Executive summary
This week's regulatory landscape shows enforcement technology changing the game in Summit County, Utah, where new Azora software identified 800 unlicensed operators—350 either applied for licenses or shut down operations, with violators now facing $1,000-per-day fines. San Diego's proposed Empty Second Home and Vacation Rental Tax could hit whole-home STR operators with $8,000–$12,000 annual fees, though it targets fewer than 1% of properties and excludes primary residences. Washington State is reviving House Bill 2559 to let cities and counties add up to 4% STR taxes starting April 2027, while Harrison Township, Michigan, is considering zoning changes that would restrict rentals to just four commercial districts, effectively banning them in residential areas. Manhattan Beach, California, rejected a temporary FIFA World Cup expansion that would have opened 450 new licenses outside the coastal zone, keeping their current 191-license coastal-only system that generated $1.7 million in transient occupancy tax last year.
New Regulations
Summit County, Utah
Published: January 23, 2026
Regulation Category: Licensing / Enforcement
Summary: Summit County implemented Azora software to monitor platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, identifying unlicensed STRs and contacting about 800 operators, resulting in 350 applying for licenses or ceasing operations. Non-compliant operators face $1,000 per-day fines via civil enforcement, supported by a new 24-hour complaint hotline.
Source: Summit County uses new software to track short-term rental violations, enforce local ordinances
Manhattan Beach, California
Published: January 20, 2026
Regulation Category: Licensing / Zoning (expansion proposal rejected)
Summary: The City Council voted 3-2 to reject a temporary expansion allowing STRs city-wide (with a 450-license cap in non-coastal areas) during the 2026 FIFA World Cup period (June 5–July 17), keeping restrictions limited to the Coastal Zone west of Highland Ave. No changes were made to existing rules, where 191 coastal licenses generated $1.7 million in Transient Occupancy Tax last fiscal year.
Source: Manhattan Beach Puts Kibosh On Short-Term Rental Proposal
Developing Regulations
Harrison Township, Macomb County, Michigan
Published: January 19, 2026
Regulation Category: Zoning
Summary: A proposed zoning ordinance would restrict short-term rentals to only four commercial zoning districts (local commercial, general commercial, village district, and village downtown waterfront), effectively limiting or banning them in residential areas. The Planning Commission tabled the discussion in December 2025 after public input, with ongoing community division and a workshop planned for February 2026.
Source: 'Stop STRs': Short-term rental proposal sparks tension among Harrison Township residents
Washington (statewide)
Published: January 20, 2026
Regulation Category: Tax
Summary: House Bill 2559 is under discussion to allow cities and counties to impose up to a 4% tax on short-term rentals starting April 2027, with revenues dedicated to affordable housing initiatives. The proposal faces opposition from Airbnb and operators, with no scheduled vote yet in the House Finance Committee, reviving similar failed legislation from the prior year.
Source: Tax on short-term rentals like Airbnb again under discussion in WA
Clackamas County, Oregon
Published: January 20, 2026
Regulation Category: Licensing / General regulations (pilot program feedback)
Summary: Clackamas County's STR pilot program, regulating previously unrestricted STRs in unincorporated areas, has been extended through June 30, 2026, to collect public input via a survey (open until February 11, 2026) and town halls (February 5 virtual and February 8 in-person in Mt. Hood area). This feedback will shape potential permanent regulations, fees, and rules for STR operators and neighbors.
Source: Survey & Town Halls – Short Term Rental regulations
San Diego, California
Published: January 21, 2026
Regulation Category: Tax
Summary: Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera proposed the Empty Second Home and Vacation Rental Tax, imposing $8,000–$12,000 annually on whole-home short-term rentals and vacant second homes (targeting corporate-owned properties), excluding primary residences or long-term rentals. The measure aims to raise up to $90 million for housing affordability while affecting fewer than 1% of residents amid pressures on STRs contributing to high housing costs.
Source: San Diego councilman floats taxes on short-term rentals, vacation second homes
New Zealand
Published: January 25, 2026
Regulation Category: General regulations (potential caps/limits)
Summary: Growing calls in New Zealand seek stronger STR regulations amid housing concerns, highlighted by Queenstown's high vacancy rates and a failed 2023 court challenge to local day limits, with an Auckland University study underway to assess impacts. In Sydney, proposals include a potential 60-day annual cap on Airbnbs due to enforcement issues with the current 180-day limit and housing shortages.
Source: Calls for stronger AirBnB regulations in NZ as Sydney mulls crackdown