Weekly Regulatory Briefing (16)

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

• 📒 Vista, CA: The City of Vista has filed a civil lawsuit against a property owner for operating an unlicensed short-term rental the city says became a chronic public nuisance.
• 🎤 Mendocino County, CA: Mendocino County is actively collecting public feedback as it works on new short-term rental regulations, with a series of meetings running through April.

🌍 Regional Highlights

• 🍃 Michigan: Michigan communities are ramping up efforts to get a better handle on short-term rentals, with several towns advancing new rules or revisiting existing ones. In Peninsula Township, the board adopted a new civil fine schedule aimed at stepping up enforcement. Manistee is pushing forward with a proposed ordinance that would introduce fresh zoning limits and operating rules for vacation rentals, and Spring Lake is weighing adjustments to its short-term rental overlay zone after a spike in complaints about beach access and parking.

📜 New Ordinances Approved

• 🏠 Sedona, AZ: Sedona’s City Council approved a series of detailed amendments to its short-term rental ordinance on March 25, reinforcing its strategy to curb the spread of STRs in residential areas.
• 🗺️ Columbia, TN: Columbia City Council approved changes to its short-term rental ordinance on April 10, removing the owner-occupancy requirement for STRs in CD-4, CD-4c, and CD-5 zones.
• 📖 Houston, TX: After months of debate, Houston is finally implementing short-term rental regulations, marking a major shift for a city long challenged by its lack of zoning laws.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• 🚪 Philipstown, NY: Philipstown’s Town Board voted April 3 to form a committee that will draft a permitting system and set operating standards for short-term rentals booked on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo.
• 👨‍🌾 Peninsula Township, MI: Peninsula Township is intensifying its enforcement against short-term rentals with a new civil fine schedule, unanimously adopted by the Township Board on March 26 via Resolution 2025-03-26 #1.
• 👕 York, ME: York’s Short-Term Rental Committee held a public forum last week as it works toward an August recommendation on whether to propose regulating STRs in town.
• 🔖 Vista, CA: The City of Vista has filed a civil lawsuit against a property owner for operating an unlicensed short-term rental the city says became a chronic public nuisance.
• 📎 Manistee, MI: The City of Manistee is moving forward with a proposed short-term rental ordinance that would establish new rules and zoning limits.
• 📏 Saugatuck, MI: Saugatuck’s City Council reviewed proposed changes to its short-term rental ordinance during its April 14 meeting, focusing on how licenses are handled during ownership changes.
• 🌊 Spring Lake, MI: The Village of Spring Lake is weighing changes to its short-term rental overlay zone after a rise in complaints about beach access and parking.
• 🏨 Pittsford, NY: Officials and residents in Pittsford, NY are still debating a proposed law to regulate short-term rentals in the village.
• 🥥 Honolulu, HI: Honolulu officials are expressing growing frustration over how little progress has been made in collecting fines from illegal short-term rentals.
• 💼 Riley County, KS: Riley County’s short-term rental rules are moving forward with a proposal requiring a local responsible agent to be present whenever guests are on-site.
• ⛰️ Wilmington, DE: The debate over short-term rentals in Wilmington has resurfaced amid the city’s worsening housing crisis.
• 🏡 Smithfield, VA: Smithfield could soon see another full-time short-term rental added to its historic district, as the Planning Commission recommended approving former Town Councilman Jim Collins’ request for a special use permit at 328 Main St.
• 🚪 Evanston, IL: Evanston officials are aiming to strengthen their oversight of vacation rentals, as new software revealed a huge disparity between the 238 listings across platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo and the mere 25 that are actually licensed with the city.

Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends 🌱

The rise of short-term rentals (STRs) in the U.S. has led cities to revisit zoning laws and tighten local regulations. These shifts aim to control density, preserve residential character, and manage housing availability.

What this means:

📒 Stronger Enforcement and Legal Action in Urban Areas: Cities like Vista, CA, and Evanston, IL, are stepping up enforcement through lawsuits and targeted investigations. Vista’s civil lawsuit over an unlicensed STR tied to repeated party complaints reflects a growing willingness to escalate enforcement into the legal realm. Meanwhile, Evanston is taking a data-driven approach, uncovering vast licensing gaps and signaling stricter oversight may be coming. These actions show that urban municipalities are increasingly prioritizing enforcement, especially when STRs cross into nuisance territory or skirt existing licensing rules.

🎤 Widespread Public Engagement Shaping New Rules: Across the country, local governments are actively gathering input to shape future STR policies. Mendocino County is holding a full series of public meetings throughout April to guide its rulemaking process, and York, ME, is doing the same ahead of an August decision. From North Myrtle Beach’s upcoming hearing on May 5 to Philipstown, NY, forming a dedicated STR committee, jurisdictions are leaning into community feedback as a key element in drafting tailored, locally-supported ordinances.

🗺️ Zoning Reforms Driving the Next Phase of STR Regulation: Zoning updates are emerging as a major lever in STR regulation. Michigan is at the center of this trend, with places like Traverse City planning a May 6 hearing that could lead to sweeping changes. Manistee and Spring Lake are already advancing overlay zones and operating limits, while Sedona, AZ, recently adopted amendments focused on protecting residential neighborhoods.

📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:

• North Myrtle Beach, SC: North Myrtle Beach has yet to finalize any regulations for short-term rentals but continues to refine ideas like a Responsible Local Agent Ordinance, which would require designated agents to be licensed, based nearby, and able to respond in person within an hour of emergency calls. No ordinance has yet reached the Planning Commission or full council, but residents can voice input at the May 5 public meeting.

• Traverse City, MI: Traverse City is moving toward new zoning and non-zoning restrictions aimed at curbing the impact of short-term rentals (STRs) with planning commissioners preparing for a public hearing on May 6 that could advance a major zoning overhaul.

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Austin short-term rentals hit with 11% tax, leaving guests to pay more

Starting April 1, Austin began enforcing an 11% hotel occupancy tax on all short-term rentals, requiring platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to collect the fee, which many hosts say is now being passed to guests.