Weekly Regulatory Briefing (19)
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
- 🗺️ Nantucket, MA: Nantucket voters on Monday night rejected all four short-term rental warrant articles at the Annual Town Meeting leaving the island without clear zoning rules for STRs and putting the matter in the hands of the courts.
- 🎤 Sandwich, MA: Voters at Monday’s town meeting in Sandwich opted to indefinitely postpone a contentious short-term rental proposal after extensive debate over regulations concerning parking, septic systems, trash pickup, and maximum occupancy.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- 🏘️ Vermont: Vermont towns are taking diverse approaches to short-term rental rules as the state faces a housing shortage.
- 🗽 New York: Two years after the passage of New York City’s Local Law 18, critics say the regulation has backfired, driving up housing costs without meaningfully increasing availability.
📜 New Ordinances Approved
- 🛏️ East Drumore Township, PA: At their May 1 meeting, East Drumore Township supervisors unanimously adopted zoning amendments that officially define and regulate short-term rentals, effectively replacing the term "bed-and-breakfast" with a broader STR designation.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- 🎩 Houston, TX: Houston’s new short-term rental ordinance approved in April will take effect on January 1, 2026, giving operators time to comply.
- 📎 Pittsfield, MA: Pittsfield officials are finalizing a short-term rental policy that will regulate where and how STRs operate, requiring permits, annual renewals, and zoning reviews. Existing rentals will have a nine-month window to comply.
- 🖨️ Cleveland, OH: In the wake of shootings near a short-term rental in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, residents are calling for stronger city regulations and enforcement to curb nuisance rentals.
- 🏡 Elmhurst, IL: Elmhurst is moving toward modest regulations on short-term rentals like Airbnbs, aiming to track and manage them without imposing a ban.
- 🏫 Mendocino County, CA: Mendocino County wrapped up its series of five public meetings on inland short-term rental regulations this week, finishing in Ukiah with in-person and remote participation.
- 🌊 Seaside Heights, NJ: Seaside Heights plans to begin collecting its 3% short-term rental tax this summer with help from the New Jersey Department of Taxation, marking the first real enforcement effort since the ordinance was passed in 2023.
- 🛣️ Grand Haven, MI: Grand Haven city officials hosted a special joint meeting between the Planning Commission and the Main Street DDA to consider allowing short-term rentals by right in the Centertown overlay district, a commercially zoned area near downtown currently off-limits to STRs.
- 🖇️ Claremont, CA: On April 22, the Claremont City Council approved the first reading of a temporary ordinance to regulate short-term rentals, passing 4-1 with Council member Jed Leano dissenting.
🌱 Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends
Communities across the U.S. are finding themselves at a crossroads as short-term rentals become increasingly common. Local governments are adopting a wide range of strategies to balance tourism growth with the need to protect long-term housing stock and maintain neighborhood character.
What this means:
🗺️ Zoning Challenges and Community Pushback: As short-term rentals (STRs) become more prevalent, communities like Nantucket, MA, and Sandwich, MA are grappling with regulating them effectively. Nantucket voters recently rejected all four proposed STR warrant articles at the Annual Town Meeting leaving the island without clear zoning rules and placing the issue in the hands of the courts. Meanwhile, in Sandwich, voters opted to indefinitely postpone a contentious STR proposal after extensive debate over regulations related to parking, septic systems, trash pickup, and maximum occupancy.
🏘️ Regulatory Patchwork and Local Flexibility: Across the U.S., municipalities are adopting a wide range of approaches to STR oversight. East Drumore Township, PA recently adopted zoning amendments that officially define and regulate STRs, replacing the outdated "bed-and-breakfast" designation and clarifying the status of these properties within the local code. Meanwhile, Vermont towns are each charting their own paths to STR regulation amid a statewide housing shortage, emphasizing the need for flexible, locally tailored solutions.
📒 Gradual Implementation and Ongoing Adjustments: Some cities are taking a phased approach to STR regulation allowing time for operators to comply while refining their policies based on community input. For instance, Houston, TX has approved a new STR ordinance set to take effect in 2026 giving hosts ample time to adapt, while Elmhurst, IL is moving toward modest regulations aimed at tracking and managing STRs without imposing an outright ban.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- 📂 Monterey County, CA: Monterey County’s short-term rental ordinance passed last August after more than a decade of debate, is now tied up in legal battles. The next hearing is scheduled for May 13.
🖱️ Click of the Week: See What Everyone’s Reading
alamedapost
Planning Board Continues to Consider Airbnb Regulation
Alameda's Planning Board held a workshop on April 28 to discuss proposed short-term rental (STR) regulations, focusing on limiting unhosted rentals to 90 days per year while allowing more flexibility for hosted arrangements.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
STRisker Updates Tracker
How do you keep up with the regulatory rollercoaster in your market? STRisker's Updates Tracker can be your guide - start tracking latest events as they happen and get access to essential documents as they come in. We know the struggle, which is why we built this product to capture every twist and turn in the regulatory saga so you never miss a beat.
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-Will McClure
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