Weekly Regulatory Briefing (51)
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
- 🌴 Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles is ramping up efforts to tackle illegal short-term rentals as it prepares for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
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Read more about it on Daily Notes 12/16/2024...
- 🎉 Birmingham, AL: Airbnb is cracking down on holiday parties with enhanced anti-party technology designed to block high-risk reservations for New Year’s Eve. Birmingham, Alabama, has seen issues with parties at short-term rentals, including property damage, and shootings leading to heightened community concerns.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- 🍁 Maine: Maine regulators are taking steps to implement new rules for short-term rentals in the state's unorganized territories. Initially, property owners will be required to register their rentals with the Land Use Planning Commission, which will help the state gather data on the growing sector.
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- 🏔️ Colorado: Policymakers in Colorado are preparing for a potential legislative session in 2025 that may introduce a tax on vacant homes, but short-term rentals (STRs) are now set to be exempt from the proposal.
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📜 New Ordinances Approved
- ⚓ Port Royal, SC: Port Royal has approved strict new rules to curb the growth of short-term rentals, capping them at 6% of residential units in each of five districts.
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- 🌲 Portland, OR: In a bid to curb unregulated short-term rentals (STRs), the Portland City Council has unanimously passed stricter safety requirements for STRs in commercial zones, including sprinkler systems and fire walls.
- 🏠 West Chester Township, OH: West Chester Township has temporarily paused short-term rentals, approving a moratorium as officials finalize zoning updates to regulate the practice.
- 🏙️ Saratoga Springs, NY: Saratoga Springs has adopted new short-term rental regulations, introducing changes to meet state-mandated requirements. Key updates include no initial cap on licenses, adherence to state insurance requirements, and removal of site plan and septic inspection mandates though owners must inform tenants about septic and parking restrictions.
- 🏘️ South Euclid, OH: South Euclid City Council has approved a six-month moratorium on short-term home rentals following a shooting at an Airbnb property on Felton Road that left three people injured.
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- 🌅 Olean, NY: Olean has enacted a 5% occupancy tax on short-term rentals, including hotels, Airbnb properties, and bed-and-breakfasts, effective in 2025. The tax was approved unanimously by the Common Council following the state’s authorization of the measure in Senate Bill S6671.
- 🌊 Lake Geneva, WI: Lake Geneva has strengthened its short-term rental (STR) rules with the City Council approving updates that include clearer penalties and licensing requirements.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- 🌴 Palm Coast, FL: Palm Coast has advanced an ordinance to regulate short-term rentals, addressing parking, noise, and occupancy concerns in residential neighborhoods.
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- 🍇 Visalia, CA: Nearly a year after Visalia implemented stricter zoning rules for short-term rentals (STRs), compliance remains minimal, with only 33 operators obtaining permits out of an estimated 548 rentals.
- 🏞️ Glens Falls, NY: The Glens Falls Common Council is preparing to finalize regulations on short-term rentals, following a delay at their Dec. 10 meeting to extend the public comment period.
- 🌄 Missoula, MT: New short-term rental regulations have taken effect in Missoula, Montana, impacting popular platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO. The new rules require operators within city limits to register with the Community Planning, Development, and Innovation department.
- 🏜️ Scottsdale, AZ: New Arizona state laws are set to significantly reduce Scottsdale’s regulatory power over short-term rentals and housing development starting Jan. 1, sparking concerns among city leaders.
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- 🏖️ Tisbury, MA: Tisbury’s special town meeting addressed major proposals, including $4.4 million in funding for Vineyard Haven Library renovations and upgrades. The meeting also considered short-term rental regulations that limit properties to 75 rental nights annually, prohibit multiple short-term rental ownerships, and mandate registration with the town.
- 🏙️ Lansing, MI: Michigan Representative Joey Andrews expressed disappointment as the Michigan House concluded its session without voting on his proposed legislation to regulate short-term rentals (STRs).
- 🌊 Seabrook, SC: The Seabrook Island Town Council voted on new short-term rental regulations that would introduce caps for the first time.
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Let’s Explore: Emerging Trends 🌱
Communities are navigating the challenges of short-term rental (STR) management by introducing creative solutions to protect neighborhood integrity. Measures such as tighter licensing rules and enforcement against non-compliant listings demonstrate a commitment to minimizing disruptions while encouraging responsible hosting.
What this means:
🚫 Heightened Regulatory Measures to Curb Illegal Short-Term Rentals: Los Angeles is ramping up its crackdown on unregistered rentals in preparation for the 2028 Summer Olympics, while Visalia, CA, and Missoula, MT, are struggling with compliance rates despite stricter zoning rules. Similarly, South Euclid, OH, and West Chester Township, OH, have enacted moratoriums to review their regulatory frameworks, reflecting a broader trend of jurisdictions tightening control over short-term rental operations.
🚴♂️ Addressing Safety and Community Concerns: Safety and quality-of-life issues are prompting cities to impose stricter measures on short-term rental platforms. Airbnb's anti-party technology is a response to holiday season disruptions in Birmingham, AL, while Portland, OR, has mandated enhanced safety requirements, such as sprinkler systems and fire walls, for commercial zone STRs. In other areas, like Seabrook, SC, and Palm Coast, FL, proposed regulations are targeting noise, parking, and occupancy to alleviate neighborhood tensions.
🌆 Balancing Regulation with Economic Opportunity: Other regions are seen focusing on economic regulation. Olean, NY, has introduced a 5% occupancy tax for STRs; Maine’s Land Use Planning Commission is gathering data via mandatory registrations to better understand and manage the growing short-term rental sector. Meanwhile, Colorado’s exclusion of STRs from its vacant home tax proposal reflects a recognition of their economic value, indicating a nuanced approach to balancing regulatory oversight and fiscal benefits.
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- Hanover County, VA: A decision on short-term rentals in Hanover County, Virginia, will now wait until January 22, 2025, after the Board of Supervisors postponed its vote following a late-night meeting.
- Rochester, MA: Rochester’s Special Town Meeting in January 2025 will include decisions on housing-related bylaws, including a requirement for short-term rental registration.