Daily Regulatory Notes 10/09/2025
Cities address STRs. Tybee Island, GA schedules election; Lewisville, TX votes to raise permit cap; San Francisco, CA calls for Airbnb boycott; Nantucket, MA schedules vote; Port Aransas, TX weighs HOT increase; Reno, NV approves ordinance; Northern Mariana Islands modernizes tax. READ MORE.
Tybee Island’s upcoming City Council election is shaping up to be a referendum on short-term vacation rentals. During a Tuesday candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia and Forever Tybee, residents packed the room to hear six contenders debate the future of local housing and tourism.
Incumbent Bill Garbett called STRs a growing threat to neighborhood life, saying they “take the neighbor out of neighborhood,” while fellow councilmember Michael “Spec” Hosti countered that many homeowners rely on rentals to offset high property taxes. New candidates Jim Harrah and Nicholas Hale both voiced concern for full-time residents, saying current rules don’t do enough to protect long-term housing. Early voting starts Oct. 14, with Election Day set for Nov. 4.
Lewisville’s short-term rental market is poised for growth after the City Council voted 4–3 on Oct. 6 to raise the citywide permit cap from 130 to 150. The decision comes with new regulations on inspections, spacing, and occupancy, following a yearlong pause on new STR permits in 2024 while officials studied community impacts.
The updated ordinance also clarifies occupancy limits based on bedroom count and establishes reinspection fees to recover city costs. Mayor TJ Gilmore, who cast the deciding vote, expressed caution about overwhelming city staff but said the council could revisit the numbers later.
San Francisco labor unions, housing advocates, and city officials are calling for a boycott of Airbnb over its lawsuit seeking a $120 million business tax refund.
Announced outside Airbnb’s headquarters, the campaign accuses the company of draining city resources during a major budget deficit. Supervisor Connie Chan criticized Airbnb for refusing to “pay its fair share,” while organizers urged hosts to remove listings and travelers to avoid the platform. Critics also cited Airbnb’s past role in worsening the city’s housing crisis. Airbnb says it pays its taxes and attributes the dispute to a misclassification by city officials.
The Nantucket Planning Board is set to vote Thursday on whether to endorse one of two short-term rental (STR) proposals for the November 4 Special Town Meeting.
The first, a citizen petition from charter boat captain Brian Borgeson, would allow STRs throughout the island without additional restrictions, except in areas zoned “commercial-industrial” near the airport. The second, proposed by Planning Board chair Dave Iverson, introduces new limits: a 70-day annual cap, including 49 days during the June 15–August 31 peak season, a seven-day minimum stay, and no more than seven occupancy changes in that period. Hosted stays, where the operator lives on-site, would be exempt.
Port Aransas voters will weigh a proposed 2% increase to the city’s hotel occupancy tax in the November 4 election, raising the overall rate from 13% to 15% for hotels and short-term rentals.
The adjustment would boost the city’s share of the tax from 7% to 9%, while the state’s portion remains 6%. City officials say the additional funds will help rebuild and expand local community and civic centers, improve nearby infrastructure, and enhance the visitor experience. If approved, the higher tax would be collected over the next decade, with city leaders promising careful management of the new funds to support the area’s economic growth and connectivity.
The Reno City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) throughout the city under new standards for parking, size, and neighborhood design. ADUs must be built on lots of at least 5,000 square feet and include one on-site parking space.
A proposed 28-day minimum stay requirement was removed, with officials opting to consider short-term rental rules later for all housing types. The new rules are set to take effect once filed with the city clerk.
Northern Mariana Islands
Lawmakers in the Northern Mariana Islands are moving to modernize tax collection for short-term rentals.
During an Oct. 7 session, the Commonwealth Legislature discussed a bill that would authorize platforms like Airbnb to collect and remit lodging taxes directly to the government — a process currently barred under existing law. One legislator revealed that a major hosting platform was ready to sign an agreement with the Department of Finance but halted pending legislative approval. The proposal mirrors systems already used in many U.S. states to boost compliance and capture lost revenue. The bill now heads for further review, with hopes of swift passage to close the tax loophole and support the islands’ tourism economy.
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Dane Artisola
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