Weekly Regulatory Briefing (49)
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
- 🌊 Monterey, CA: The Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance has filed a lawsuit against Monterey County and its Board of Supervisors, challenging recently adopted short-term rental restrictions.
- 🏠 Carmel, IN: After settling a lawsuit with the City of Carmel, homeowner Serena Burkard and her company, Vacation Homes LLC, are barred from listing any properties within the city as short-term rentals.
Genelaine Urbano
Read full report on Daily Notes 12/3/2024.
- 🏖️ Daytona Beach, FL: A violent standoff at Kingston Shores Condominiums in Ormond-by-the-Sea brought renewed attention to short-term rental safety after a man renting an unlicensed Airbnb opened fire, firing 200 rounds before being killed by police. Florida law mandates licensing for such rentals, but gaps in compliance and platform policies persist.
Genelaine Urbano
Read the full report on Daily Notes 12/2/2024.
- 🏙️ Simi Valley, CA: The Simi Valley City Council is taking steps toward regulating short-term rentals (STRs) instead of banning them, following resident complaints about neighborhood disruptions and the potential transformation of the “Poltergeist” house into a rental and event space.
Genelaine Urbano
Read the full report on Daily Notes 12/2/2024.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- 🌆 California: There is a growing push for stricter short-term rental regulations across California, as cities focus on preserving housing availability and addressing community concerns. Monterey County faces a lawsuit from the Monterey County Vacation Rental Alliance over new short-term rental restrictions, while Simi Valley is moving toward regulating STRs amid neighborhood concerns. Escondido is considering a ban on STRs near schools, and Ventura has approved a new ordinance capping vacation rental permits to protect housing and neighborhood character.
📜 New Ordinances Approved
- 🏞️ The Dalles, OR: The Dalles City Council has approved updates to its transient lodging tax (TLT) and short-term rental (STR) ordinances during its Nov. 25 meeting. The TLT ordinance retains the 8% tax rate but modernizes administration, increases late payment interest to 3%, and raises the tourism fund allocation to 55%.
- 🏔️ Paonia, CO: Paonia trustees approved a revised short-term rental ordinance on November 26, capping licenses at 30, adding flexibility for required “local contacts,” and extending special-use hearings to properties in R2 and R3 zones. License fees range from $150 to $500 depending on property type. Check out the full ordinance (pgs. 116-128) attached below.
Genelaine Urbano
Read the full report on Daily Notes 12/5/2024.
- 🏖️ Ventura, CA: Ventura has approved a new ordinance capping short-term vacation rental permits by area to address housing shortages and preserve neighborhood character.
- 🏙️ Owensboro, KY: The City of Owensboro has revised its transient room tax ordinance, targeting short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, which has yet to remit any taxes despite repeated requests.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- 🏡 Medina, OH: Medina has finalized regulations for short-term rentals, introducing zoning updates that clarify where these properties are permitted and set operational limits. Check out the proposed amendments here.
- 🏜️ Llano County, TX: Llano County Commissioners Court faced a challenging decision as it distributed $500,000 in hotel occupancy tax (HOT) grants among 27 applicants requesting a combined $964,000.
- 🏙️ Oklahoma City, OK: Proposed updates to Oklahoma City’s short-term rental rules seek to curb the impacts of home-sharing on neighborhoods while enhancing enforcement. The ordinances would limit the number of short-term rentals per block, cap occupancy during late-night hours, and introduce stricter criteria for renewing licenses or exceptions, including a focus on past violations.
- 🏜️ Scottsdale, AZ: Scottsdale's Ordinance No. 4651 has sparked controversy with state Republican leaders, who allege it violates Arizona's new housing laws designed to increase housing availability.
- 🌴 Tybee Island, GA: Tybee Island is preparing for significant changes to its short-term vacation rental (STVR) permitting process for 2025, with city officials meeting to explain the new requirements. Starting January 1, all current STVR permit holders must reapply, meeting stricter criteria, including proof of 60 rental days in the previous year. The reapplication period runs until March 31, 2025.
- 🏖️ Myrtle Beach, SC: Myrtle Beach is considering a zoning overlay that would permanently ban converting short-term rentals into long-term housing in certain commercial areas near the ocean. The Planning Commission reviewed the proposal on Nov. 19, 2024, with city council potentially adopting it by January 2025.
- 🏞️ Cottonwood Heights, UT: Cottonwood Heights is revisiting its short-term rental (STR) policies after discovering a substantial disparity between permitted rentals and active listings. While only 110 STRs are licensed, nearly 500 are estimated to be operating—around 5% of the city’s housing stock.
Genelaine Urbano
Read the full report on Daily Notes 12/2/2024.
- 🏙️ Murray City, UT: Murray City Council voted on Tuesday on a proposed ordinance that would legalize and regulate short-term rentals for the first time, marking a significant shift in city policy.
- 🏠 Escondido, CA: The Escondido City Council voted on a proposed ordinance that would ban short-term rentals (STRs) within 500 feet of schools, aiming to address growing concerns about disruptions in residential neighborhoods.
- 🏡 Eau Claire County, WI: Eau Claire is working to establish ordinances for short-term rentals (STRs) sparking debate over their potential impact on tourism and housing.
- 🏙️ Alpharetta, GA: Alpharetta's City Council is working toward regulating short-term rentals with a proposed ordinance that would impose limits on their number and location within neighborhoods.
Genelaine Urbano
Continuation of report on Daily Notes 12/4/2024.
- 🏙️ Saratoga Springs, NY: Saratoga Springs has once again delayed a decision on its proposed short-term rental regulations. The city council is waiting for the New York State to finalize its legislation, which is expected to include a registry for short-term rentals and the collection of sales and occupancy tax.
- 🏡 Wilmington, DE: Wilmington City Council has postponed a vote on short-term rental regulations that would have removed the requirement for owners to live in their rental properties and allowed LLCs to manage up to six units.
- 🌲 Thomaston, ME: Thomaston has yet to enforce the Short-Term Rentals ordinance approved by voters last June 2023, as the associated fees remain undefined.
- 🏖️ Ocean City, MD: The Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission met on Tuesday to review potential updates to short-term rental regulations in the R-1 and MH zones.
Genelaine Urbano
Full report on Daily Notes 12/4/2024
- ⛳ Pinehurst, NC: Pinehurst will increase enforcement of its short-term rental ordinance after two years of limited action due to legal risks.
- 🌊 Gulf Breeze, FL: Gulf Breeze is introducing a short-term rental ordinance in February 2025 to address resident concerns while navigating state-imposed limits on local regulation. Owners must provide contact information and designate a 24/7 "responsible party" to address emergencies.
Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends 🌱
Communities are adapting to the evolving short-term rental (STR) landscape with strategies to tackle emerging challenges. These include stricter enforcement, legal disputes, and efforts to balance neighborhood impact, reflecting ongoing adjustments in STR regulations.
What this means:
🗃️ Enhanced Enforcement and Licensing for Compliance: Cities like Cottonwood Heights, UT, and Tybee Island, GA, are increasing enforcement and tightening licensing requirements to address unlicensed short-term rentals (STRs) and ensure compliance. Pinehurst, NC, is also ramping up enforcement after a period of limited action. These efforts reflect a growing push to close regulatory gaps and ensure STRs operate within local safety and zoning standards.
💼 Litigation and Legal Challenges to Regulations: Operators are challenging restrictive STR regulations in court, as seen in Carmel, IN, where a lawsuit resulted in a permanent ban on certain properties, and in Monterey County, CA, where an advocacy group is suing over new restrictions. These legal battles highlight the tension between local governments trying to regulate STRs and operators seeking to protect their businesses, potentially leading to more balanced policies.
🏠 Balancing Neighborhood Impact and Housing Preservation: Cities like Ventura, CA, and Oklahoma City, OK, are implementing measures such as permit caps and density restrictions to mitigate the impact of STRs on neighborhoods and housing availability. While these actions aim to preserve residential areas, they may face resistance from stakeholders concerned about their potential to limit housing solutions, leading to more regulated and cautious STR growth.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- Saratoga Springs, NY: The vote on short-term rental regulations in Saratoga Springs has been postponed to December 17th to align with potential changes to statewide rules awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul's approval.
- Waukegan, IL: Waukegan’s proposed short-term rental regulations are moving closer to a final vote following adjustments by the City Council’s Community Development Committee.