What's Hot: A Look at the Alternatives to a 30-Year Mortgage | Victoria's Secret Looks Poised To Return To Georgetown
Prince George's County Looks to Regulate Short-Term Rentals
✉️ Want to forward this article? Click here.

Over the past few years, jurisdictions around the country have been grappling with how to balance the entry (and ballooning success) of Airbnb and other short-term rental marketplaces on the hospitality scene with the traditional hotel and lodging industry. Now, Prince George's County is joining those ranks.
Last week, Prince George's County Council's Committee of the Whole held a public hearing concerning two bills that would establish a regulatory framework for short-term rental services. The first ordinance defines short-term rentals and adds them to the zoning code as an allowable residential use; the second establishes the licensing and enforcement structure to legalize those rentals.
Under the proposed bills, a "short-term rental" would be defined as a residential dwelling unit or accessory building, in a residential, industrial or mixed-use zone, advertised to be rented for a period of no more than 30 consecutive days. Those rentals must be licensed and could also only be rented for a cumulative maximum of 90 days a year.
story continues below
story continues above
Hosts of short-term rentals would apply to be licensed by self-certifying that the accommodations meet various safety standards (eg. fire extinguisher, smoke detector, egress, etc.), as well as notifying neighbors that the home will be listed as a short-term rental. Rental platforms would be required to remit annual reports to the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement (DPIE) in order for DPIE to ascertain whether a host is in compliance; DPIE would also reserve the right to inspect any accommodation.
Similar to legislation proposed or passed in other jurisdictions, legal short-term rentals would be restricted to owner-occupied properties to discourage investor speculation. Multiple committee members noted having heard from constituents that some short-term rental hosts are investors who purchase several condos for the sole purpose of listing them online.
The common refrain from the hosts who testified was that the 90-day time limit is excessive, often citing precarious financial circumstances that have led them to explore short-term renting. Compared to elsewhere in the DC area, P.G. County residents have seen their home equity disproportionately affected by the recession and slower to benefit from the rebound of the housing market.
"Both of the bills as written seek to restrict those of us who have found a creative way to dig ourselves out of those financial holes we've been in," testified resident and Airbnb host Liz Faison, whose mortgage is underwater. "Renting my property as a short-term rental has enabled me to keep my house."
No vote was held on the bills, which the committee intends to continue considering over the coming months.
See other articles related to: airbnb, airbnb illegal, pg county, prince george's, prince george's county, short-term rental
This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/pg-county-takes-on-short-term-rentals/14222.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever

The projects on the Maryland and DC sides of the Friendship Heights neighborhood incl... read »

When it comes to financing a home purchase, a 30-year mortgage is one of the most com... read »

While the buildings at The Wharf are generally all finished, there are still a couple... read »

Approximately 34% of renters in the DC region are looking for rentals in other metro ... read »

The Sidney is currently offering special pre-sale pricing, a 2.25% seller credit, and... read »
- Mall Conversions, Trader Joe's And The Thousands Of Units Coming To Friendship Heights
- A Look at the Alternatives to a 30-Year Mortgage
- The Final Two Developments On The Boards Around The Wharf
- A Look At The Renters Moving In And Out Of DC
- Sales Are Moving Quickly at The Sidney, One of DC's Only Large Condos Coming in 2025
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro