Skokie adopts 18‑month pilot to regulate short‑term rentals with amended notice and deadline

The Village of Skokie on Feb. 2 approved an ordinance to regulate short‑term rentals (STRs) through an 18‑month pilot program that creates licensing, registration and enforcement rules for properties offering transient stays.

The pilot starts May 1, 2026, and includes a minimum stay of five consecutive nights, a maximum of 18 bookings during the pilot period and a requirement that investor‑owned operators remain within 10 miles of the property while a rental is active, the village manager and community development director said. Staff told trustees they will bring status reports at six and 12 months.

The ordinance establishes two broad eligibility groups: owner‑occupied units that can apply for an operator license after training and inspection, and investor‑owned units that are grandfathered only if they were registered as rental properties with the village by Jan. 16, 2026. New investor‑owned STRs are not allowed under the ordinance. Registrations and license fees are intended to cover program costs and will go to the village’s general fund, the director said.

Trustees accepted staff edits before the vote that set an April 1, 2026, deadline for registrations tied to the May 1 effective date, broadened notice of applications from a 250‑foot radius to the entire block (or whichever method provides greater notice), and revised violation language so enforcement can apply to “any person” violating the code. The village manager retains authority to hold hearings and revoke licenses; operators may appeal manager decisions to the village board.

The ordinance also requires listings to include property photographs and a village registration number, limits STRs to one unit per block face, bans accessory structures as STRs, and requires compliance with local occupancy, noise and refuse rules. Staff said online monitoring tools will be used to identify listings and support enforcement.

Public comment before the vote included residents who urged a full ban in residential zones and others who asked for more data on local usage. Jordan Cabana and Elle Shereen, residents of the 5000 block of Elm Street, asked the board to pause an ad hoc phone outreach process on permit parking; several residents urged stronger protections for long‑term housing stock.

The motion to adopt the ordinance as amended passed on a roll‑call vote with five ayes and one no (Trustee Gail Schechter). Mayor Anne Tennis thanked staff and residents for their engagement. Staff said they will report back at six months and can amend the pilot at any time if unanticipated problems surface.

What happens next: staff will prepare registration materials, vendor tools and training in time for the April 1 registration deadline and May 1 start of the pilot. The board signaled interest in a June or July special meeting to review early registration data and refine program rules if needed.