Indio Short-term Rental Owners May be Fined

INDIO – Earlier this month, short-term rental license holders in Indio were notified their licenses were suspended due to orders from Riverside County Public Health officials prohibiting the use of short-term rentals except for specific uses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now in Indio, individuals looking to rent their homes for these specific purposes, will need to provide detailed documentation to the City prior to the start of any rental agreement or occupancy.

This documentation must include “clear and convincing evidence” about the renters who will be utilizing their homes that the rental is for exempted reasons.  Additional details regarding documentation are provided in the included order, and are viewable in their entirety here.

On March 27, owners of short-term rentals in Indio were informed of the need for documentation. Owners  must submit the required documents to the city by email to code@indiopd.org by Monday, April 20, 2020 for any home that is currently being used or occupied through April 24th.

In the future, homeowners seeking to rent their home for COVID-19 related reasons must provide documentation to the city at least two business days prior to a renter taking occupancy.

Those who violate this emergency order regarding short-term rentals in Indio are now subject to fines of up to $1,000 including other penalties.

You may read the signed order by clicking here. 

Earlier this month, Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser extended until June 19th an order on short-term lodging restrictions. Kaiser ordered an immediate stop to short-term lodging business on March 27th.

The order severely limits those people allowed to stay at short-term home rentals, hotels and motels.

People experiencing homelessness, essential workers, anyone who needs to self-isolate or quarantine and anyone displaced due to someone self-isolating or quarantining in their home are still permitted to lodge at those businesses.