Huntington, NY Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

Section 160-48 defines a short term rental narrowly: it must sit inside a one- or two-family residence that is 'owner-occupied,' meaning the owner uses the house or unit 'as his or her or their principal residence (domicile).' Section 160-49(B) turns that definition into a prohibition, stating it is unlawful to 'use, establish, maintain, operate, occupy, rent or lease any property as a short term rental if the property is not owner occupied,' and that 'the failure of the owner to occupy the property as his principal residence (domicile) shall be deemed a violation of this Article.'

The requirement does not end at permit issuance. Section 160-54(C)(1) lists as a standing condition of every permit that 'the property used for short term rental shall be the principal residence (domicile) of the owner at all times during the term of the permit.' The application itself, under Section 160-52(A)(5), requires each owner to sign a notarized certification 'attesting to the fact... that the owner resides at the property and it is the owner's domicile (primary residence).'

If the owner moves out, sells to an absentee investor, or otherwise stops living at the property, Section 160-61(B) makes that a basis to deny an application, and Section 160-62(C) makes an owner's failure 'to continue to occupy the premises on a continuous basis as his primary residence' grounds to revoke an existing permit.