Short-Term (Vacation) Rentals

The City's Short-Term Rentals Urgency Ordinance requires all short-term rental operators within City limits to obtain a permit and follow specific operating standards.

Click the relevant section below for more information on how to apply for a Short-Term Rental Permit to become a short-term rental operator, how to ensure your permitted short-term rental remains in compliance, or how to report a violation of the Short-Term Rentals Ordinance. 

Overconcentration requirement for Non-Hosted rentals

Effective Dec. 4, 2021, a Non-Hosted short-term rental may not be proposed within 1,000 feet from the property line of another existing or proposed Non-Hosted short-term rental. Hosted short-term rentals are not subject to an overconcentration requirement.

Use the City of Santa Rosa Permit Search Tool and Non-Hosted Overconcentration Evaluation Instructions to determine if your proposed Non-Hosted short-term rental is at least 1,000 feet from another existing or proposed Non-Hosted short-term rental site prior to applying for a Short-Term Rental Permit for a Non-Hosted use.

For properties associated with an HOA, check your HOA rules and restrictions before applying

It is an applicant’s responsibility to verify whether short-term rental activity is prohibited by a Homeowners Association (HOA) Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) prior to submitting a Short-Term Rental Permit application.

The City has no obligation or authority to enforce HOA CC&Rs which are governing documents approved by and specific to an HOA. HOA Boards enforce CC&Rs, and the City enforces ordinances adopted by its governing bodies.

The California Civil Code provides owners general right to enforce their HOA’s CC&Rs against neighboring owners and the HOA itself. CC&Rs are enforceable by the owner of any lot in the development (Civil Code section 1354(a)); a homeowner is authorized to bring an enforcement action against another homeowner or the HOA itself to enforce CC&Rs (Civil Code section 5975).

Comprehensive Short-Term Rental Ordinance Development in Progress

The City’s Short-Term Rental Urgency Ordinance immediately addresses the most pressing public safety and neighborhood compatibility concerns; however, a more comprehensive short-term rentals ordinance will be drafted and brought before the Santa Rosa Planning Commission and City Council during 2022.

City staff continues to invite public input during this process and will hold additional public engagement opportunities to help inform the comprehensive short-term rentals ordinance.

Public Engagement on Short-Term Rentals

Provide Feedback & Receive Updates on the Comprehensive Ordinance Development

  • Contact the City to provide feedback at shorttermrentals@srcity.org.
  • Sign up to be notified of future updates and engagement opportunities by subscribing here.

View Public Input Compilation from August 2021 Short-Term Rental Survey

  • Community input was collected through a survey in August of 2021 to help inform the Short-Term Rental Urgency Ordinance. The data and response compilation may be viewed and downloaded here.

Watch Past Public Meetings on Short-Term Rentals and the Urgency Ordinance