Clark County’s restrictions on short-term rentals blocked

A U.S. District Court judge has granted a preliminary injunction that prevents Clark County from enforcing some of its short-term rental ordinances following a court hearing this month.

Judge Miranda Du on Wednesday issued a 14-page order after the Dec. 5 hearing at which she took arguments from the county and the Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association under advisement.

Several property owners represented by the association have been blocked by the county from using their homes as short-term rentals through Airbnb.

A representative of the county said that the county can’t comment on pending litigation but that it is aware of the order and is reviewing it to determine its next steps.

At the earlier hearing, Du denied the county’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the association and 15 individual plaintiffs, including San Francisco-based Airbnb. The association says it is representing 856 homeowners in the lawsuit.

The association filed the lawsuit in June, alleging that the county did not provide a proper means to file for a rental license and punished residents who attempted to rent their properties through Airbnb with hefty fines and liens against their properties.

Louis Koorndyk, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, recently was hit with a lien of more than $100,000 on his home.

Du’s injunction prevents the county from enforcing five elements of the short-term rental ordinances. One section mandates that anyone operating a short-term rental unit in unincorporated Clark County must first obtain a valid business license, making it illegal to host stays of 30 days or less without one, with penalties for noncompliance, and sets rules for operations like distance from casinos, other short-term rentals, occupancy limits, and trash management.

Another lists enforcement actions the county can pursue, including fines and delisting from available online platforms.

The ordinance defines accommodations facilitators that include Airbnb and Vrbo. The ordinances set fines of $500 to $1,000 a day.

The association’s original complaint was filed June 30, and a motion for injunctive relief on an emergency basis came Aug. 8. The judge denied the emergency motion, but the plaintiffs renewed their motion on Sept. 11.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.