Weekly Regulatory Briefing (11)
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.
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
- ⚖️ Fort Worth, TX: A Tarrant County District Court judge ruled in favor of Fort Worth’s authority to regulate short-term rentals, rejecting a lawsuit from operators who claimed the city’s rules violated property rights.
- 🏡 Grand County, CO: Grand County short-term rental owner William MacDonald has filed a lawsuit against county commissioners, challenging their authority over vacation rental regulations.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- 🏨 Arizona: Arizonans for Responsible Tourism gathered at the state Capitol to highlight the economic benefits of short-term rentals, citing $500 million in annual tax revenue and over 75,000 supported jobs.
- 🏠 Missouri: The Missouri House has passed House Bill 1086, which would require single-family homes used as short-term rentals to be classified solely as residential properties, preventing county assessors from taxing them as commercial properties.
- 🏡 Ohio: Ohio lawmakers have introduced bills prohibiting local governments from banning short-term rentals, aiming to boost lodging tax revenue and protect homeowners’ rights.
- 💰 Maine: Maine lawmakers are reviving efforts to impose taxes on short-term rentals to support affordable housing and education.
Genelaine Urbano
Read more on Daily Notes 03/13/2025
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- 🏠 Palm Coast, FL: Palm Coast has implemented new short-term rental registration requirements, mandating annual registration with both the city and Flagler County.
- 🚫 Buffalo, NY: Buffalo’s Common Council is advancing legislation that would limit non-owner-occupied short-term rentals to commercial and mixed-use zones while barring them from most residential areas.
- 📉 Tompkins County, NY: Tompkins County has seen a decline in short-term rental availability following Ithaca’s May 2024 regulations, which require owner occupancy and ban LLC-operated rentals.
- 🛑 Kamas, UT: The Kamas City Council is expected to decide next week on formally banning short-term rentals within city limits.
- ⏳ Riverside County, CA: Riverside County Planning Director John Hildebrand has requested a 45-day moratorium on new short-term rentals in the unincorporated areas of Thousand Palms and B Bar H Ranch, effective March 11 to April 25.
- 🔢 North Charleston, SC: North Charleston has implemented a cap of 60 short-term rental permits per district, totaling 600 citywide.
- 📑 East Haven, CT: East Haven is considering a short-term rental ordinance that would require properties to be a primary residence for at least 183 days per year, limit rentals to 105 days annually, and impose a minimum seven-day stay.
- 🏘️ Manistee, MI: The Manistee Planning Commission held a public hearing on March 13 to discuss a proposed short-term rental ordinance which includes new registration requirements, occupancy limits, and safety measures.
- 🏠 Northampton County, VA: County supervisors are considering a partnership with Granicus to improve compliance with short-term rental regulations currently in development.
- 📜 Pulaski, TN: The Pulaski Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed a new short-term rental ordinance on first reading after months of planning commission discussions.
- 🏖️ Goleta, CA: The Planning Commission reviewed recommendations on regulating short-term vacation rentals and under-used housing at its March 11 meeting.
- 🗳️ Meredith, NH: Voters discussed zoning changes related to STRs at the March 12 Town Meeting.
- ⚖️ North Salem, NY: Officials are drafting new regulations for short-term rentals, including zoning code changes requiring special use permits.
- 🚫 Fullerton, CA: The City Council voted 5-0 to deny an appeal for an STR permit at 1850 Edgecliff Drive following neighbor complaints.
- 🏡 West Stockbridge, MA: A proposed STR bylaw will go before voters at the May Town Meeting.
- ⚖️ Myrtle Beach, SC: The city is escalating its legal battle over an STR conversion ban by moving the case to federal court.
- 🏘️ West Chester Township, OH: Officials are proposing zoning changes that would eliminate bed and breakfasts while regulating STRs.
- 💰 Hill County, TX: Officials discussed ongoing issues with collecting Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) from short-term rentals due to lack of enforcement.
- ⚖️ Sister Bay, WI: A lawsuit challenging Sister Bay’s four-bedroom cap on STRs will proceed after a judge denied a motion to dismiss.
- 🏛️ Covington, KY: Mayor Ron Washington and city officials oppose Senate Bill 110, which would limit local governments' ability to regulate STRs.
- ⚖️ Augusta, MO: A lawsuit is challenging Augusta’s STR ordinance, which caps rentals at 15 and mandates permits, annual inspections, and fees.
Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends 🌱
With the short-term rental (STR) market evolving, communities are strengthening enforcement, introducing statewide initiatives, and addressing neighborhood concerns, highlighting the shifting influence of STR regulations on local governance.
What this means:
⚖️ Legal Challenges and Government Authority: Across multiple jurisdictions, lawsuits are testing the limits of local government authority over short-term rentals. In Fort Worth, a judge ruled in favor of city regulations, reinforcing municipal power, while in Grand County and Augusta, rental owners are challenging restrictions in court. Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach is escalating its legal battle over rental bans to the federal level, indicating a trend of legal disputes that could shape future policies.
🐃 State and Local Legislative Shifts: Several states and cities are reconsidering how short-term rentals are classified and regulated. Missouri’s House Bill 1086 seeks to ensure rentals are taxed as residential properties, while Ohio lawmakers are working to prevent local bans. In contrast, places like Buffalo and East Haven are tightening zoning restrictions, and Riverside County is implementing a temporary moratorium. These shifts highlight the ongoing struggle to balance economic benefits with neighborhood concerns.
💹 Taxation and Economic Impact: Short-term rental taxation is becoming a focal point for both proponents and regulators. Arizona advocates emphasized the sector’s $500 million tax contributions, while Maine lawmakers are pushing for new taxes to support housing and education. Meanwhile, Hill County is struggling with enforcement of its hotel occupancy tax. These discussions reflect a growing trend of governments leveraging rentals as a revenue source while managing their impact on housing markets.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- South Haven, MI: Following community concerns about economic impacts and job losses, the council delayed the decision until March 17 to further review the proposal.
- Hudson, WI: Residents can participate in listening sessions with Alderperson Sarah Bruch on March 15 and March 29, or attend a Public Information Open House on March 18 at the Hudson Fire Hall.
- Birmingham, AL: The City Council will review the proposals on March 19, followed by a public hearing for community input before a final decision.
In case you missed it:
Genelaine Urbano
READ: Global Regulatory Notes (4)