Sorry second-home owners, that vacation rental is not an ‘essential service’

Renting out vacation homes, Sonoma County has ruled, is not an essential service under the current Shelter in Place order.

If you are registered with Sonoma County as a vacation rental property manager, you are on notice not to continue operations. Any violation will result in code enforcement action.

Short term rentals, including vacation rentals and hotels, may only operate as an essential business if they:

• Provide shelter for economically disadvantaged or other individuals in need, including individuals needing housing to ensure adequate social distancing
• Support housing necessary for an essential business to operate (e.g. housing traveling nurses).

Short term rentals can also be converted to month to month or longer term rentals to provide shelter for community members.