Portland will impose tougher fines on illegal vacation rentals in the city, levying citations of up to $5,000 per occurrence.
The city’s Bureau of Development Services announced its new rule would take effect March 31, finalizing a proposal it first presented in November.
The new fines aim to curb illegal rentals through online platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway. The city first legalized such rentals in private homes in 2014, but the operator must secure a permit and pay hotel taxes, and a permanent resident must live in the home at least nine months of the year.
The city rules were intended to balance demand from users of the platforms with its undersized housing supply. Officials were concerned that full-time rentals could cause homes for residents to be converted to more profitable rentals for tourists.
Illegal rentals are currently fined only after a 30-day grace period to come into compliance with city code — and even then, the fines were only $707 to $1,414 a month, which could be earned back by an active, full-time rental.
Under the new rules, violators could be fined immediately, from $1,000 to $5,000 a day.
— Elliot Njus
enjus@oregonian.com
503-294-5034
@enjus
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