Legislation moving through the Massachusetts Legislature would implement the same tax on short-term rentals that already applies to hotels. Local jurisdictions would also be free to implement their own taxes on short-term rentals under the law.

"Long-debated rules governing short-term rentals in Massachusetts took a step closer to passage Wednesday, when the Senate approved a bill setting up new taxes for the booming industry," reports Tim Logan.
The bill "would extend the 5.7 percent state hotel tax to include short-term rentals" and "allow cities and towns to levy taxes of their own."
Both Airbnb and the Massachusetts Lodging Association have both criticized the bill, though for different reasons.
FULL STORY: Taxes on Boston’s short-term rentals move closer to reality

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
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Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
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