Short-Term Rental Excise Home Rule Petition
At a glance
- What: The mayor asked for a home rule petition to impose an annual excise on short-term rentals to fund housing stability and a possible low-threshold shelter.
- Where it stands: Acted on October 8; see the log below.
Based on auto-generated captions of the video; names and numbers may be misheard.
Sources
Log
2026-10-08 - City Council
The petition would impose an annual excise on short-term rental operators, with proceeds going to a housing stability fund and a potential low-threshold shelter site; B&Bs, inns and owners renting their primary residence would be exempt. A councilor recused. Councilor Sydoriak questioned the basis for the $500 and $1,000 figures and the city's enforcement capacity, and Councilor Flynn opposed new fees on property owners. A motion by Councilor Smith, seconded by Councilor King, referred it to Administration and Finance with the Committee of the Whole; it carried. In public comment a resident opposed the excise, saying enforcement of short-term rental rules is nearly nonexistent.
- 2026-11-09 - 2026-12-03 - Administration and Finance Committee - Scheduled 6:00 PM, co-posted with the Committee of the Whole: item #492, a home rule petition for a short-term-rental excise to fund homelessness prevention and shelter and to create a new city fund.