A look back 

Short-term rentals have long been part of Tahoe’s history. Placer County has collected transient occupancy tax from these properties since the early 1960s, but it wasn’t until 2019 that a dedicated short-term rental ordinance was adopted to provide clear regulations for both property owners and their guests.

These regulations have been updated regularly since the program’s inception to require what anyone should expect from a good neighbor: no noise after 9 p.m., trash properly secured in bear-resistant bins, and no overflow parking on neighborhood streets. Short-term rentals must also meet strict safety standards through regular inspections that cover both defensible space and fire/life safety measures.

When these standards aren’t met, enforcement matters. If you notice a violation, please report it by calling our hotline at 530-448-8003 or emailing strcompliance@placer.ca.gov. One of our six dedicated code enforcement officers will follow up.

Ensuring community safety

From March to August this year, our code enforcement officers opened 93 cases, which are investigations that resulted in a notice of violation and/or a citation. This is down from the 147 cases we opened last year during this time. Our goal has always been to educate rental operators and guests about short-term rental rules and regulations whenever possible.

One less visible aspect of the short-term rental program is our enforcement of online advertising.  Our team regularly finds online advertisements for non-compliant or non-permitted short-term rentals. We do this by monitoring online booking sites with the assistance of our technology partners to identify properties and verify if each ad is associated with a valid permit. When any violation is found, we contact the property owner immediately.  

First penalties for a verified violation can result in a fine of up to $1,500 and could lead to permit revocation. Community members can access the STR program’s online permit map (Short-Term Rental (STR) Public Portal) to see which rental properties have a valid permit.

As I mentioned, the county’s STR ordinance has been managed through an adaptive approach, with several adjustments made since its inception in 2019. To help guide this process, the County Executive Office convenes an STR Advisory Group, which provides recommendations to staff on potential ordinance updates. You can learn more about the group here: https://www.placer.ca.gov/9549/Short-Term-Rental-Advisory-Group.

Thanks for reading. You can contact a member of the short-term rental team at str@placer.ca.gov or contact me directly at dwjastro@placer.ca.gov for more information.

— Doug Jastrow

Demolition work on the 97-year-old Fanny Bridge began in late August and contractor work to reconstruct the bridge by Thompson Builders has begun. 

The bridge got it's 'Fanny Bridge' moniker in the 1970s as cars passed by and saw people peering over the ledge at the Truckee River below (image courtesy Gatekeepers Museum).

The new bridge is scheduled to reopen to all traffic Saturday, November 15. During the project, traffic has been detoured onto Lake Boulevard to access state Routes 89 and 28. West Lake Boulevard remains open for business and transit center access with only the Fanny Bridge being closed. The pedestrian and bicycle path across the Truckee River Dam will remain open throughout the project. LEARN MORE

Curious about parking trends in Kings Beach? Tune in to our next community meeting to see the data and share your input.

Placer County staff will be hosting this year's third community meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 23, starting at 6 p.m. They will discuss parking trends, visitor patterns, paid parking and more. 

This 1-hour community meeting will be followed by a Q&A session to gather public feedback. REGISTER TODAY 

Placer County is seeking community feedback on a potential Affordable Housing Priority Applicant Policy countywide. This initiative seeks to prioritize certain applicant groups to better address local housing needs.

Preferences could include local workers, current residents, individuals at risk of housing instability or other criteria.

We would like to hear from you on what you think should be prioritized.

There will be two in-person meetings this year, starting in North Lake Tahoe on Sept. 30, as well as an opportunity to share your input via Engage Placer online before November 18. LEARN MORE + ENGAGE WITH US

The Placer County Board of Supervisors will host a pair of meetings in North Lake Tahoe later this month. 

The board will meet Monday, Sept. 22, beginning at 2 p.m. to hear multiple presentations. This includes a Tahoe State of the Lake report for 2025 from the Tahoe Environmental Research Center and a county staff presentation on destination stewardship initiatives.

Tuesday's meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Find both agendas here. LEARN MORE

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency will be hosting two workshops in October as part of the Tahoe Living: Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin initiative. These workshops are a chance for residents and community members to weigh in on policy recommendations and help shape the future of housing opportunities in the region.