Regulation engine

Where you can actually rent by the room

33 cities, each read out of the actual municipal code rather than summarised from a blog. Every entry names its source and the date it was checked. A city that is not here has not been researched yet — we would rather show a gap than a guess.

How to read the statuses. A green badge is not a permit. It means the code we read does not cap unrelated occupants at a level that breaks the model, or the cap is high enough to be workable. Amber means it works with a licence, a permit or a specific lease structure. Red means a material provision conflicts with renting by the room in ordinary residential zones. Verify with the jurisdiction before you buy.
Observed enforcement

How often the code is actually cited

The ordinance tells you what is written down. It does not tell you whether anyone acts on it — and that gap is where most of the money and most of the risk in this asset class sits. So for every city that publishes its code-enforcement case register as open data, we count the cases whose own text mentions rooming, boarding, unrelated occupants, roomers or overcrowding, and we show that against the total number of cases of every kind.

Read this as a count, not as a verdict. We will not tell you a city “rarely enforces” its code, because a citation count cannot support that sentence and someone would buy a house on it. Four things it genuinely cannot see: a complaint that closes before a case is opened; a city that enforces through zoning or the fire marshal instead of code enforcement; a register that does not go back far enough; and wording we did not search for. A low rate is a reason to ask the jurisdiction a specific question — not an answer. A blank is not a zero. Cities whose register has no searchable description field are left out entirely rather than published at nil. And these rates do not rank cities against each other. Every register defines its own fields, logs a different mix of complaint types and covers a different span of years, so one city’s rate being double another’s may be nothing but a difference in record-keeping. The number is worth reading down a single column of one city’s history; it is not a league table.
MarketRoom-rental cases All casesPer 10,000 Cases / yearPeriod covered Short-term-rental casesRegister
Atlanta, GA
rooming or boarding house 9, letting by the room 1
counted: According to inspection by Nova they are using the garage as a rooming house. (1); Operating a Boarding House (Pad-Split) without a license (1); Operating a PadSplit or Rooming House. (1); Operating a rooming house (1); Operating a rooming house without a business license (1); Possible boarding house (1)
11809136.0period not published0services5.arcgis.com
Norfolk, VA
rooming or boarding house 219
counted: Rooming House/Overcrowding (219)
21942,84451.119.92016-07-07 to 2026-09-01269data.norfolk.gov
Bradenton, FL
rooming or boarding house 1
counted: Operating an overcrowded boarding house. See attachment. (1)
127037.0period not published0services6.arcgis.com
Alma, GA
illegal conversion or subdivision 14, rooming or boarding house 7, unrelated occupants 6, letting by the room 4, occupancy limit exceeded 2
2821,25713.2period not published92utility.arcgis.com
Torrance, CA
illegal conversion or subdivision 3
counted: SUBDIVIDED FRONT HOUSE IN TO MULTIPLE UNITS. (1); UNPERMITTED WORK - REC ROOM SUBDIVIDED TO CREATE NEW APARTMENTS (1); UNPERMITTED WORK - UNIT SUBDIVIDED W/O PERMITS (1)
32,82610.6period not published21utility.arcgis.com
Orlando, FL
rooming or boarding house 140, letting by the room 62, illegal conversion or subdivision 28, occupancy limit exceeded 22, unrelated occupants 11, overcrowding 4
262258,24110.17.91994-10-06 to 2026-09-01955data.cityoforlando.net
Spring, TX
counted: Occupancy/Overcrowding (6); Occup./Overcrowding (1); Occupancy/Overcrowding  (1)
88,4239.5period not published61services5.arcgis.com
Newark, NJ
counted: Overcrowding (3); OVERCROWDING: The number of persons occupying a dwelling sha (1)
44,6958.5period not published0services.arcgis.com
Anaheim, CA
occupancy limit exceeded 69, illegal conversion or subdivision 24, letting by the room 15, rooming or boarding house 3, overcrowding 1
112171,2556.5period not published125services3.arcgis.com
Boulder, CO
counted: Illegal Dwelling (94)
94272,3993.5period not published494maps.bouldercounty.org
Plano, TX
counted: Occupancy - Overcrowding (62); Occupancy Overcrowding (10)
72234,9903.1period not published0maps.planogis.org
Mesa, AZ
rooming or boarding house 8, letting by the room 7, occupancy limit exceeded 3, unrelated occupants 2, illegal conversion or subdivision 1
2181,3042.62.12017-06-18 to 2026-08-2547citydata.mesaaz.gov
Cincinnati, OH
rooming or boarding house 39
counted: Overcrowding (154); Rooming House License (39)
193767,6922.56.91999-09-17 to 2026-08-310data.cincinnati-oh.gov
Irving, TX
letting by the room 1, occupancy limit exceeded 1
counted: (1/28/2022 1:31 PM TG1) SHED CONVERSION IN REAR YARD,CONVERTED SHED INTO A BEDROOM WITH BATHROOM & KITCHEN RENTING SHED IN REAR YARD, NO PERMIT ON FILE, RENTING ROOMS IN HOUSE TO DIFFERENT FAMILIES SEE LETTER IN ATTACHMENTS (1); (3/24/2022 4:45 PM TG1) **CPR, INT- HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS (TRIP HAZARDS) , TD IN BACK SECTION, EXPOSED ELECTRICAL, OVER OCCUPANCY PROVIDE UPDATE TO LUZ (1)
28,9302.2period not published0services3.arcgis.com
Las Vegas, NV
occupancy limit exceeded 5
counted: HC-SEC 503.2.1 OCCUPANCY LIMIT (5)
528,5051.8period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Louisville, KY
counted: BOARDING HOMES (6)
668,0430.9period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Chicago, IL
rooming or boarding house 6
counted: OVERCROWDING (133); MEET REQMT FOR ROOMING HOUSE (6)
1392,025,8660.75.62002-10-31 to 2026-08-310data.cityofchicago.org
Tucson, AZ
unrelated occupants 5
counted: 1) Investigate whether 2nd structure approved as a dwelling unit and 2) if there is a group home (4+ unrelated occupants) (3); (TPD Ref) two individuals living in shack in rear yard without utilities (illegal dwelling unit) using extension from properties to north and south. Mother lives in main structure. (1); 1) Investigate whether 2nd structure approved as a dwelling unit and 2) if there is a group home (4+ unrelated occupants). May be illegal duplex. (1); 1) Investigate whether approved carport conversion to living space is being utilized as a dwelling unit and 2) if there is a group home (4+ unrelated occupants) (1); 1.Parcel zoned R-2 it is being used as auto / metal scrap yard.2.Multiple JMVs all over parcel.3.Outdoor storage all over parcel4.Possible illegal dwelling units: Activity in multiple travel trailers on parcel (1)
7131,7710.5period not published0utility.arcgis.com
Boston, MA
rooming or boarding house 1
counted: Minimum square footage (Rooming House) -Room for sleeping, at least 80 sq. ft. of fl space; if more than 1 occ. at least 60 sq. ft. (1)
126,2390.4period not published0services.arcgis.com
New York, NY0240,8940.0period unreliable in source0data.cityofnewyork.us
Seattle, WA03,2340.0period not published0cos-data.seattle.gov
Charlotte, NC0429,4500.0period not published0gis.charlottenc.gov
Hartford, CT042,4980.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Sacramento, CA015,1070.0period not published0gis.cityofwestsacramento.org
Columbus, OH0312,0080.0period not published0maps2.columbus.gov
Aurora, CO010,8930.0period not published0ags.auroragov.org
Vancouver, WA014,7910.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
South Bend, IN020,4140.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Washington, DC02,1180.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
El Paso, TX06,6250.0period not published0services3.arcgis.com
Topeka, KS0210.0period not published0maps.topeka.gov
Decatur, GA06450.0period not published0maps.decaturil.gov
Warren, OH0100.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Tempe, AZ02,7430.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Macon, GA01,7020.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Portland, OR011,1040.0period not published0services3.arcgis.com
Athens, GA0650.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Baltimore, MD0691,6360.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Lincoln, NE060.0period not published0services5.arcgis.com
Duluth, MN014,0000.0period not published22services7.arcgis.com
Santa Ana, CA01070.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Oakland, CA0130.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Spokane, WA0125,2820.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Vero Beach, FL030.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Scottsdale, AZ032,9450.0period not published0maps.scottsdaleaz.gov
Fort Worth, TX078,8710.0period not published0mapit.fortworthtexas.gov
Durham, NC01,1210.0period not published0webgis2.durhamnc.gov
Montgomery, AL091,0410.0period not published0gis.montgomeryal.gov
Chesapeake, VA07,1090.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Providence, RI0680.0period not published0services8.arcgis.com
Dallas, TX0135,1370.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Lake Worth, FL02,6020.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Greensboro, NC01,058,2270.0period not published0gis.greensboro-nc.gov
Jackson, MS020,8800.0period not published0jcportal.jacksoncountyor.gov
Allentown, PA01,2090.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Longview, TX06,2520.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Phoenix, AZ030,4530.0period not published0maps.phoenix.gov
Amarillo, TX06040.0period not published0services6.arcgis.com
Anderson, IN010,0930.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Columbia, SC026,6200.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Raleigh, NC015,0290.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Madison, WI04430.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Tampa, FL0469,1810.0period not published0gis.hcso.tampa.fl.us
Detroit, MI0902,2970.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Salem, OR04190.0period not published0services9.arcgis.com
Lynchburg, VA020,3770.0period not published1,233mapviewer.lynchburgva.gov
Miami, FL03,1940.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Denver, CO094,4200.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Nashville, TN043,2770.0period not published1,525services2.arcgis.com
Saint Paul, MN0547,8900.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Fayetteville, NC0357,7450.0period not published0gismaps.fayettevillenc.gov
Asheville, NC0118,9920.0period not published0gis.ashevillenc.gov
Fargo, ND037,5920.0period not published0map.westfargond.gov
Pasadena, CA071,9040.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Richmond, VA0270.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Rochester, NY040.0period not published0maps.cityofrochester.gov
Arlington, VA064,3620.0period not published0gis2.arlingtontx.gov
Albany, NY0438,5560.0period not published0services7.arcgis.com
Tyler, TX01,6070.0period not published0services5.arcgis.com
San Diego, CA010,0390.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
San Mateo, CA01400.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Dayton, OH086,5470.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Akron, OH02350.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Grand Rapids, MI010.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Augusta, GA09,6160.0period not published0augcw.augustaga.gov
New Haven, CT01530.0period not published0services6.arcgis.com
Waterbury, CT02870.0period not published0services6.arcgis.com
Buffalo, NY03,6780.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Flint, MI020.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Spartanburg, SC05,0140.0period not published0services9.arcgis.com
Riverside, CA07660.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Henderson, NV0520.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Fellsmere, FL050.0period not published0gisportal.ircgov.com
Brunswick, GA030.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Alum Creek, WV0410.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Axson, GA0330.0period not published0services9.arcgis.com
Angier, NC0315,2130.0period not published0maps.wake.gov
Altoona, FL028,5930.0period not published0services3.arcgis.com
Apollo Beach, FL03,5660.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Barrackville, WV05,0630.0period not published0services1.arcgis.com
Guthrie, TX067,1640.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Big Stone Gap, VA094,0940.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Belleville, WV01020.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Accokeek, MD0390.0period not published0gis-dev.sccmo.org
Beverly Shores, IN03540.0period not published0services6.arcgis.com
Belington, WV01,1600.0period not published0gis.randolphcountync.gov
Adamstown, MD030.0period not published0services5.arcgis.com
Alton, NY02760.0period not published0services6.arcgis.com
Acampo, CA03920.0period not published0services2.arcgis.com
Bellevue, IA01,2170.0period not published0services.arcgis.com
Acra, NY034,3280.0period not published0services7.arcgis.com

Counted 09 September 2026 against each city’s live Socrata register. Short-term-rental cases are shown beside, and kept out of, the room-rental count — they are a different activity, and folding them in would overstate by-the-room risk in every tourist market.

Resident complaints

And how often residents report it

The same count against the city’s 311 request feed. This is the other half of the picture and it is not the same measurement: a code-enforcement case is the city acting; a 311 request is a neighbour reporting. A market can carry plenty of one and almost none of the other, and that gap is the finding — not something to average away.

Complaints per case is the number to read, and only where we could compute it honestly. Lots of residents reporting room-rental problems and few cases opened is the closest thing to a real answer on the question everyone actually asks. We compute it only when both feeds exist for the same city and their periods overlap by at least five years — a 311 feed starting in 2020 divided by a case register starting in 1994 is not a ratio, it is an artefact. Where the overlap is too short you get the two raw counts and no ratio.
MarketRoom-rental requests All requestsPer 10,000 Complaints per casePeriod covered Feed
Aurora, CO
overcrowding 77
counted: Overcrowded Residence (77)
7723,24833.1period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Gainesville, FL
occupancy limit exceeded 31, unrelated occupants 16, letting by the room 2
4916,46629.82014-09-17 to 2023-07-12data.cityofgainesville.org
Seattle, WA
rooming or boarding house 267, unrelated occupants 140, illegal conversion or subdivision 122, occupancy limit exceeded 96, letting by the room 92, overcrowding 1
685248,05127.62003-11-10 to 2026-09-01cos-data.seattle.gov
New York, NY
illegal conversion or subdivision 926
926559,21616.6period not publisheddata.cityofnewyork.us
Houston, TX
counted: Boarding Homes (61)
6150,61012.1period not publishedmycity2.houstontx.gov
Dallas, TX
counted: Boarding Home Facilities - CCS (5); Boarding Home Complaint - CCS (2)
714,3594.9period not publishedservices5.arcgis.com
Baltimore, MD
counted: HCD-Overcrowding (449)
4491,025,0294.4period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Charlotte, NC
counted: ZONGROUP/BOARDING HOMES (563)
5633,390,4401.7period not publishedgis.charlottenc.gov
Louisville, KY
rooming or boarding house 2, letting by the room 1
counted: • 633 Park Ave reported 11/20/23 for TNZD violations Property owner advertises and lists each of the two bedrooms for rent at min. of 30 days. Property is located within the TNZD and therefore rooming houses are not permitted. Current owner: Courtney Philbin 633 Park Ave. 40208 - Owner likely doesn’t live in this house, she also has Airbnb listings in Eason, Maryland. The links to the listings as evidence: • 1 bedroom with shared bathroom and other common places; last review Oct ‘23 www.airbnb.com/rooms/598438316376331915?source_impression_id=p3_1666035718_GPaba1vK6ZRVFZPH • 1 bedroom with bathroom and other common area shared. www.airbnb.com/rooms/598430620246694357?source_impression_id=p3_1666034016_TF65dnEM5niqEsaC&modal=PHOTO_TOUR_SCROLLABLE • The whole 2-bedroom house is also offered for rent (min 28 days); this listing doesn’t violate any STR or TNZD violations. www.airbnb.com/rooms/592000332155795342?adults=4&federated_search_id=6f408fa1-f1e5-4e9b-9932-64049d90485e&source_impression_id=p3_1649703246_GlCag73bustvw9bm&check_in=2023-12-10&guests=1 For sale listing on Realtor.com active since 11/12/23: www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/633-Park-Ave_Louisville_KY_40208_M39272-33608?from=srp-list-card (1); 223 S 41st St is running a boarding house and I do not think that is allowed in the neighborhood. (1)
2173,2450.1period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Chicago, IL014,569,1440.00.0 (2018–2026)2018-07-01 to 2026-09-01data.cityofchicago.org
Austin, TX04510.02018-07-11 to 2021-05-19datahub.austintexas.gov
Cincinnati, OH02,260,0000.00.0 (2000–2026)2000-10-17 to 2026-08-30data.cincinnati-oh.gov
Berkeley, CA020,2540.02018-01-02 to 2026-08-30data.cityofberkeley.info
Nashville, TN02,075,0060.0period not publishedservices2.arcgis.com
Denver, CO0524,7110.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Miami, FL088,0780.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Montgomery, AL0228,6150.0period not publishedgis.montgomeryal.gov
Augusta, GA010.0period not publishedaugcw.augustaga.gov
Columbia, SC013,0010.0period not publishedservices2.arcgis.com
Las Vegas, NV0135,0000.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Hartford, CT049,3750.0period not publishedutility.arcgis.com
Saint Paul, MN0281,5540.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Grand Rapids, MI0140.0period not publishedservices2.arcgis.com
South Bend, IN02630.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Raleigh, NC01,1680.0period not publishedservices.arcgis.com
Tampa, FL05,5950.0period not publishedservices5.arcgis.com
Wichita, KS02080.0period not publishedservices7.arcgis.com
Tyler, TX03140.0period not publishedservices3.arcgis.com
Chesapeake, VA010,0000.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Dayton, OH0650.0period not publishedservices2.arcgis.com
Lansing, MI02630.0period not publishedcw.lansingmi.gov
Memphis, TN01,0000.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Melbourne, FL060.0period not publishedservices.arcgis.com
Concord, CA05690.0period not publishedutility.arcgis.com
Atlanta, GA01,4350.0period not publisheddcgis.dekalbcountyga.gov
Alliance, OH010.0period not publishedservices2.arcgis.com
Amado, AZ05,8910.0period not publishedsccgis.santacruzcountyca.gov
Ash Fork, AZ0540.0period not publishedservices1.arcgis.com
Coverage

The biggest gaps, in order

These are the markets with the most priced ZIPs and no code research yet. This is the work queue, published rather than hidden — a user should be able to see exactly where the dataset stops.

MarketZIPs priced Median shared /wkStatus
El Paso, TX154$265Not researched yet
Sacramento, CA103$316Not researched yet
Kansas City, MO80$155Not researched yet
Oklahoma City, OK80$225Not researched yet
Austin, TX79$209Not researched yet
San Diego, CA79$494Not researched yet
Charlotte, NC77$268Not researched yet
Pittsburgh, PA76$212Not researched yet
Birmingham, AL73$237Not researched yet
Cincinnati, OH73$182Not researched yet
San Francisco, CA70$626Not researched yet
Memphis, TN67$274Not researched yet
Minneapolis, MN67$240Not researched yet
Louisville, KY65$203Not researched yet