has officially launched its short-term rental program, requiring all Airbnb-style operators in unincorporated areas to obtain a Short-Term Rental License within 30 days as part of a new countywide compliance effort.

Short-Term Rentals: DeKalb County

Short-Term Rentals in Unincorporated DeKalb County All citizens planning to operate their property as a short-term rental must apply for a STR license before advertising on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO and others. This is required by local law. LINK TO

Engage DeKalb

Under the program, short-term rentals are defined as any lodging or accommodation rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days, including listings on platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com. Starting May 20, 2026, owners and operators must apply through a dedicated STR portal rather than the county’s general permitting system, as officials move to centralize oversight and tracking of the growing sector.

Delta County, MI

Ford River Township moves forward with a new short-term rental (STR) regulatory framework after a lengthy public process involving residents, planners, and CUPPAD advisors, aiming to preserve residential character while setting enforceable standards for compliance and safety.

Short-Term Rental rules passed in Ford River

A township meeting on Monday night lasted just over three hours and brought upwards of 70 residents interested in matters on the agenda. Two items were around the contentious topic of short-term rentals (STRs). Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo allow homeowners to rent out houses, rooms, accessory dwelling units and other living […]

Daily Press

The adopted ordinance defines STRs, establishes certification and inspection requirements, and allows enforcement against unpermitted operations, but stops short of limiting where STRs can operate or capping their number. A separate zoning amendment that would have restricted STR locations narrowly failed, reflecting ongoing division over whether STRs should be treated as commercial uses in residential districts.

📱 Social Buzz

Episode Title: DeepMind's Singularity Foothills, OpenAI's IPO, and AI Fraud: A Tech Revolution Unfolds
Episode: AI in Marketing

Listen:https://share.transistor.fm/s/d893e17f

In case you missed it:

🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Bowling Green, OH

Bowling Green Adopts First Short‑Term Rental Ordinance: New rules require registration, inspections, and hotel‑motel tax payments

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsGenelaine Urbano

Daily Regulatory Notes 05/20/2026

Cities address STRs. Charlottesville, VA reevaluates proposed ordinance; Bowling Green, OH approves ordinance; Greenville, NC and Hermosa Beach, CA review enforcement; Wellfleet, MA adopts bylaw. READ MORE.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsGenelaine Urbano

👍 We’d love your feedback.
Which stories hit? Which ones missed?

We're constantly refining Daily Notes to make it even more useful for you.

✉️ Just reply directly to this email. We read and respond to every message!

-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading Daily Notes? Feel free to forward this along. We’re opening a few more spots.