Short-term rental owners in Lutz, Odessa and other unincorporated Hillsborough County areas must register and pay $200 a year under a new ordinance. The county commission approved the rules unanimously Sept. 2.
The ordinance takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and could affect about 3,000 properties listed on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, according to the county. Fee revenue, estimated at $600,000 in the first year, will fund code enforcement of short-term rentals, WUSF reported.
Rules Require Local Contact, Safety Affidavit and Posted Guidelines
Beyond registration, the ordinance requires owners to designate a local contact person available around the clock who can reach the property within one hour. Owners must also sign an affidavit confirming the property meets life and safety codes, authorize inspections by code enforcement or law enforcement and post local rules inside the rental, according to Tampa Bay 28.
A 24/7 complaint line will also be established.
Owners Who Skip Inspections or Violations Face Fees, Liens
Owners who skip a scheduled inspection face a $50 fee under the ordinance. Those who do not fix code violations could be taken to court. Because most short-term rentals are non-homesteaded properties, unpaid fines can become liens against the property.
Commissioner Says Rules Stem From Noise Complaints
Commissioner Harry Cohen said the ordinance grew directly out of resident complaints. "This was directly the result of citizen complaints to all of our offices related to parties and, you know, 40 people are next door in the middle of the night all making lots of noise and who can we call to get some relief," Cohen said at the meeting, according to Pasco News Online.
Commissioner Christine Miller said most opposition emails the board received argued the ordinance was not strict enough.
Ordinance Structured as Business Regulation, Not Land-Use Rule
The ordinance is structured as a business regulation rather than a land-use rule. State law limits how far counties can go in regulating short-term rental locations and stay lengths beyond rules already on the books in 2011, Cohen said.
County Attorney Johanna Lundgren said the $200 fee was set in coordination with code enforcement to cover a web-based registry and staff time. She said the fee is significantly lower than what most other Florida local governments charge. Commissioners discussed possibly reducing the recurring annual fee after the first year.
Rental Manager Warns Small Owners Could Bear Brunt of Costs
Not everyone supported the rules. Hannah Schultze, who manages vacation rentals, told commissioners the ordinance could squeeze small property owners while large corporations absorb the costs. She urged the board not to confuse bad actors with ordinary owners trying to make a living.
District 7 Commissioner Joshua Wostal, whose district includes parts of the Lutz area, acknowledged his preference for limited government but said the scale of the problem required action.
Staff Report Due 90 Days After Ordinance Takes Effect
Cohen said he plans to request a staff report 90 days after the ordinance takes effect. At that point, commissioners could consider requiring mandatory safety inspections before registration. The county has not announced a registration window or deadline ahead of the Jan. 1, 2027, effective date.
