Hillsdale's local law regulating Transient Rentals defines Transient Rentals as the rental or lease of any dwelling to a guest for a period of fewer than 30 days, and it specifically excludes hotels, motels, inns, and bed and breakfasts. Transient Rentals include listings booked through online platforms, such as Airbnb and Home Away.

Among its provisions, the law requires Transient Rental owners to:

• Obtain a $50 Special Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), and
• Obtain a $150 Certificate of Occupancy or Certificate of Compliance from the Town Building Inspector.

The law requires an inspection of all Transient Rentals by the Building Inspector for compliance with the NYS Uniform Code at the time the applicable Certificate is obtained and subsequently as required by county or state law. The owner is responsible for the payment of inspection fees.

The law also requires the Transient Rental owner to provide current information of a local contact person who must reside within 20 miles of the Transient Rental and be available at all times for the purpose of responding promptly to complaints. If the owner’s principal residence is not located within the county, the local contact person, or another agent who resides in the county, must be designated as agent for service of the legal process and all other notices.

Finally, the new local law has provisions designed to ensure that occupants of a Transient Rental remain good neighbors and makes Special Permits nontransferable.

A complete copy of this local law is available here.

For questions and information about fees, contact Lee Heim, Hillsdale’s Code Enforcement Officer.