Daily Regulatory Notes 06/16/2025
Cities address STRs. North Carolina refines enforcement; West Fargo, ND advances proposal; Roswell, GA approves new rules; Seaside Heights, NJ tightens enforcement; Burlington, VT enforces restrictions; Columbia, SC approves moratorium; Chicago, IL; Union, ME. READ MORE.
Every day, we bring you a detailed overview of recent news and updates about primary decisions, community feedback, or legislative changes relevant to the short-term rental industry. 📰
North Carolina
Starting July 1, North Carolina will require Airbnb, Vrbo property managers, and hotel staff to undergo human trafficking training, report suspected activity, and post awareness signage.
The law applies to new vacation rentals listed after July 1, 2025, and existing ones by June 30, 2027, with biannual training renewals. Fines for noncompliance range from $500 to $2,000. The move responds to trafficking concerns, especially in STRs and hotels near highways, and has been welcomed by many in the lodging industry.
West Fargo city commissioners are advancing a proposed ordinance that would tighten local rules on short-term rentals, including a key provision limiting eligibility to primary residences.
The measure passed its first reading by a narrow 3-2 margin after the primary residence requirement—previously removed—was reinserted amid debate. A final decision is pending, with some commissioners urging a slower approach to better understand usage patterns and impacts.
Roswell’s City Council unanimously approved new rules for short-term rentals, requiring Airbnb and VRBO hosts to register with the city and undergo annual safety inspections like commercial buildings starting Jan. 1.
Operators must provide 24/7 emergency contact access, and the program will be funded through existing hotel/motel taxes. Councilwoman Sarah Beeson, who introduced the measure, said the goal is safety, not restriction—highlighting that, unlike Alpharetta, Roswell won’t cap the number of rentals.
After a violent and overcrowded Memorial Day weekend that overwhelmed local police and resulted in 98 short-term rental law violations, Seaside Heights is moving swiftly to tighten enforcement.
New rules include a backpack ban, earlier boardwalk closures, and up to $2,000 fines for unlicensed STR operators or overcrowded rentals. Officials are also raising the rental age to 21 during prom season and considering further limits, with final votes coming June 18.
The Vermont Supreme Court has limited how Burlington short-term rental owners can challenge a 2022 ordinance restricting STRs to owner-occupied lots. A group of 12 hosts argued their properties should be exempt, but the high court upheld a lower court decision that civil court wasn’t the proper venue.
Read the Vermont Supreme Court's full decision here.
Now, the case moves to environmental court, where it’s unclear if zoning laws allow the challenge. Meanwhile, the city has paused enforcement on some rules as legal proceedings continue.
STRisker Documents Dashboard
Finding the right compliance documents shouldn’t feel like searching for a needle in a haystack - STRisker’s Documents is built to simplify your life, offering instant access to hundreds of thousands of documents from thousands of cities across the US.
Genelaine Urbano
Continuation from Daily Notes 06/11/2025,,,
Columbia’s city council has approved a one-year freeze on new short-term rental permits after a shooting at an Airbnb reignited neighborhood concerns over safety and enforcement.
The moratorium excludes current STR permits and renewals but aims to give city leaders time to review the impact of rentals, especially in areas like Elmwood Park where complaints have grown. Critics say the city’s point-based nuisance system isn’t being applied consistently, while longtime hosts argue they maintain safe, well-managed properties. Residents are urging stricter enforcement of existing rules before more STRs are allowed into their communities.
The Chicago City Council's License and Consumer Protection Committee has advanced a controversial ordinance that would give aldermen sweeping new authority to block short-term rentals by precinct, bypassing the current petition process that requires community approval.
The change is being driven by growing concerns over noise, parties, and tenant disruption, especially in densely populated buildings. Airbnb has pushed back strongly, framing the ordinance as a threat to property rights and local incomes.
Union voters rejected a proposed short-term rental ordinance during their June 10 Town Meeting, voting 295 to 257 against a measure that would have required registration and town inspections.
The ordinance was among four proposals turned down at the ballot box, with voters expressing hesitations about new regulatory requirements.
In case you missed it:
Genelaine Urbano
READ: Weekly Regulatory Briefing (24)
👍 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.