Weekly Regulatory Briefing (9) 02/27/2026
This Week's STR. Cleveland, OH reports shooting; Montana lowers tax; Florida advances bipartisan bill; Del Mar, CA and Evanston, IL approve ordinance; St. Louis, MO begins collecting fee; Manti, UT approves moratorium. READ MORE.
🏡Top Stories This Week
- Cleveland, OH: A suspected Airbnb party in Cleveland’s west side led to a shooting early Wednesday morning, leaving a 28-year-old man in stable condition.
🌍 Regional Highlights
- Montana: A new property tax structure in Montana will lower tax rates for primary residences and long-term rentals while shifting more tax burden to second homes, vacation properties and short-term rentals.
- Florida: Florida lawmakers have advanced a bipartisan bill aimed at improving pool safety at vacation rental homes, mandating that any rental property with a pool—or a body of water within 150 feet—have at least one safety measure, including fences, alarms, or pool covers.
- Hawaii: State policymakers in Hawaii are weighing expanded enforcement and regulatory changes targeting tens of thousands of vacation rentals, backed by hotel industry advocacy and new research supporting stricter oversight.
📜 New Ordinances Approved
- Del Mar, CA: The City Council in Del Mar approved new short-term rental permit fees of $815 for an initial two-year license and $598 for renewals as part of implementing its first comprehensive STR ordinance, which caps eligibility at 129 properties while allowing 150 existing rentals to continue operating until they phase out.
- St. Louis, MO: St. Louis approved legislation to begin collecting a 3% fee on short-term rental stays of 30 days or less, requiring operators to obtain a business license and remit the fee either directly or through platform agreements.
- Evanston, IL: The Evanston City Council approved new short-term rental rules that replace earlier distance and building-percentage caps with a requirement that new rentals must not create a “negative cumulative effect” on neighborhoods.
- Manti, UT: Officials in Manti approved a temporary moratorium of up to six months on new short-term rentals while the Planning Commission updates ordinance language and enforcement standards.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- Palm Spring, CA: Officials in Palm Springs are weighing whether to give the Administrative Appeals Board more flexibility in handling short-term rental violation appeals after stakeholders argued the current ordinance limits the board’s ability to consider mitigating circumstances.
- San Bernardino, CA: Officials in San Bernardino held an extended discussion on a potential citywide short-term rental ban at their Feb. 18 council meeting.
- Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles officials are advancing a ballot measure to increase the transient occupancy tax by 2% through 2028, which would apply to short-term rentals alongside hotels and hostels. Voters are set to decide in the June primary.
- Covington, KY: Debate over short-term rental oversight is intensifying in Covington as local officials push back against proposed state legislation that could strip cities of regulatory authority.
- Houston, TX: Houston will require short-term rental hosts to register with the city starting April 1 for stays under 30 days, a compliance step officials are emphasizing ahead of the anticipated World Cup tourism surge.
- Breckenridge, CO: Breckenridge’s fourth year under short-term rental caps showed declining violations and complaints, alongside ongoing management of license limits across designated resort, tourism, downtown, and residential zones.
- Hudson, WI: Hudson Common Council is considering a proposal to double how long residents in Hudson can rent out their homes on short-term rental platforms from two months to four months each year.
- San Diego, CA: A recent case in San Diego has drawn attention to a regulatory loophole allowing properties cleared through no-fault evictions to be licensed as short-term rentals without restriction under current rules.
- Mendocino County, CA: Mendocino County officials are reviewing 19 potential regulatory changes for short-term rentals in unincorporated inland areas, including good-neighbor policies, possible caps tied to housing stock, and stronger enforcement measures.
- Faribault, MN: Faribault officials are moving toward adopting a short-term rental ordinance focused on life-safety standards and lodging tax compliance rather than zoning restrictions.
- Kendall County, IL: Officials in Yorkville will implement new short-term rental regulations after approval from the Kendall County Board.
- Newport, RI: Newport City Council is considering zoning changes that would require short-term rental “guest house” conversions in business and waterfront districts of Newport to undergo Special Use permit review rather than being allowed by right.
- Manistee, MI: Manistee officials identified 89 unregistered short-term rental units after a Dec. 31 compliance deadline tied to the city’s new ordinance, while 96 properties have registered so far and must pay a $100 annual fee.
- Beacon, NY: Beacon continues to struggle with enforcing its short-term rental law, with just 33 of 133 Airbnb listings registered as of mid-2025.
- Solvang, CA: Solvang officials advanced an updated short-term rental ordinance to a first reading that would confine new vacation rentals to the Village Mixed-Use area, cap total permits at 40, and prohibit rentals in accessory dwelling units.
- Mentor, OH: In Mentor, a resident urged City Council to reconsider the city’s ban on short-term rentals following the Jan. 31 fire at Park House Apartments, arguing the prohibition limited emergency housing options for displaced residents.
- Green Bay, WI: Officials in Green Bay are moving forward with revised short-term rental regulations that strengthen permit standards, require written guest rules covering noise and parking, and introduce defined enforcement procedures for problem properties.
- Hudson, NY: The Hudson Common Council is reviewing a proposed amendment that would expand allowable short-term rental use from 60 to 120 days annually, with further discussion expected in March following Legal Committee review.
- Saratoga, CA: The City Council in Saratoga enacted a complete prohibition on short-term rentals through platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo, citing concerns over traffic, noise, and overcrowding in residential neighborhoods.
- Madison, AL: Madison officials are considering whether to allow short-term rentals, which are currently prohibited under city rules that only regulate rentals of 180 days or more.
- Laketown Township, MI: A new proposal in Laketown Township would prohibit most whole-home short-term rentals in residential and agricultural zones unless owners live on the property.
- Fairview Park, OH: Leaders in Fairview Park enacted a short-term rental ban after years of complaints and enforcement challenges tied to unregulated vacation rentals.
- Laconia, NH: The City Council in Laconia is reviewing a proposal to curb short-term rentals by requiring hosts to live in the property and obtain a meals-and-rooms license.
- Talbot County, MD: Three members of Talbot County council referred a small amendment to the Planning Commission that would relax short-term rental notification requirements, allowing license applicants to notify the closest 50 properties instead of all within 1,000 feet.
📲 Social Buzz
🎤 Episode Title: 20 - How To Invest in Real Estate: Hacks & Actionable Steps
🎤Episode: Two Girls Investing Podcast
📻 Listen:https://rss.com/podcasts/two-girls-investing-podcast/2586068
🎤 Episode Title: 40 Sales In One Year From YouTube: Steal This Agent’s Playbook | The Walk Thru 189
🎤 Episode: The Walk Thru
📻 Listen:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thewalkthru/episodes/40-Sales-In-One-Year-From-YouTube-Steal-This-Agents-Playbook--The-Walk-Thru-189-e3fjtbu
🎤 Episode Title: Buying Land in Portland Metro: 15 Things to Know First
🎤 Episode: Off the Record: Portland Real Estate Insider
📻 Listen:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2130513/episodes/18751448-buying-land-in-portland-metro-15-things-to-know-first.mp3
Charleston County Strengthens Rules for Fair Short-Term Rentalshttps://t.co/JUpllaohoK
— DENISE RUSH (@SoldByDeniseR) February 27, 2026
Did you know Charleston County is cracking down on unpermitted short-term rentals? 🏠 ...
New Franklin considers suggestions for short-term rental ordinancehttps://t.co/ImNMISYbAU pic.twitter.com/Z3cwxikEoh
— Akron.com (@Akrondotcom) February 27, 2026
🚨 UPDATE: HB1590 - Relating To Vacation Rentals.
— Hawaii Legislature Tracker (@LuxurySandbox) February 27, 2026
Action: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Harts...#hileg #hawaiipoliticshttps://t.co/JvWSm8KbH5
New at the Chronicle: It was Thunderdome in the Senate today, as two bills relating to short-term rental regulation entered committee, but only one left.https://t.co/lNndO2SzOM
— Gem State Chronicle (@gemstatechron) February 27, 2026
📅 Future Meetings and Public Hearings/Comments:
- Green Bay, WI: Green Bay Plan Commission voted to recommend updates to Green Bay’s short-term rental ordinance, sending the proposal to the Green Bay Common Council for consideration on March 3.
- San Bernardino, CA: The issue remains unresolved and could return for further consideration at upcoming council sessions.
- Solvang, CA: Council members are expected to take final action on the ordinance in early March following a year of regulatory review and public feedback.
- Palm Spring, CA: The board plans to research enforcement approaches used in other cities and is expected to revisit the issue at its next meeting on March 18.
🖱️ Click of the Week: See What Everyone’s Reading
Solvang OKs first draft of short-term rental ordinance
The Solvang City Council unanimously advanced an updated short-term rental ordinance that would cap vacation rentals at 40, restrict them primarily to the Village Mixed-Use area, and bar them from accessory dwelling units. The amendments also introduce mandatory safety inspections, occupancy limits, neighbor notifications, stronger enforcement measures, and improved tax auditing.
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