Compton Night Caps Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

Many California cities that restrict short-term rentals use a night-cap model, allowing hosts to rent their primary residence for a limited number of nights per year. Los Angeles permits 120 nights annually for registered home-sharing hosts, Santa Monica allows hosted rentals with conditions, and Long Beach has its own registration-based system. Compton has not adopted any such approach. The city's zoning code (Title 10) does not list short-term rentals as a permitted or conditionally permitted use in any residential zone, creating a blanket prohibition with no night-cap pathway.

This means Compton residents have no legal mechanism to rent their home, a room, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), or any other residential structure for fewer than 30 consecutive days, regardless of how many nights per year they intend to do so. There is no hosted exception that would allow renting while the owner remains on the premises, no seasonal permit for summer or holiday periods, and no special-event allowance tied to local activities.

The practical effect is that the annual night cap in Compton is zero. Any short-term rental activity — even a single night — constitutes a zoning violation. This strict stance reflects the city's prioritization of preserving long-term housing stock in a community where affordable housing availability is a persistent concern. Compton's median household income and rental market conditions make housing preservation a policy priority. Residents who wish to generate rental income from their property must do so through traditional leases of 30 days or more.