🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Waterbury, VT

A Deep Dive into Your Area’s STR Updates — Helping You Navigate the Ever-Changing Rental Landscape.

Waterbury’s New Registry Aims to Shed Light on Short-Term Rental Impact

Short-term rentals in Waterbury just got a lot more visible — and that’s exactly what town leaders want.

In an effort to gather clearer data on rental housing, especially STRs, the Town of Waterbury launched a new online rental registry on May 1. All residential rental properties — whether they’re month-to-month apartments or weekend getaways — must now be listed in the town’s new SmartGov permitting platform.

This move isn’t about revenue — there’s no fee to register — but it is about strategy. With an estimated 180 short-term rentals in town and rising community questions about housing availability, the town needs hard data. Joe Camaratta, chair of the Housing Task Force said,

“We don't know if the short-term rentals are coming from the long-term rental stock or if they are ADUs. This data should provide some clarity.”

The rental registry applies to all forms of housing rented out — single-family homes, multi-unit dwellings, and ADUs — whether for a few nights or a full year. It’s part of a broader plan adopted in 2023 to balance the needs of permanent residents and tourists alike.

The registry also gives Waterbury something it’s never had before: the ability to directly reach STR owners. That’s already come in handy. When a bear got into trash at a short-term rental, Bishop said he was able to quickly contact the owner using the new system.

The ordinance notes that the town has a duty to ensure peace in neighborhoods, including protections against “public nuisances” such as noise, parking issues, and garbage — common complaints tied to STRs across Vermont.

The town isn’t rushing to penalize anyone just yet. “The intent and very strong desire is always to avoid enforcement,” said Municipal Manager Tom Leitz. But officials do want all landlords, including STR hosts, to register as soon as possible.

As the registry gains traction, Waterbury is positioning itself to make smarter housing decisions based on real data — not guesses. And that could shape everything from zoning decisions to STR caps in the future.

For property owners, the process is simple and can be completed in minutes online. But the implications for the town’s short-term rental market? That could be transformational.

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.

👍 We’d love your feedback.
We're always looking for ways to improve Bulletins.

Was this one useful to you? Other topics you'd like to see get covered?

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

-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading this Bulletin? Feel free to forward this along. We want to make sure operators and stakeholders are aware of regulatory changes in their area.