Weekly Regulatory Briefing (3)
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
- 🌆 California: An Altadena family displaced by the Eaton Fire claims Airbnb increased their rental rate by 43.2%, violating California’s emergency price gouging law which limits price increases to 10% during emergencies.
- 🏝️ Marco Island, FL: Marco Island settled the last of four lawsuits over its short-term rental registration rules which were nullified in 2023 by a state law prohibiting "restrictive or burdensome" local regulations.
- 🏗️ New Braunfels, TX: A federal judge upheld New Braunfels’ 2011 ordinance banning short-term rentals in residential zones, dismissing a five-year lawsuit by homeowners.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- 🌃 New York: Airbnb is working to reestablish its presence in New York City’s short-term rental market by backing a bill that would amend Local Law 18, which currently requires hosts to be present when renting their homes.
📜 New Ordinances Approved
- 👨👧👦 Rindge, NH: The Rindge Planning Board has revised its short-term rental rules, adding a maximum occupancy of three people per bedroom and requiring rentals to undergo site plan approval and conditional use permits.
- 🚖 Cortland, NY: During its recent meeting, the Common Council approved a new 1% occupancy tax on hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and short-term vacation rentals, effective March 31.
- 🧾 St. Michael, MD: The St. Michaels commissioners voted to prohibit new short-term rental permits for historic cottages in the R-2 District, including Chestnut and Mill Streets while grandfathering 11 current rentals with transferable permits upon proper paperwork.
Genelaine Urbano
Read more on Daily Notes 01/14/2025...
- 🌳 Liberty Township, OH: Liberty Township has implemented a six-month moratorium on short-term rentals, allowing officials to analyze the growing issue and decide on potential zoning changes.
- 👸 Queensbury, NY: The Queensbury Town Board unanimously approved stricter short-term rental rules, requiring stays of at least four nights per booking, with exceptions for owner-occupied properties.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- 🚡 Ithaca, NY: Ithaca plans to regulate properties exclusively used for short-term rentals, with rules taking effect in June 2025.
- 🏝️ Traverse City, MI: Traverse City planning commissioners have prioritized key 2025 initiatives, including revising short-term rental regulations.
- 📎 Shelburne, MA: Shelburne’s Planning Board is drafting its first-ever bylaw to regulate short-term rentals, drawing inspiration from neighboring Buckland's model.
- 🏨 Lexington, KY: Lexington’s Board of Adjustment will review 16 applications for unhosted short-term rentals on January 13 under new rules limiting rental density.
- 👒 Austin, TX: Austin is revising its short-term rental regulations to improve enforcement and oversight, with changes being discussed in public hearings starting February 2025.
- 🧗♂️ Rhinebeck, NY: The Rhinebeck Town Board is considering revising short-term rental (STR) permit regulations to accommodate occasional rentals.
- 🛣️ West Hollywood, CA: West Hollywood’s City Council passed an ordinance on November 18 prohibiting short-term rentals under a year, even in emergencies.
Genelaine Urbano
Continuation on Daily Notes 01/14/2025...
- 📒 Mobridge, SD: During the January 8 meeting, the Mobridge City Council did not approve the proposed short-term rental licensing ordinance after lengthy debates with residents, leaving the issue unresolved.
- 🏠 North Charleston, SC: North Charleston is considering a cap on short-term rental permits to address the impact on housing availability.
- ✏️ Cass County, MN: Cass County is advancing a short-term rental ordinance requiring annual licenses for properties in specific zones.
- 🍇 Martha’s Vineyard, MA: Vineyard towns have implemented or are considering short-term rental regulations to address the housing crisis and to manage the Island's 4,000 vacation rentals.
- 🌴 Indian Rocks Beach, FL: Indian Rocks Beach commissioners voted 3-2 to loosen short-term rental rules, allowing occupancy increases from 10 to 12 people if space permits, and removing suspension and revocation language.
- 🏚️ Juneau, AK: Juneau's task force on short-term rentals launched to propose policies addressing housing shortages by summer.
Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends 🌱
Communities are adjusting to the dynamic short-term rental (STR) environment by adopting measures to meet emerging issues. Stricter rule enforcement, legal conflicts, and initiatives to curb neighborhood disruptions emphasize the changing role of STR regulations in local governance.
What this means:
⚖️ Legal Challenges and Judicial Clarifications: The legal landscape for short-term rentals is becoming increasingly contested, with lawsuits and judicial decisions shaping local ordinances. Marco Island, FL, settled lawsuits over its nullified short-term rental registration rules, while New Braunfels, TX, saw a federal court uphold its ban on rentals in residential zones.
🧢 Localized Restrictions and Permit Caps: Communities are adopting targeted restrictions to mitigate the impacts of short-term rentals on housing availability and neighborhood dynamics. North Charleston, SC, proposed capping permits at 60 per district, while St. Michael, MD restricted new permits in historic districts, grandfathering existing rentals.
🚨 Emergency-Driven and Ethical Oversight: Emergencies are exposing gaps in short-term rental policies, prompting scrutiny of practices like price gouging and inadequate tenant protections. In California, Airbnb faced allegations of violating price gouging laws during the Eaton Fire, while West Hollywood, CA, prohibited short-term rentals under a year, even during crises. These developments underscore the importance of ethical oversight and adaptive regulations that address emergency-specific needs without exacerbating housing issues.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- Traverse City, MI: Discussions begin January 22, with a draft ordinance expected in February.
- Austin, TX: Austin is revising its short-term rental regulations to improve enforcement and oversight, with changes being discussed in public hearings starting February 2025.
- Shelburne, MA: Public feedback sessions are scheduled before the final version is presented at the Annual Town Meeting.
- Cass County, MN: A final public hearing is scheduled for January 21.