Issues Collide: Do STRs Hold the Key to High Housing Costs?

Short-term rentals (STRs) have been a hot political talking point in Scottsdale for years now, as Mayor David Ortega and various city councilmembers have battled onerous restrictions at the state level to better regulate “party houses” and their related nuisances with mixed results. Additionally, the cost of housing has been a massive issue across the entire Valley, as renters have … Read More

As Thefts and STR Issues Intensify, Scottsdale Dials Up the Pressure

You heard it here, how the country’s laissez faire approach to immigration enforcement may have led to a ring of burglaries in the area (read the story here). Also, the issue of short-term rental (STR) “party houses” has long been a hot-button issue in the city. Now both of these issues are coming to a head and getting the attention … Read More

STRs Persist as Issue in Scottsdale, Will It Become an Election Hot-Button Again?

Short-term rentals (STRs) turned into a considerable campaign issue in 2020 as out-of-control parties became an issue in many Scottsdale neighborhoods, angering many constituents and igniting calls for change. It became one of the platform points for Dave Ortega’s successful run for Mayor that year, and while some changes have been made, it’s increasingly evident that it is still a … Read More

Guest Editorial: STR’s By the Numbers

By Councilmember Betty Janik We have come a long way since the 2021 Short-Term Rental Working Group (which I co-chaired) identified opportunities for Scottsdale to establish and enforce regulations to reduce nuisance short-term rentals (STR’s). All were adopted by City Council. Fast forward to July 2022, SB1168 provided additional opportunities to rein in unruly STR properties that cause disturbances in … Read More

Good News in Scottsdale: Basic Economics is Impacting the STR Market

Short-term rentals (STRs) have long been a contentious subject in Scottsdale; its status as a vacation destination has meant that plenty of people renting out their homes with extremely little oversight or regulation to tourists who are unconcerned about the surrounding neighbors. The resulting issues have been a common source of grievance for many residents and is a subject we … Read More

Recent Arrest Demonstrates the Importance of STR Regulation

The battle for local control and municipalities and their attempts to reign in the excesses of short-term rentals (STRs) has turned into one of the most important issues across all of Arizona and is due to become a major platform piece for political candidates of all stripes in 2024 (we’ve spoken extensively about it, you can get up to date … Read More

Laws Only Matter with Enforcement: STRs are Skirting the Rules in Scottsdale

The fight for reasonable regulation of short-term rentals (STRs) has seemed to ebb and flow. First the state squashed local control, and then after serious backlash they relented some. While cities and towns started to implement regulations, the Arizona League of Cities and Towns seemed to side with the STR industry (you can follow the entire back and forth here). … Read More

Scottsdale Unveils STR Regulations – Will It Be Enough for the Irritated Citizenry?

Photo Credit: 12 NewsRegular readers of APG know that the fight over short-term rentals has been front and center for both Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. For a while onerous and conflicted state law dictated that municipalities had essentially no local control over the issue until a massive localized public outcry became too loud to ignore. Now that municipalities have been … Read More

The Perils of an Unregulated STR Industry Rears its Ugly Head

We are not afraid to confront the short-term rental (STR) crisis here in Arizona. After the industry lobbied the state government heavily, the legislature essentially took away any local control and left municipalities toothless in their ability to fight back, After extensive public outcry, a partial reversal of those laws passed this past legislative session, which then prompted both Scottsdale … Read More