Whitefish takes aim at illegal short-term rentals

While many homes that hit the market during Montana’s pandemic real estate boom ended up in the hands of new arrivals, others were turned into short-term rentals to take advantage of the state’s growing popularity among travelers — even if local zoning laws don’t permit such uses in some areas. 

Now Whitefish is looking to crack down on illegal rentals in hopes of adding housing for its workforce. 

Next week, the Whitefish City Council will consider hiring someone to enforce its short-term rental regulations, a move that could eliminate hundreds of homes on sites like Airbnb or Vrbo.