Pomona Permit Requirements Rules (2026): What You Need to Know

The City of Pomona has not adopted a short-term rental ordinance and does not issue permits for residential short-term rentals. The Pomona Zoning Code classifies land uses by zone and does not include short-term rental, home-sharing, or vacation rental as a permitted or conditionally permitted use in any residential zoning district (R-1, R-2, R-3, or R-4). As a result, renting a residential property for fewer than 30 consecutive days is a zoning violation regardless of whether the owner is present during the stay.

This prohibition reflects concerns raised by Pomona's City Council regarding housing stock preservation in a city where affordable housing is already under significant pressure. With a population of approximately 150,000 and a substantial renter population, the conversion of residential units to de facto hotel operations was identified as a threat to housing availability. The Council has not moved forward with proposals to create a regulated STR permit system, leaving the effective ban in place.

Pomona's Development Services Department, through its Code Enforcement Division, monitors platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com for residential listings within city limits. When a listing is identified, the property owner receives a notice of violation and is given a compliance period to remove the listing. There is no option to retroactively obtain a permit. Property owners who wish to offer transient lodging must operate in a commercially zoned area and obtain the appropriate commercial permits and a Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) certificate.