Daily Regulatory Notes 06/26/2025
Cities address STRs. Sacramento CA eyes owner-only STRs; Maui HI may axe 6k condos; Shaker Heights OH OKs <30-day ban; CA law shows cleaning fees; Cape Coral FL mulls $600 permit. READ MORE.
Facing a surge in absentee-owned listings, the city is weighing reforms to restore housing balance.
A staff proposal to the Law & Legislation Committee would: ban short-term rentals where the owner doesn’t live, allow only owners to apply, cap each person at one permit, and compel stronger data sharing from Airbnb and VRBO. It also lets an Accessory Dwelling Unit count as a primary residence if its owner lives on-site at least 184 days a year, making the ADU eligible for rental. Councilmember Roger Dickinson, citing traffic, noise, and party complaints, supports tighter controls but warns the ADU tweak could steer units away from long-term tenants.
Link to full document here🔗
The proposal is now heading to the full City Council.
Bill 9, set for a decisive Housing & Land Use Committee vote on July 2, would bar rentals under 180 days in apartment-zoned condos across Kihei, Wailea, Lahaina, Napili, and other South and West Maui areas, stripping thousands of currently legal units of their short-term permits.
Supporters cite a post-wildfire housing crisis, rising rents, and federal pressure (Maui received $1.6 billion in aid linked to zoning reform) as reasons to reclaim inventory for residents.
Opponents argue these complexes were never meant for full-time living; they warn of vacant units, plunging condo values, lost cleaning and maintenance jobs, and fewer mid-priced visitor options. Some owners have already pulled listings or posted warnings, leaving travelers uncertain about existing reservations. After months of hearings and heated testimony, the upcoming vote could redefine Maui’s balance between tourism lodging and long-term housing.
Dane Artisola
We also covered earlier news from Maui in this Daily Regulatory Notes! Read more here.
City Council has passed emergency legislation adding an explicit Housing Code ban on rentals of fewer than 30 days, clarifying a restriction previously found only in the zoning code. Law Director William Ondrey Gruber said the amendment resolves confusion after complaints about “party houses” and a Nov. 24 double-homicide at a mansion leased long-term. Rentals of 30 days or more remain legal with a certificate of occupancy and annual license, commonly used by visiting academics, medical staff, and patient families.
The ordinance was hurried through because pending state bills would forbid new municipal short-term-rental regulations while allowing existing bans to stand. Mayor David Weiss and council opposed the state measure in March; codifying the prohibition secures Shaker Heights’ rules and will be paired with public-awareness efforts.
California
- Assembly Bill 2202 forces short-term-rental platforms to display all cleaning fees and penalties before booking; violators face fines up to $10,000 and must disclose any guest cleaning tasks.
- Senate Bill 1217 compels pet-insurance providers to detail why premiums rise (age, location, etc.) and to spell out waiting periods, exam rules, and exclusions.
- Assembly Bill 2863 mandates a “click-to-cancel” option for subscription services and yearly reminders with price and cancellation information.
Health measures expand coverage:
- Senate Bill 729 requires most insurers to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF, with religious-employer exemptions and a delayed start for CalPERS (July 2027).
- For students, Senate Bill 1063 orders middle- and high-school ID cards to display the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and permits QR codes linking to local mental-health resources.
City inspectors have flagged hundreds of short-term rentals advertised for stays shorter than the city’s required week, intensifying debate over oversight. Council member Jennifer Nelson-Lastra, who leads a task force on the issue, said Cape Coral relies on vacation homes because hotels are scarce. The panel is considering raising the annual permit fee from $35 to $600—a move some residents label “outrageous”—and studying Sanibel’s tiered system, which caps fees at $300.
Nelson-Lastra backs strict enforcement, asserting that non-compliant rentals operate as businesses that should be “shut down” after a magistrate’s order. Summer meetings will shape new guidelines and explore greater support for law-enforcement and code officers who monitor listings and complaints.
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