Hey host. If you host in West Columbia, SC, your rules change in 12 days. That's one of four items we're tracking this week, alongside a Maui commission vote on phaseout exemptions and a DC bill that could reshape trespass enforcement.
This Week's Regulation Changes
West Columbia, SC: new rules effective Oct 7: $150 annual permit, 2-night minimum stay, 21+ renter age minimum, 2 guests/bedroom, off-street parking per bedroom, 9pm–7am visitor curfew. If you host here, get your permit filed and curfew signage posted before Oct 7 — inspections typically start the week rules take effect. Source →
Maui County, HI: Planning Commission votes 6-2 to deny phaseout exemptions for 43 properties (only 5 approved for hotel zoning); the phaseout still eliminates ~6,100 apartment-zoned rentals by Dec 2028–2030. If your unit is apartment-zoned and wasn't among the 5 approved, plan your exit timeline now — waiting for a second appeal window isn't a given. Source →
Folly Beach, SC: city council votes 4-3 to appeal a circuit judge's ruling that its STR registration fee is unlawful, sending the fight to the SC Supreme Court. If you've paid the fee under protest, keep your receipts — no refund process exists while the appeal is pending. Source →
Washington, DC: Bill 26-757 gets a public hearing; would let hosts treat guests who overstay their booking as trespassers, giving police clearer authority to remove them. If this passes, a written lease or booking agreement with a clear checkout time becomes your evidence for police to act on — worth having on file either way. Source →
Trend of the Week: regulatory actions since we started tracking, by type
Aug 3 to Sep 25, jurisdiction-wide actions only.
STR Idea of the Week
A printed "local's playbook" beats a laminated house manual.
Guests rarely read a binder of appliance instructions cover to cover, but they will read one page of specific, opinionated neighborhood picks: the walkable coffee shop, a hike with real parking notes, the food truck that's only there on Thursdays. It's also the cheapest way to make your listing feel hosted rather than automated.
What's actually on the page
Coffee: the walkable place, not the chain by the highway
One hike: parking notes, not just the trailhead name
One food find: the Thursday-only taco truck, with hours
Format: one page, folded in thirds, printed at home for $0
Best Practices
Photograph your compliance paperwork, not just your listing.
A dated photo of your posted permit, fire extinguisher tag, and egress map is the fastest way to close a code-enforcement visit in minutes instead of days. Keep the folder current every renewal cycle.
Sample compliance-folder checklist
Posted short-term rental permit / license
Fire extinguisher inspection tag (dated, current)
Egress / exit map posted near the main door
Smoke & CO detector test date, visible
Local emergency contact card, posted or in binder
General guidance only, not legal advice: requirements vary by city and county. Confirm your own jurisdiction's checklist before an inspection.
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.
Subscriber Photo
Get featured: win a free year
Send us a photo of…
The first thing guests see: your welcome setup or local playbook
A clever storage, turnover, or safety hack you're proud of
The view or spot guests always mention in reviews
Your posted permit or compliance signage, done right
A pet-friendly or accessibility touch
A before/after from a fix or refresh
The photo we run each week wins its host a full year of the paid plan, free (a $70 value): localized alerts, the searchable archive, and direct Q&A included.
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