Weekly Regulatory Briefing (40)
The Week’s STR Highlights. Oklahoma City, OK handles lawsuit; Ocean City, NJ discusses rental tax with Airbnb; Hawaii & Idaho revisit enforcement; Oregon enforces law; Monterey County, CA adopts rules; Anchorage, AK advances proposal; Ionia. MI introduces rules; Beverly Hills, CA. READ MORE.
🏡Top Stories This Week
- Oklahoma City, OK: The future of short-term rentals in Oklahoma neighborhoods may hinge on a pending case before the state’s highest court.
- Ocean City, NJ: Airbnb is challenging Ocean City’s new 3 percent rental tax, accusing two councilmen of violating ethics rules by voting on the measure despite personal ties to the rental market.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- Hawaii: Beginning in January 2026, visitors to Hawaii will face a higher price tag on lodging and cruises as the state implements its new Green Fee, a 0.75% increase to the Transient Accommodations Tax that is expected to bring in about $100 million annually for environmental projects.
- Oregon: A new Oregon law now protects guests in short-term rentals, hotels, and motels from being secretly photographed, recorded, or filmed inside their accommodations.
- Idaho: Idaho’s short-term rental landscape is heavily shaped by its 2022 Supreme Court ruling and subsequent passage of the Homeowners Association Act.
📜 New Ordinances Approved
- Monterey County, CA: Monterey County supervisors adopted new coastal vacation rental rules that mirror the county’s inland framework and take effect October 24.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- Anchorage, AK: Anchorage officials are advancing a proposal to tax short-term rentals at 5%, framing the move as a response to rising housing pressures and neighborhood disruption tied to the growth of Airbnb- and VRBO-style listings.
- Ionia, MI: Ionia City Council introduced updated short-term rental rules on Oct. 1, clarifying definitions and requirements for hosts.
- Beverly Hills, CA: The Beverly Hills Planning Commission voted 3-2 against recommending an exemption that would have allowed historic landmark homes to operate as short-term rentals despite the citywide ban.
- Middletown, RI: Middletown’s Town Council met on September 15 to review its short-term rental ordinance, which currently limits homeowners to renting two rooms in their primary residence.
- New Orleans, LA: The New Orleans City Council recently weighed demolition requests and short-term rental appeals.
- Galveston, TX: The Galveston Short Term Rental Ad Hoc Committee advanced its work on September 25, focusing on density restrictions, policy considerations, and parking rules.
- Dearborn Heights, MI: Dearborn Heights has followed neighboring Dearborn’s lead but taken a stricter approach by adopting a citywide ban on short-term rentals.
- Bellbrook, OH; At its September 22 meeting, the Bellbrook City Council focused on community engagement and the city’s short-term rental rules.
- Lenox, MA: Lenox officials are weighing a new short-term rental bylaw that would require annual registrations, fire extinguishers in all properties, stricter fire alarm systems for non-owner-occupied units, and new “quiet hours” from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Skokie, IL: Skokie trustees and Mayor Ann Tennes revisited proposed short-term rental regulations that could reshape how Airbnbs and similar properties operate in the village.
- Greenport, NY: Greenport Village wrapped up hearings on a new short-term rental law that would require permits for stays under 30 days, limit multi-unit operators, and enforce rules such as off-street parking and fines of up to $5,000 starting in 2026.
- Irondequoit, NY: The Town of Irondequoit will now require permits for short-term rentals under a code taking effect October 14.
- Cannon Beach, OR: Cannon Beach leaders want to simplify short-term rental regulations by shifting permitting decisions from the Planning Commission to the City Council, treating them more like business licenses than land-use matters.
- Douglas County, NV: Douglas County’s VHR Advisory Board spent September 24 debating whether to revoke a vacation home rental permit after violations involving underage guests and noise.
- Buncombe County, NC: In Buncombe County, the future of short-term rental regulation has been put on pause as recovery from Hurricane Helene takes priority.
- Tiverton, RI: Tiverton’s Planning Board workshop focused on Accessory Dwelling Units and made clear that while ADUs can be rented long-term, short-term rentals under 30 days will not be allowed.
- Atlanta, GA: Concerns are growing among Atlanta short-term rental hosts that restrictions could expand after the Home Park neighborhood banned new STRs earlier this year.
- East Brunswick, NJ: East Brunswick officials are moving to strengthen short-term rental regulations after complaints about disruptive activities, including residents renting out backyard swimming pools by the hour.
- Fishers, IN: The Fishers Board of Zoning Appeals meeting on September 25 centered on community concerns about a proposed short-term rental in a residential neighborhood.
Genelaine Urbano
🌱 Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends
Short-term rentals are facing sharper scrutiny nationwide, as legal battles, new local ordinances, and mounting resident pushback reshape how cities and towns manage the industry. Recent developments highlight three key trends defining the next phase of regulation.
⚖️ Courts and Legal Battles Shape STR Rules: The fight over short-term rentals is moving deeper into the courts, setting the stage for landmark rulings that could reshape local authority. Oklahoma’s Supreme Court is preparing to decide whether cities can limit rentals in residential neighborhoods, while in New Jersey, Airbnb has taken Ocean City to court over its newly imposed 3% rental tax.
📊 Growing Wave of Local Ordinances and Taxation: Across the country, communities are writing new rules and tax codes to gain more control over the industry. Monterey County has finalized coastal restrictions on rentals, Anchorage advanced a 5% tax on bookings, and Dearborn Heights voted to eliminate STRs entirely within its borders. Smaller jurisdictions are also following suit: Ionia, Michigan, adopted tighter permitting requirements, and Lenox, Massachusetts, mandated new safety inspections.
🎤 Rising Public Pushback and Policy Debates: Public frustration with neighborhood disruptions and housing shortages continues to drive policy discussions around STRs. Beverly Hills shut down attempts to create exemptions for landmark properties, citing fairness and consistency, while East Brunswick targeted backyard pool rentals after a surge in nuisance complaints. In Atlanta and Greenport, city hearings are drawing strong resident turnout, with many demanding caps, stricter licensing, and better enforcement.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- Brookhaven, GA: The Brookhaven City Council postponed a vote on new short-term rental rules until October 9 after two members missed Monday’s meeting.
- East Brunswick, NJ: A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for October 13.
- West Stockbridge, MA: West Stockbridge voters will decide on October 20 whether to adopt new zoning bylaws that regulate both accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and short-term rentals (STRs).
- Oxford, MD: Oxford officials are weighing tougher penalties for unlicensed short-term rentals after Commissioner Dave Donovan noted that only five of the town’s 35–44 listings are licensed. A public hearing on the measure is set for October 28.
- Ionia, MI: A public hearing will follow before a final vote on November 5.
🖱️ Click of the Week: See What Everyone’s Reading
Gary Allen
Scammers capitalizing on growing number of short-term rentals in Newberg
The city of Newberg is warning short-term rental owners about a fraudulent email scam impersonating city officials and demanding fake permit payments, urging residents to verify communications through official channels. The alert comes shortly after the city streamlined its STR permitting process, cutting fees and approval times to support local tourism.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
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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