Issue No. 8 · November 10, 2026
Hey host. The one piece of real news we can confirm this week is that LA County's new ADU ordinance, the rewrite meant to clarify how its rules line up with state law and limit ADUs on certain subdivided lots, is still sitting in draft with no Board of Supervisors vote scheduled, so if you've been planning a build around rules that haven't been adopted yet, don't. Every other lead we ran down this week (in Nashville, Hawaii, Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, and Georgia) turned out, once we checked it against a primary government source, to be months or years old, already resolved, or already covered in a past issue, so nothing new clears our confidence bar for the main list this issue.
Slow week: zero STR items reached HIGH or MEDIUM confidence this issue. Lean on the ADU Corner, STR Idea of the Week, and Best Practices below to round out the read.
This Week's Regulation Changes
None cleared our confidence bar this week. See "Left out, low confidence" and "Held for next issue" below for what we checked and why it didn't make the cut.
ADU Corner
Regulatory news: none this week, no HIGH or MEDIUM confidence ADU item surfaced, so this part is skipped per our usual rule.
ADU Tip of the Week: Ask about pre-approved plan sets before paying for a custom ADU design
A growing number of cities offer a catalog of pre-approved ADU floor plans that skip most of the design-review step, since the city has already vetted them against code. If a pre-approved plan fits your lot and needs, it can cut weeks or months off permitting compared to a fully custom design, often at a lower upfront design cost too. Ask your planning department for its pre-approved or standard plan list before you commission custom architecture, even if you end up wanting changes from a base plan.
Left out, low confidence
STR, Nashville, TN: a short-term-rental item appeared on Metro Council's October 28, 2026 docket, but we could not confirm whether it reflected an actual council vote or a lower-level planning-commission recommendation. Holding until we can confirm it against the council's own record.
ADU, San Diego, CA: a secondary source claimed the City Council adopted companion-unit and new junior-ADU rules by an 8-1 vote, but the source gave two conflicting dates for the vote and we could not corroborate it against the city's own council records. Holding until confirmed.
Held for next issue, pending outcomes
ADU, Los Angeles County, CA (unincorporated areas): the county's draft 2026 ADU Ordinance Amendment has been through a public webinar and comment period but still has no Board of Supervisors vote scheduled. Watching for a hearing date.
STR: none this week.
Trend of the Week: Cumulative Restrictions
Running total of jurisdictions in our Restricted Jurisdictions Registry, by the date each was first flagged, August 20 through today. The total has held flat at 9 since October 5, since no new HIGH/MEDIUM "New Restriction" or "Ban/Phaseout" item was confirmed this week or last.
STR Idea of the Week
A direct line to your neighbors can head off a complaint before it reaches the city
Most code-enforcement complaints don't start with the city, they start with a neighbor who got annoyed and didn't know who else to call. Give the households closest to your rental a simple way to reach you directly (a text number on a small card, or a line in your welcome materials asking guests to share it if asked) before a noise or parking issue ever happens. A neighbor who can text you about a loud guest at 11pm is far less likely to call code enforcement first, and a quick personal response is usually enough to defuse a minor issue before it becomes a formal complaint on your record. Treat this as a relationship to maintain, not a one-time intro: a short check-in after a particularly busy weekend goes a long way.
Best Practices
Keep a permit renewal calendar separate from your tax calendar
Occupancy tax remittance and permit renewal are two different deadlines on two different clocks, and it's easy to stay current on one while quietly lapsing on the other. Most STR permits and licenses expire on a fixed schedule (often annually) that has nothing to do with your tax filing dates, and a lapsed permit can mean you're technically operating without a valid license even if every tax payment is on time.
Checklist:
Find your permit's actual expiration date (not the date you were issued it) and put it on its own calendar, separate from tax deadlines.
Confirm whether your jurisdiction requires a fresh inspection or updated documents for renewal, and start that process at least 60 days out.
Set a reminder well before the deadline, since many cities don't send a renewal notice at all.
After renewing, confirm your permit or license number still shows as active on the city's public registry, not just that you submitted a renewal form.
General guidance only, not legal advice. Check your specific jurisdiction's renewal requirements directly.
Sponsor Spotlight
This spot is open. Be our founding sponsor: this newsletter is built for short-term rental hosts dealing with regulation, pricing, and turnover, not a general travel audience. The founding sponsor gets this placement locked in at a rate that won't be offered again once the list grows. Reach out: [email protected]
Subscriber Photo
No qualifying reader photo came in this week (one inbox item was an unrelated automated notice, not a submission), so this issue runs the call to action only: want to be featured next? Send your welcome setup, a clever storage or turnover hack, the view guests always mention, your posted permit signage, a pet-friendly touch, or a before/after fix. The photo we run each week wins its host a full year of the paid plan, free (a $70 value). Email: [email protected]
Upgrade
Want alerts for your own city, not just the national digest?
Personalized alerts the moment your city or state changes something
Searchable archive of every past regulation change, by jurisdiction
Deeper analysis: why it happened, what similar cities did next
Direct Q&A: ask a question, get it answered in an issue
Upgrade: $7/month or $70/year