Weekly Regulatory Briefing (38)

🏡Top Stories This Week

• Citrus County, FL: Citrus County takes a major step to close gaps in tourism tax collection by adopting GovOS, a new software designed to track short-term rentals more accurately.

🌍 Regional Highlights

• Colorado: Colorado’s short-term rental community now has a stronger voice with the official launch of the Colorado Short-Term Rental Alliance (COSTRA), a nonprofit formed through the merger of groups like Mile High Hosts and the Colorado Lodging Resort Alliance.
• Montana: The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that restrictive covenants banning commercial activity in a Whitefish subdivision apply to short-term rentals, upholding a lower court decision against R&R Mountain Escapes.

📜 New Ordinances Approved

• Austin, TX: Austin has approved new short-term rental rules that limit how many units an owner can operate and give the city sharper enforcement tools. 
• Watervliet, NY: Watervliet is joining the list of cities moving to rein in short-term rentals, adopting a local law designed to address complaints about noise, large gatherings, and too many cars crowding residential streets.
• Pittsfield, MA: Pittsfield has approved its first-ever ordinance regulating short-term rentals, establishing a framework of registration, inspections, and licensing while capping rentals at 150 days per year.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• South Lake Tahoe, CA: South Lake Tahoe is moving ahead with changes to its vacation home rental ordinance, with City Council voting to revise rules that have shaped the city’s contentious rental landscape.
• Hermosa Beach, CA: Hermosa Beach has voted to extend its short-term vacation rental program until October 2027, keeping in place rules that allow rentals under 30 days only in designated commercial zones while prohibiting them in residential areas.
• Chatham, MA: Chatham is stepping up enforcement of its short-term rental rules, with fines now being issued against owners who fail to register.
• Berea, OH: After months of resident feedback, Berea leaders are preparing new legislation to regulate short-term rentals through a formal permitting process.
• Pullman, WA: Pullman’s short-term rental rules are back under scrutiny as council members voiced second thoughts about restrictions narrowly approved in May.
• Snowmass, CO: Snowmass is exploring new fees and stricter regulations for short-term rentals of single-family homes, currently governed by a $300 annual STR permit and an $85 business license.
• Lenox, MA: Lenox is bracing for a heated debate over new short-term rental rules as a proposed bylaw and sweeping changes to the state building code come up for discussion at a Sept. 18 town hall session.
• Twin Falls, ID: Twin Falls City Council has closed the door on new regulations for short-term rentals, rejecting the idea after months of quiet debate.
• St. Charles, IL: The City of St. Charles is considering a framework to regulate and tax Airbnbs and Vrbos, which currently fall outside its zoning code and do not contribute hotel taxes.
• Reno, NV: Reno is advancing an ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on residential lots, but the City Council has chosen to set aside short-term rental restrictions for now.
• Elmhurst, IL: Only one short-term rental host has applied for a license under Elmhurst’s new regulations, which take effect January 1. 
• Oneida County, NY: The Oneida County Board of Legislators voted Sept. 10 to create a registry for short-term rentals and extend the county’s 5% hotel occupancy tax to these properties, with the law taking effect Jan. 1, 2026.
• Avalon, CA: Avalon finalizes sweeping new rules for short-term rentals, adopting them unanimously on Sept. 2 as part of its Consent Calendar. 
• Annapolis, MD: Annapolis is weighing new limits on short-term rentals, as the Rules and City Government Committee meets to consider capping them at 10% of units per block face.
• St. Francisville, LA: The St. Francisville Board of Aldermen drops the idea of a new short-term rental study committee, with no motion offered at its Sept. 9 meeting.
• Wayzata, MN: The Wayzata City Council has voted 4-1 to move forward with a ban on short-term rentals, ending a licensing program first adopted in 2024 and requiring that all rentals have a minimum lease of 30 days by March 2026.
• Cadillac, MI: Cadillac City Council unanimously approves a short-term rental at 820 Mitchell Street, granting the owner a special land use permit after the planning commission denied his request to rezone the property.
• Holmes Beach, FL: Holmes Beach’s annual short-term rental stakeholders meeting on Sept. 10 centered on reinforcing cooperation between city departments and rental operators.
• Edgartown, MA: A proposed senior housing complex in Edgartown has stirred debate over whether it will help the Vineyard’s housing crisis or simply add to its short-term rental stock.
• Newport News, VA: Newport News is moving forward with short-term rental enforcement after years of treating its rules as guidelines.
• Montgomery, AL: Montgomery is weighing its first short-term rental ordinance after years of allowing operators to function with little more than a business license.
• Granite Shoals, TX: Granite Shoals has tightened its fireworks ban by requiring short-term rentals to post signs reminding guests that only professional, authorized fireworks displays are allowed in the city.

🌐 Global Notes

• Edmonton, Alberta: Edmonton city council is moving toward new rules for short-term rentals, with councillors asking staff to explore business licensing that would force Airbnb and Vrbo hosts to pay commercial taxes and meet accountability standards for problem properties.
• Canmore, Alberta: In Canmore, short-term rental operators will now need business licences after council unanimously approved a new policy intended to regulate the town’s fast-growing visitor accommodation sector.
• Kelowna, BC: Kelowna businesses and property managers are feeling the fallout from B.C.’s new short-term rental restrictions, with operators saying tourism traffic has dropped sharply in developments once reliant on STRs.
• Severn Township, Ontario: Severn Township council agrees to order a staff report on short-term rentals after residents presented a petition calling for licensing and enforcement to rein in commercial-style STRs in residential neighbourhoods.
• Erin, Ontario: Council in Erin is preparing to regulate short-term rentals, with staff warning it could take 8–10 months to develop a bylaw that includes public input and draws on other municipalities’ examples.
• Kincardine, Ontario: Kincardine council voted 5–3 to direct staff to draft a bylaw that would create a short-term rental licensing program and introduce a municipal accommodation tax, with final approval still required at a later date.
• Montréal, Quebec: Montreal’s new bylaw restricting Airbnb-style rentals outside the summer season took effect last week, barring stays under 31 days except between June 10 and Sept. 10.
• Greece: Starting October 1, 2025, Greece will impose sweeping new rules on short-term rentals as officials move to rein in the pressures of overtourism on housing markets in Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, and other hotspots.
• India: India’s booming short-term rental market is creating new revenue streams for homeowners but also exposing them to risks that standard home insurance does not cover.
• Rwanda: Rwanda is preparing to tax digital services like Airbnb and Netflix, with enforcement starting in 2026 as part of a broader overhaul of its tax regime.

🌱 Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends

From Florida to Greece, governments are testing new rules, residents are pushing back, and operators are finding ways to organize. Taken together, this week’s updates reveal three clear trends shaping the future of Airbnb, Vrbo, and other platforms.

💪 Stronger Local Rules and Enforcement Are Taking Hold: Communities big and small are rolling out tougher oversight to keep short-term rentals in check. Austin, Texas, approved new rules that cap how many units an owner can operate while giving the city sharper enforcement tools. In Pittsfield, Massachusetts, officials adopted their first-ever ordinance, requiring registration, inspections, and licensing while capping rentals at 150 days a year. Avalon, California, followed suit with sweeping new regulations, and Watervliet, New York, passed a local law aimed squarely at addressing noise, traffic, and parking complaints. Even enforcement is tightening in places that once treated rules as suggestions: Newport News, Virginia, is moving ahead with penalties after years of leniency, while Chatham, Massachusetts, has begun issuing fines against noncompliant hosts. Beyond the U.S., cities like Edmonton and Canmore in Alberta are adding business licensing requirements, while Greece is preparing sweeping national rules to curb overtourism’s impact on housing.

💼 Legal Battles and Policy Debates Are Escalating: While some communities find consensus, others are headed straight for conflict. The Montana Supreme Court ruled that restrictive covenants banning commercial activity in a Whitefish subdivision apply to short-term rentals, a decision that could ripple across other communities with similar deed restrictions. In Wayzata, Minnesota, the council voted 4–1 to phase out STRs entirely by 2026, requiring a minimum lease of 30 days. Elsewhere, local governments are revisiting their own decisions — Pullman, Washington, is reconsidering limits narrowly passed just months ago, and Lenox, Massachusetts, is bracing for a contentious town hall over new bylaws and state building code changes. Internationally, Montréal’s seasonal restrictions, Kelowna’s crackdown in British Columbia, and Severn Township’s potential licensing system in Ontario are all sparking debate over how far local governments should go.

📊 Taxation and Industry Organization Are Gaining Momentum: As regulations expand, so does the push to capture revenue and strengthen industry advocacy. Citrus County, Florida, adopted GovOS software to better track STRs and close tourism tax gaps, while Oneida County, New York, voted to extend its 5% hotel occupancy tax to STRs starting in 2026. Similar moves are underway abroad — Rwanda is preparing to tax digital services like Airbnb beginning in 2026, while Kincardine, Ontario, is considering adding a municipal accommodation tax to its planned licensing system. On the flip side, operators are building stronger collective voices: Colorado’s hosts have banded together under a new nonprofit, the Colorado Short-Term Rental Alliance (COSTRA), formed through the merger of several groups to influence statewide policy.

📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:

• Greenport, NY: North Fork leaders are moving closer to new short-term rental rules as Greenport Village readies a Sept. 18 public hearing on its latest code proposal while Southold Town prepares for a Sept. 30 code committee discussion.

🖱️ Click of the Week: See What Everyone’s Reading

Algonac City Council introduces short-term rental ordinance

At the Algonac City Council’s Aug. 19 meeting, council members approved several items, including the introduction of a short-term rental ordinance, the introduction of an amendment to add docking r…

The VoiceEmily Pauling

Algonac City Council introduces short-term rental ordinance

Algonac City Council has introduced a new short-term rental ordinance requiring annual registration, inspections, and limits on occupancy and parking. The council also advanced new docking rules at Riverfront Park and approved several community facility upgrades, including pool and activity center improvements.

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