The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, one of the most influential state high courts, has just handed down a decision opening the door to challenging short-term rentals most everywhere as not permitted in single-family homes. While the decision is extremely narrow and is not precedent-setting in other states, it portends the possibility that local governments and state courts nationwide could start to find that a short-term rental is inconsistent with zoning definitions of “family” and “single housekeeping unit,” thereby making such rentals illegal in most places. It is a remarkable ruling, worth understanding and watching for its impact.
The issue starts with the traditional definition of “family.” In most places, take Tolland, Connecticut, chosen at random for this analysis, it is:
