Weekly Regulatory Briefing (28)
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
- Las Vegas, NV: A group of Clark County property owners has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the county’s strict short-term rental regulations.
- Holmes Beach, FL: Short-term rental owners in Holmes Beach are now officially subject to higher fire assessment rates after the West Manatee Fire Rescue District prevailed in court over a lawsuit challenging the change.
- Jamestown, RI: Jamestown’s short-term rental registration for 2026 is now open through the OpenGov portal, with an application deadline of October 1.
- Collierville, TN: Collierville has reached a legal settlement with a homeowner over the unauthorized use of a residential property for short-term rentals and commercial events, bringing a contentious dispute to a close.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- Maine: Maine’s highest court dismissed a legal challenge to a 2023 short-term rental permit in Bar Harbor, ruling the case moot since the permit had already expired.
- North Carolina: North Carolina has enacted a new law requiring short-term rental managers, employees, and contractors to complete human trafficking awareness training.
- Minnesota: Minnesota has officially declassified hot tubs at short-term rentals as “public pools,” simplifying the rules for hosts statewide.
📜 New Ordinances Approved
- Liberty Township, OH: Liberty Township has officially banned short-term rentals and extended its moratorium on them through January 1, following escalating complaints from residents in neighborhoods like Crescent Moon.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- Summit County, UT: Summit County is tightening short-term rental enforcement ahead of potential code updates, focusing on business licensing and illegal rentals in accessory dwelling units.
- Newport News, VA: Three years after passing rules for short-term rentals, Newport News plans to begin enforcing them this August.
- Maui, HI: After weeks of emotional testimony, the Maui County Council delayed a key vote on Bill 9—a proposal that would phase out exemptions for thousands of short-term rentals operating in apartment zones.
- Lafayette, LA: A federal lawsuit is challenging Lafayette’s citywide short-term rental ban, which took effect in October 2024 and ended STR operations like Michael DeSelle’s Saints Streets cottage rental.
- Manistee, MI: After years of debate, Manistee’s City Council is revisiting a proposed short-term rental ordinance that would regulate local vacation rentals through a registration system, inspections, and zoning limits.
- Brewster, MA: At its June 26 meeting, Brewster’s short-term rental task force reviewed a draft policy document that highlighted concerns around safety inspections, registration, and zoning.
- Park Township, MI: Park Township in west Michigan is moving to effectively ban short-term rentals in most areas, following a trend seen in other municipalities that restrict platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo in residential neighborhoods.
- Nashville, TN: Nashville’s short-term rental enforcement efforts are under pressure this summer, with only half of the city’s 14,000 listings appearing to hold required permits.
- Normal, IL: Normal, Illinois recently passed an ordinance restricting short-term rentals in residential areas, but it's not a total ban.
- Steamboat Springs, CO: Steamboat Springs officials are under growing pressure to rethink their enforcement of short-term rental rules after a wave of public testimony described the city’s approach as harsh, confusing, and financially devastating.
- Nantucket, MA: Nantucket’s debate over short-term rentals remains unresolved as the island wrestles with legal ambiguity and local inaction.
- Pinellas County, FL: Pinellas County’s revamped short-term rental ordinance introduced in March to increase oversight and reduce neighborhood disruption is already under scrutiny from frustrated locals.
- Sister Bay, WI: In a key legal win for STR owners in Wisconsin, a Door County judge sided with a couple in Sister Bay who challenged the denial of their short-term rental license.
- Los Angeles County, CA: Los Angeles County is stepping up its oversight of short-term rentals following the tragic death of Tyler Gardner at an unregistered property in Hacienda Heights.
- Milton, DE: Milton, Delaware is taking a closer look at how to manage short-term rentals, with Town Council asking its Planning and Zoning Commission to submit zoning recommendations by September 8.
- Columbus, OH: Columbus leaders are rethinking short-term rental rules after a fatal mass shooting at a holiday Airbnb party reignited concerns about safety at large gatherings.
- Oglesby, IL: The Oglesby City Council is revisiting its stance on short-term rentals after previously denying a request, with new proposals now under consideration.
- El Paso County, TX: El Paso County is considering cracking down on short-term rental operators who aren’t paying their share of the hotel occupancy tax—a move Commissioner David Stout says could help fund major projects like the proposed I-10 Deck Plaza.
- Nelson County, VA: Nelson County is preparing to overhaul how it tracks short-term rental (STR) properties after losing access to key ownership data from the Commissioner of Revenue.
- Neenah, WI: A Wisconsin appeals court has ruled against the City of Neenah’s short-term rental ordinance declaring it invalid due to conflict with state law.
- Snowmass, CO: Snowmass is weighing new tools to rebalance its housing priorities, as the town holds 1,698 short-term rental permits while 290 people remain on the local housing waitlist.
🌱 Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends
As cities and counties across the U.S. grapple with the rapid growth of short-term rentals, three key trends are emerging in how local governments respond. From court battles to strict enforcement and sweeping bans, communities are redefining the rules that govern vacation rentals.
🏠 The Rise of Legal Challenges Against STR Restrictions: Across the U.S., property owners are increasingly turning to the courts to push back on local short-term rental regulations, framing them as constitutional issues. In places like Clark County, NV and Lafayette, LA, lawsuits argue that bans or strict rules violate property rights, while recent court cases in Florida and Wisconsin show how both sides of the STR debate are using the legal system to settle disputes. This trend signals a growing reliance on litigation as communities and rental owners navigate the boundaries of local control.
📖 Enforcement Is the New Frontier for STR Regulation: While many cities and counties have already passed short-term rental laws, a wave of local governments—from Summit County, UT to Newport News, VA—is now shifting focus toward active enforcement. Municipalities are targeting illegal listings, improper business licenses, and unregistered units, often after years of dormant rules. This enforcement wave reflects a broader move from policymaking to practical oversight as local leaders aim to show residents that rules have teeth especially in light of safety incidents like those in Columbus, OH and Los Angeles County, CA.
🗺️ Comprehensive Bans and Zoning Limits Are Gaining Ground: Cities like Liberty Township, OH and Park Township, MI are embracing near-total bans or tight zoning restrictions on short-term rentals, reflecting a rising backlash against their presence in residential neighborhoods. Whether through formal moratoriums, upcoming referenda (like in Ocean City, MD), or delayed but decisive council votes (as seen in Maui and Beverly Hills), this trend reveals how STR opposition is becoming more coordinated and legislative. Communities are increasingly using zoning as a tool to push short-term rentals out of areas where they’re seen as disruptive, showing how housing priorities and neighborhood character concerns are affecting the regulatory map.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- Beverly Hills, CA: Beverly Hills is preparing to ban short-term rentals citywide with the City Council supporting a proposal to require one-year minimum leases for most properties. A formal vote is scheduled for July 15.
- Ocean City, MD: Ocean City’s short-term rental industry is bracing for major change ahead of a July 22 referendum that could sharply restrict vacation stays in residential neighborhoods and mobile home communities.
- Maui, HI: The council which met in executive session for most of Wednesday plans to resume debate July 23.
- Steamboat Springs, CO: In response, the council agreed to hold a dedicated discussion on August 5 to review enforcement practices, fines, and the municipal court process.
🖱️ Click of the Week: See What Everyone’s Reading
, Cheboygan Daily Tribune
Cheboygan council approves 2025-26 budget, new short-term rental ordinance
The Cheboygan City Council approved a $4.1 million budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year and adopted a new ordinance limiting short-term rentals to 12 citywide, banning them entirely in residential zones. Existing rentals in those areas will be required to phase out, as they were never legally permitted under prior rules.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
STRisker News Tracker
Trying to keep up with STR regulations across multiple cities and states? Our News Tracker makes it easier than ever. Filter by location, search a comprehensive database, and sort by impact level—this tool helps you focus on what matters most.
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