🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Angel Fire Village, NM
Angel Fire Tightens the Screws on Short-Term Rentals While Pushing Compliance Forward
Angel Fire Steps Up Short-Term Rental Oversight
Angel Fire is shifting its short-term rental program from cleanup mode into active enforcement, and the December 16 Village Council meeting offered a snapshot of what that transition looks like. Tourism Director Greg Ralph presented a compliance update that showed real progress but also made it clear that leniency won’t last forever.
Using the Granicus compliance system, the village now tracks 786 short-term rental units operating in the area. Of those, 496 are fully compliant with local requirements, including permits, tax payments, and safety reporting. These compliant properties are largely concentrated among about 140 owners or lodging groups, highlighting how much of the rental inventory is controlled by a relatively small number of operators.
To address the remaining non-compliant listings, the village launched an outreach campaign targeting owners who hadn’t completed the required steps. As of mid-December, staff had mailed 184 letters and sent 85 emails. The response rate suggests the message is landing, emails had a 59% open rate, and applications for compliance have been arriving daily.
Some owners didn’t realize that monthly rentals still require registration, while others were caught in ownership transitions or outdated provider accounts. The village’s initial focus has been education: helping owners understand what’s required and bringing them into compliance without immediately resorting to penalties.
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But that grace period isn’t unlimited. When asked about platforms that haven’t cooperated, Ralph confirmed the village plans to pursue Airbnb through legal avenues to enforce proper tax collection and reporting. Officials want assurance that lodgers’ taxes tied to Angel Fire properties are accurately collected and passed on, rather than relying solely on individual owners to self-report.
The village’s approach balances opportunity with accountability. By starting with outreach and escalating only when necessary, Angel Fire is signaling that short-term rentals are welcome but only when they operate transparently, safely, and in line with community expectations.
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