Weekly Regulatory Briefing (39)

🏡Top Stories This Week

• Newberg, OR: Newberg officials are warning short-term rental owners about a scam email circulating under the guise of a city permit notice.
• Arapahoe County, CO: Arapahoe County is moving toward its first short-term rental licensing program, unveiling two regulatory options for unincorporated areas and inviting public comment through October 10.
• Fayetteville, AR: A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Fayetteville’s short-term rental ordinance, ruling that the city’s 475-unit cap and permitting system are constitutional.

🌍 Regional Highlights

• Connecticut: With tickets now on sale for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the rush to prepare for millions of visitors is highlighting the role of short-term rentals and the rules that govern them.

📜 New Ordinances Approved

• Atlas Township, MI: Atlas Township has banned short-term rentals after a split 3-2 board vote, redefining them as whole-house rentals of fewer than 30 days.
• Buchanan, MI: The Buchanan City Commission has enacted new rules for short-term rentals, finalizing an ordinance that permits STRs primarily in the downtown corridor but prohibits them in single-family residential areas.
• Steamboat Springs, CO: Steamboat Springs City Council approved a new enforcement ordinance on September 16 that gives some short-term rental operators a one-time 60-day window to reapply for a license, easing penalties for first-time lapses in the city’s green zone but keeping stricter limits in yellow and red zones.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• New York City, NY: New York City’s short-term rental market has collapsed under Local Law 18, which requires hosts to live on-site, cap guests at two, and register with the city. 
• Daphne, AL: Lake Forest’s HOA is weighing a ban on short-term rentals, but owners are fighting back, saying crime and safety concerns are being exaggerated.
• San Diego, CA: San Diego’s long-standing ban on renting newly built accessory dwelling units (ADUs) short-term is facing fresh scrutiny after an investigation revealed that city officials have been granting licenses to properties that aren’t eligible.
• Greenport, NY: Greenport is moving toward a tougher short-term rental code that would mandate permits for all rentals, cap occupancy, and create distinct categories for hosted, owner-occupied, and resident STRs.
• Killeen, TX: The city of Killeen has cut its arts funding by more than half, citing shortfalls in hotel occupancy tax collections linked to short-term rental operators who have fallen short on remitting taxes.
• Garland, TX; Garland has joined the growing list of North Texas cities tightening rules on short-term rentals, with new regulations now requiring a 48-hour minimum stay, a $500 annual license fee, annual inspections, proof of liability insurance, and a ban on street parking for guests.
• Elgin, IL: Elgin officials are cracking down on short-term rentals after discovering 12 properties operating without the required special use permits or remitting state-mandated hotel occupancy taxes.
• Portsmouth, VA City leaders in Portsmouth are drafting their first short-term rental ordinance following mounting safety issues, nuisance complaints, and lost revenue.
• Livingston, MT: Livingston may soon join other Montana cities in requiring licenses for short-term rentals, as officials debate a system focused on safety and cost recovery rather than restricting where rentals can operate.
• Reading, PA: Reading City Council holds a public hearing on a proposed zoning amendment that would, for the first time, formally regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo.
• Sausalito, CA: Sausalito takes a tougher stance on code enforcement, with City Council unanimously approving on first reading an overhaul that raises fines, streamlines hearings, and gives staff new tools to crack down on illegal short-term rentals.
• Norfolk, VA: Norfolk officials are preparing to vote on a proposal that would significantly change how the city taxes short-term rentals, shifting from a flat 3% nightly guest tax to a 3% charge per bedroom per night.
• Reno, NV: Reno officials are set to consider expanded rental regulations on Sept. 24, including a licensing system that would bring short-term rentals under stricter oversight for the first time.
• Warrensburg, MO: Warrensburg residents voiced growing frustration over short-term rentals during a Sept. 16 county listening session, saying investor-owned Airbnb homes were fueling noise complaints and crowding while driving up housing costs.
• Kearney, NE: The Kearney Planning Commission spent much of its Sept. 19 meeting debating new code amendments for short-term rentals, with city staff proposing a permit system to improve enforcement, track compliance with hotel occupation taxes, and create a fairer balance with hotels.
• Person County, NC: Person County Commissioners used their September 15 meeting to stress the importance of public involvement as they weigh changes to the Unified Development Ordinance, including rules for short-term rentals.
• San Antonio, TX: San Antonio’s latest zoning board meeting puts short-term rental regulation back under the spotlight, with commissioners hearing a mix of HOA complaints and tax compliance snags that highlight the city’s broader enforcement challenges.
• Brewster, MA: Brewster’s select board is now weighing a new path for short-term rentals after receiving the final task force report on September 15, which lays out six major recommendations.
• Kingston, NY: Kingston and surrounding Ulster County towns are grappling with the rising footprint of short-term rentals, which make up over three percent of the local housing supply.
• Solvang, CA: Solvang leaders continue to weigh how best to regulate short-term rentals, with the City Council reviewing two draft ordinances during its September 22 session.
• Syracuse, NY: At its September 22 meeting, Syracuse’s Economic Development Committee flagged short-term rentals as a rising issue alongside its wider focus on housing and parking rules.

🌱 Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends

The short-term rental market is entering a turning point as cities roll out tougher rules and residents push back. Recent developments highlight three major trends shaping the future of STRs in the U.S.

🏫 Expanding Local Restrictions and Bans: Cities and towns across the U.S. are tightening their grip on short-term rentals, with new bans, caps, and zoning limits shaping the landscape. Atlas Township, Michigan, has outlawed STRs altogether, Buchanan has confined them to its downtown corridor, and Garland, Texas, introduced steep license fees, inspections, and parking bans. From Sausalito to Steamboat Springs, councils are adopting tougher enforcement tools, signaling a broad move toward stricter oversight.

📊 Compliance, Enforcement, and Taxation in Focus: A second major trend is the emphasis on compliance and tax collection. Elgin, Illinois, is cracking down on unpermitted operators, while Killeen, Texas, links arts funding cuts to unpaid STR taxes. Norfolk, Virginia, is weighing a new tax formula based on bedrooms, and McKinney, Texas, has advanced tax obligations for VRBO. These moves show how municipalities are no longer just regulating STRs but also seeking to plug revenue gaps and ensure fairness with hotels.

⚖️ Mounting Public Pushback and Legal Battles: Community backlash and courtroom fights are also defining the debate. In Fayetteville, Arkansas, a federal judge upheld the city’s cap on STRs, while in Daphne, Alabama, homeowners are resisting HOA-led bans. Warrensburg, Missouri, and Kingston, New York, are facing resident anger over neighborhood disruptions and rising housing costs. At the same time, New York City’s market has collapsed under Local Law 18, a cautionary example of how strict regulations can reshape the industry overnight.

📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:

• Reading, PA: Council introduces the ordinance later that night, setting up a vote for adoption in October.

• Nantucket, MA: Nantucket voters will face a high-stakes Special Town Meeting this fall after resident Brian Borgeson secured enough signatures to place an article on the warrant legalizing short-term rentals as a principal use across the island.

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

City of Killeen says short-term rentals are to blame for reduced hotel tax revenue

The allocations the Killeen Arts Commission received from the city’s hotel occupancy tax were noticeably less than what it had received last year — and the city of Killeen is

The Killeen Daily HeraldKevin Limiti | Herald

City of Killeen says short-term rentals are to blame for reduced hotel tax revenue

Killeen’s Arts Commission saw its hotel occupancy tax funding slashed nearly 60% this year, with city officials blaming short-term rental hosts for failing to remit local taxes, leaving far less money available for arts grants. The cut has forced groups like Vive Les Arts Societe to scale back expectations as grantees face smaller awards than requested.

Social Listening📱: Twitter

STRisker’s Twitter Signal pulls real-time posts from officials, agencies, advocacy groups, and local influencers—so you see emerging sentiment and policy signals the moment they surface. Track conversations by place, people, and topics, then zero in on what actually matters.

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