Palm Springs, CA

In an effort to support communities impacted by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County, the Palm Springs City Council has unanimously approved a temporary adjustment to a vacation rental regulation related to annual stay limits.

The new measure runs from Jan. 7 – Feb 28, 2025 – and allows vacation rental owners to offer short-term accommodations temporarily to evacuees without these stays counting toward their annual rental limits.

The measure provides critical relief for those displaced by the Southern California wildfires and allows short-term stays of up to 28 days to be treated as “friends and family” bookings, exempt from the usual yearly rental caps and will be retroactive to the date the emergency declaration was made. Owners and guests will need to provide an affidavit with their contract summary submission. For retroactive dates, they can obtain the affidavit and apply to have the previously submitted contracts removed.

“This is an opportunity for us to do what we can short-term to help during a difficult time,” said Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte. “We hope this effort makes a meaningful difference for those who need a safe haven to stay.”

In addition to easing rental restrictions, the City has set up a landing page at EngagePalmSprings.com with a list of resources including local hotels and businesses offering discounts and special pricing for evacuees.

City officials will monitor the program’s impact and make any necessary adjustments.