For housing near James Madison University, may an investor advertise a Harrisonburg STR while waiting for the required permit?

Answer

The City's FAQ says advertising or taking STR reservations without an approved SUP violates the zoning ordinance. Its listed civil penalties are $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second, and $500 for each subsequent offense arising from the same operative facts; aggregate $5,000 can lead to criminal-misdemeanor prosecution.

Scope and verification

Applies where an STR SUP is required; no adjudication or penalty assessment for a particular property.

Source as of: 2026-10-16

Use cited page body and explicit policy period. A page update date does not extend an expired rate or deadline.

Confirm current requirements and the actual student, employee, household or property circumstances with the cited authority. No property inventory or named professional is assigned by this answer.