◇ Program summary
1. The Bureau of Inspection report found that Montgomery County’s “lax management” of short-term rental housing resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
More than 85 percent of the more than 1,400 short-term residential rental companies operating in Montgomery County, Maryland, are unlicensed, according to a report from the Montgomery County, Maryland Office of the Inspector General. Although Montgomery County enacted short-term residential rental (STRR) licensing regulations in 2017, the inspectorate’s report noted that Montgomery County lost out on fees and tax revenue it could have collected and was “lax” in administering the regulations it enacted.
The report estimates that imposing a licensing fee on unregistered short-term residential rentals in 2024 would generate more than $196,000 in revenue. If the county imposes the maximum fine for illegally operating short-term residential rentals, the county could collect $659,000 in fines in 2023.
When the regulations were first introduced in 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services was responsible for enforcement. The report found that “staffing to manage the short-term residential rental program was inadequate and there were no formal policies or procedures in place.”
County Executive Marc Elrich worked to address the issue, submitting a bill to the County Council in April 2023 and signing it into law in November 2023. This legislation strengthens the responsibilities of the county government and transfers the functions of the Health Bureau to the Housing Bureau. It will be implemented from July 1 this year.
2. The White House invites you to participate in the Autumn Garden Tour!
Over the next few days, every time you visit your favorite social media platform, you’re likely to see a lot of photos of your friends, family, or colleagues taking a stroll on the South Lawn of the White House. This weekend, the White House gardens and South Lawn are open to the public again. “We expect 30,000 to 40,000 people to visit the White House gardens this weekend,” said Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for First Lady Jill Biden. The tradition dates back to 1972, Alexander explained. Twice a year, the President and First Lady open the White House, South Yard, and White House Gardens to the public, giving them the opportunity to experience the ‘People’s House.’
A fall garden tour offers more than just beautiful flowers. “You can see the doors to the Oval Office, you can see the beautiful and historic West Colonnade, you’re going to see the South Lawn on the South Lawn of the White House, where Marine One takes off. You see that on the news all the time, and You can be there, right there.
Admission to the White House Fall Garden is free and is available on a first-come, first-served basis at the White House Visitor Center (located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
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