Executive Summary
A South Carolina appeals court upheld Folly Beach's cap on STR licenses, giving the city a legal win after a long fight. Hawaii's House Tourism Committee pushed HB 1590 forward, which would let counties use screenshots of rental listings as evidence in enforcement cases and make booking platforms register and remit taxes, all in support of Bill 9's phaseout of thousands of Maui vacation rentals. Missouri lawmakers are scrambling to fix property tax language before May after assessors in a dozen counties reclassified STRs to commercial rates, with one homeowner's bill jumping from $5,000 to $12,500. Cleveland is reviving STR licensing legislation with a 3% bed tax and per-block rental limits, while Portland's own auditor found that the city's STR fines disproportionately hit operators from marginalized communities. Highland Park, Illinois, is looking to buy third-party data to catch violators after Airbnb blocked government emails used for enforcement.
New Regulations
Folly Beach, South Carolina
Published: March 2026
Regulation Category: Licensing
Summary: A South Carolina appeals court upheld Folly Beach's 2023 cap on short-term rental licenses after a drawn-out legal battle. The ruling affirms the city's authority to limit STR permits.
Source: Folly Beach keeps 800 short-term rental permit cap after court upholds policy
Portland, Oregon
Published: March 4, 2026
Regulation Category: Enforcement / Equity
Summary: A city investigation found that over half of STR operators facing Portland's highest fines may belong to systemically excluded communities, conflicting with the city's racial equity goals. Portland's STR fines significantly exceed comparable cities and lack a warning system before penalties are imposed.
Source: Accessory Short-Term Rentals: Changes in City rules and enforcement methods needed to increase equity and effectiveness
Developing Regulations
Hawaii (Statewide)
Published: March 5, 2026
Regulation Category: Enforcement / Tax
Summary: The Hawaii House Tourism Committee advanced HB 1590, which would let counties use time-stamped screenshots of rental listings as legal evidence and require booking platforms to register with the state and remit lodging taxes. The bill supports enforcement of Bill 9, which phases out thousands of vacation rentals in apartment-zoned Maui districts over five years.
Source: Hawaii Is Coming For Airbnb
Santa Barbara, California
Published: March 9, 2026
Regulation Category: General / Zoning
Summary: Santa Barbara's Planning Commission voted 4-2 to advance a decade-in-development STR ordinance to City Council, despite unresolved issues around parking waivers, tax enforcement, and preventing neighborhood oversaturation. The ordinance must reach City Council by May.
Source: Santa Barbara Planning Commission advances short-term rental measure despite misgivings
Richardson, Texas
Published: March 6, 2026
Regulation Category: Licensing / Enforcement
Summary: Richardson City Council reviewed its 2023 STR ordinance and heard proposed amendments focused on establishing clear criteria for when and why STR registration certificates may be revoked. Current rules require registration, annual fees, a local responsible party, and guest information.
Source: Council Reviews Short-Term Rental Ordinance and Proposed Updates
Cleveland, Ohio
Published: March 5, 2026
Regulation Category: Licensing / Tax
Summary: Cleveland City Council is reviving 2024 legislation that would require STR operators to obtain city licenses, pay a 3% bed tax, maintain liability insurance, and comply with noise rules, with limits on the number of rentals per block or building. Council Majority Leader Jasmin Santana raised concerns about enforcement capacity, and some members want to ban STRs entirely.
Source: Cleveland weighs new rules for Airbnbs & other short-term rentals
Missouri (Statewide)
Published: March 3, 2026
Regulation Category: Tax
Summary: Missouri lawmakers are racing to clarify property tax language for STRs before May's deadline, after assessors in 12 of 114 counties reclassified STR properties from residential to commercial rates — one homeowner's bill jumped from $5,000 to $12,500. Four bills have been introduced to maintain residential rates, and HB 1768 has already passed the House.
Source: Tax turmoil: MO short-term rental voices back clear tax language
Maryland (Statewide)
Published: March 3, 2026
Regulation Category: Zoning / Housing
Summary: Maryland's MACo submitted testimony on HB 993, which would clarify that tenants may offer leased properties as short-term rentals while preserving local regulatory authority. Counties flagged concerns about "Airbnb arbitrage," where investors lease units in high-demand areas and convert them to STRs for profit.
Source: Balancing Short-Term Rental Flexibility with Local Oversight and Long-Term Housing Goals
Highland Park, Illinois
Published: March 2, 2026 Regulation Category: Licensing / Enforcement Summary: Highland Park is proposing stricter STR regulations after enforcement difficulties, including Airbnb blocking government emails. Proposed changes include purchasing third-party STR data for monthly violation reports and requiring owners to prove primary residence with at least two forms of documentation. Source: Amid enforcement challenges, Highland Park looks to add further guardrails on short-term rentals