Weekly Briefing (29)
Each week, we bring together the biggest updates in short-term rental regulations from coast to coast. Whether it’s fresh local regulations, emerging trends, or major discussions, our briefing provides all you need to stay in the know.
🏡 Top Stories This Week
- Hermosa Beach, CA: A Los Angeles County judge has temporarily blocked Hermosa Beach from enforcing its short-term rental ban against one homeowner, arguing the city may have overstepped its authority in the coastal zone.
- Waukesha County, WI: A Wisconsin appeals court has struck down Summit’s short-term rental ordinance, siding with Wildwood Estate LLC, which had challenged the rule after being barred from renting its property for less than six days.
- Chelan, WA: A Washington appeals court has upheld a Chelan County decision enforcing condo rules on short-term rentals, ordering former unit owners Robert and Amber Thompson to pay nearly $59,000 in legal fees.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- California: In California, Hermosa Beach is facing legal pressure after a Los Angeles County judge temporarily blocked the city from enforcing its short-term rental ban against a single homeowner, suggesting the city may have exceeded its authority in the coastal zone. Meanwhile, in Pacifica, city leaders have officially adopted a long-awaited short-term rental ordinance that introduces significant restrictions, aiming to dramatically reduce the number of active vacation rentals and better manage their impact on local neighborhoods.
- Massachusetts: Massachusetts is seeing diverging paths on STR policy. In Winthrop, the Town Council unanimously passed a more robust short-term rental ordinance designed to strengthen protections for residents and communities. However, in Pittsfield, a local proposal to legalize and regulate short-term rentals up to 150 days a year has been temporarily tabled by the city’s Ordinances and Rules subcommittee, delaying formal regulation for now.
📜 New Ordinances Approved
- Winthrop, MA: Winthrop’s Town Council unanimously passed a strengthened short-term rental ordinance last week, putting new guardrails in place to better protect residents, renters, and neighborhoods.
- Dearborn, MI: Dearborn’s City Council unanimously approved new zoning amendments on July 15 that ban short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods and single-family homes, limiting them exclusively to the city’s downtown districts starting January 1.
- Pacifica, CA: Pacifica’s long-awaited short-term rental ordinance is finally in place, with sweeping changes set to significantly cut the number of vacation rentals across the city.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- Pittsfield, MA: Pittsfield’s Ordinances and Rules subcommittee has tabled a proposal that would formally legalize and regulate short-term rentals for up to 150 days a year.
- Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Deb Gross has introduced a long-awaited bill to tighten regulations on short-term rentals, limiting their use strictly to overnight stays by registered guests and prohibiting gatherings or hospitality activities.
- Saratoga Springs, NY: As Saratoga Springs braces for its busy summer season, city officials are implementing new rules to regulate short-term rentals.
- Toledo, OH: A tragic shooting at a large pool party held at an unregistered short-term rental in Toledo has reignited concerns over the city’s enforcement of its STR regulations.
- Woodlands Township, TX: The Woodlands Township is taking a closer look at short-term rentals, with a subcommittee now tracking 120 registered STRs and laying groundwork for stronger oversight.
- Marquette, MI: Marquette’s popularity as a tourist destination has led to a capped system of 250 permitted short-term rentals within city limits, with a robust waitlist and zoning rules to protect neighborhood integrity.
- Westerly, RI: Westerly’s updated short-term rental ordinance is undergoing new scrutiny this summer, with officials weighing further changes after last year’s major fee hike—from $50 to $500—to support a rental-tracking system.
- Talbot County, MD: Talbot County’s push to tighten short-term rental regulations remains unresolved, as county officials and planning commissioners remain divided over how far the rules should go.
- Kent County, DE: Kent County’s Regional Planning Commission has unanimously voted against a proposal to relax the county’s owner-occupancy requirement for short-term rentals, reaffirming current rules that only allow such rentals on properties under five acres if the owner lives onsite.
- Columbus, OH: Following a fatal shooting at a permitted short-term rental in Columbus over the July 4th weekend, city leaders are reexamining whether their current rules go far enough to protect neighborhoods from party houses and related violence.
🌱 Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends
As short-term rentals continue to reshape neighborhoods and local economies across the country, a few key trends are emerging in how communities and courts are responding. From legal challenges and new zoning rules to growing concerns about safety and enforcement, these patterns highlight the evolving landscape of short-term rental regulation.
📍 Cities Are Doubling Down on Geographic Restrictions: More cities are now implementing or refining zoning-based regulations to confine short-term rentals to specific areas. Dearborn, MI, for instance, banned STRs in residential zones entirely, limiting them to downtown districts. Pacifica, CA, adopted a sweeping ordinance aimed at dramatically shrinking STR density citywide. These moves suggest a rising preference for geographic containment—an approach that seeks to reduce neighborhood conflicts while preserving some tourism revenue.
👪 Public Safety and Community Feedback Are Shaping Policy Priorities: Incidents like the fatal shootings in Toledo and Columbus are putting enforcement and safety at the center of local STR debates. Cities are responding by tightening rules or pausing decisions to reassess risks. Columbia, SC is delaying STR proposals to revisit guest eligibility and occupancy, while Pittsburgh is cracking down on party rentals altogether. Community-driven actions like Ocean City’s upcoming referendum or Bossier Parish’s public forum also point to rising civic involvement.
💼 Legal Pushback Is Testing the Boundaries of Local STR Authority: A clear pattern is emerging where courts are stepping in to question or overturn local short-term rental bans and restrictions. In Hermosa Beach, a judge blocked enforcement of the city’s ban, suggesting overreach in coastal zones, while Wisconsin’s appeals court ruled against Summit’s ordinance for being overly restrictive. These legal outcomes reflect a growing tension between municipal control and property rights, with homeowners increasingly challenging how far local governments can go.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- Londonderry, VT: Londonderry is preparing for a pivotal vote on July 19 that will determine the future of newly passed short-term rental regulations.
- Westerly, RI: The council may seek input from the Economic Development Commission and Housing Committee ahead of a possible July 21 decision.
- Ocean City, MD: Ocean City residents will vote on July 22 on a contentious short-term rental referendum that could reshape rental rules in neighborhoods like Montego Bay, Little Salisbury, and Mallard Island.
- Bossier Parish, LA: Bossier Parish officials are responding to growing community pushback against short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO by holding a public meeting on July 30 to gather feedback.
- Columbia, SC: Columbia City Council is delaying action on two short-term rental proposals to revisit enforcement, occupancy, and guest eligibility rules, with a public work session set for August 5.
🖱️ Click of the Week: See What Everyone’s Reading
Tourism
Las Vegas short-term rental group challenges enforcement of rules
A group of Clark County property owners and the Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the county’s restrictive short-term rental regulations, arguing they violate constitutional rights and unfairly limit property owners’ ability to rent. The plaintiffs claim the county’s stringent permit process, geographic bans near resorts, and enforcement tactics impose unlawful burdens and seek to block enforcement of these rules.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
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Genelaine Urbano
READ: Global Regulatory Notes (13)
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