Short-Term Rental Legalization Hangs on Zoning Changes in D.C.

Martin Austermuhle reports: "The D.C. Zoning Commission on Thursday night said it would wait at least a week before deciding whether to legalize short-term rentals booked through Airbnb, HomeAway and VRBO, further extending the longstanding uncertainty around the status of the popular services in the District."

The decision to delay came after hours of testimony on the subject from elected officials and members of the public.

"The commission met to consider whether to amend the city’s zoning code to permit short-term rentals in residential areas — that’s anything less than 30 days at a time — which are currently prohibited except under limited circumstances," reports Austermuhle. The zoning change was considered a final step for approval of a law approved by the District in 2018.