Oregon Short-Term Rental Legislation

[Brian Walls]

I am looking at the STR market there in Oregon but am concerned about the local legislation around STRs. I'm specifically looking in Lincoln County or surrounding areas but am open to other areas as well. Does anyone have any insight on what the local laws are around short-term rentals? How difficult is it to get your property permitted and how do you see this changing in the future? Any insight is much appreciated. Thank you!

[Taj Richardson]

Lincoln County currently has ongoing litigation against a vote that took place last November that would drastically reduce the ability to get a vacation rental permit in most of unincorporated Lincoln County. The County Commissioners have also been making changes to regulations for unincorporated Lincoln County recently, and we've been in a rental permit moratorium for about two years. ....needless to say, Lincoln County has become very unfriendly to vacation rentals over the last few years.
Unincorporated Lincoln County is a high risk area for pursuing vacation rentals at this time, but the County is issuing permits for some zonings. The zoinings they are not issuing permits for include R1, R1A, R2, RM, and some other residential zonings. Those four zonings make up the bulk of homes in Lincoln County... so it's possible, but not easy to find unincorporated Lincoln County vacation rentals.

As far as the cities in Lincoln County that go, Lincoln City and Waldport are the safest areas to look for rentals. Newport and Yachats have basically made it impossible to get a rental permit anytime in the next 2+ years. Lincoln City has zoning restrictions as well, but not as challenging as unincorporated Lincoln County.

Tillamook County is more friendly (though their permit fees are pretty high) than Lincoln County towards vacation rentals, and Lane County/Florence has some really great looking vacation rentals right now, and light permit restrictions.

Things are always changing, and usually not for the better when it comes to obtaining a rental permit, so I recommend to my clients they focus on areas with established and reasonable regulations. For the North and Central Coast that would primarily be Rockaway Beach, Oceanside/Netarts, Pacific City/Neskowin, Lincoln City, Waldport, and Florence.

Feel free to private message me if you would like to know more about the best places to look for STRs on the Oregon Coast.