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Council hears staff review of short-term rentals: Airbnb remits city tax; others may not
Summary
City staff told the council that Airbnb remits lodging taxes directly to LaSalle, but other short-term rental platforms may not, leaving some rentals unreported. The council directed staff to investigate uncovered listings and consider clarifying ordinance or enforcement steps.
City staff briefed the LaSalle City Council on short-term rental (STR) taxation and licensing, saying that the city has an agreement with Airbnb under which that company remits local lodging taxes directly to the city, but other platforms such as Vrbo do not remit automatically and property owners must remit taxes themselves.
Staff said the city has identified roughly 31 properties used as short-term rentals; about 14 to 15 of those are handled through Airbnb under the existing agreement. The finance director said Airbnb's remittances have totaled about $70,000 over five years and were approximately $9,000 through May of the current year.
Council members asked staff to follow up to identify unreported listings and to confirm whether the existing rental-tax ordinance and penalties cover noncompliant owners. Staff noted penalties for late payment include a 5% late fee and a $25 assessment if no payment is received, and said they could pursue ordinance clarifications or outreach to property owners and platforms.
Council gave direction to staff to research and report back and to prepare ordinance amendments or administrative steps as needed to improve compliance and collection.
