Learn how Los Angeles emergency housing protections may affect short-term rental pricing and operations, and what property managers should review for impacted listings.
Overview
If you manage short-term rental properties in Los Angeles, it is essential to understand the current emergency housing protections that may impact your pricing and operations. These protections were put in place following the 2025 Los Angeles area wildfires and have been extended through October 1, 2025.
What Areas Are Affected?
The emergency protections apply to properties in:
- Los Angeles County (restrictions lifted as of July 1, 2025)
- Los Angeles City (restrictions continue until August 1, 2025, then extended to October 1, 2025)
Price Increase Restrictions
Current Limitations
- No price increases above 10% of your pre-emergency rates (rates from before March 7, 2025)
- Applies to rental housing, hotels, and short-term rentals
- Includes prohibitions on evicting tenants to re-list at higher rates
What This Means for You
- You cannot raise your nightly rates more than 10% above what they were before the emergency declaration
- Any pricing updates that exceed this limit will be rejected by Airbnb's system
- This affects calendar synchronization between Hostaway and Airbnb
Technical Impact on Hostaway Users
Pricing Sync Issues
When you try to update prices that exceed the 10% limit:
- Airbnb rejects the entire calendar update request
- Your calendar shows an orange clock (indicating sync failure)
- Availability may not sync properly to prevent double bookings
Current Workaround
Hostaway has implemented a feature that:
- ✅ Continues to sync availability (prevents double bookings)
- ✅ Syncs content and other listing information
- ❌ Temporarily blocks price updates to Airbnb
How to Proceed with Price Changes
For Properties in LA County
- Price restrictions were lifted on July 1, 2025
- You can now update pricing normally
- Contact support if you're still experiencing sync issues
For Properties in LA City
Until October 1, 2025:
- Review your pre-March 7, 2025 rates
- Calculate the maximum allowed increase (10% above pre-emergency rates)
- Update your pricing within these limits
- For dates after October 1, 2025, you can set higher rates that will take effect once restrictions are lifted
Recommended Actions
- Work with your dynamic pricing tool (like PriceLabs) to configure rates based on your pre-wildfire pricing
- Manually adjust rates on Airbnb if needed for immediate changes
- Plan pricing strategies for post-restriction periods
Official Resources
- California Governor's Office: Emergency Short-Term Housing Protections
- Original Order: March 7, 2025 Executive Order
Need Help?
If you're experiencing issues with:
- Calendar synchronization
- Pricing updates
- Listing management during this period
Contact Hostaway Support with:
- Your listing IDs
- Specific error messages you're seeing
- Screenshots of pricing discrepancies
Legal Background
These restrictions are part of California's anti-price gouging laws during declared emergencies. They're designed to protect displaced residents and prevent exploitation during recovery efforts following the Los Angeles area wildfires.
Note: This information is current as of July 2025. Restrictions and dates may change based on government decisions. Always check the official California government resources for the most up-to-date information.