Can we rent Mom’s place out for a while? Families ask me some version of that question a lot. Sometimes a parent has moved into assisted living and the family isn’t ready to sell. Sometimes a family has inherited a home and the siblings want time to decide.

Renting can be a good option. But Leisure Village rental rules are stricter than renting out a house on a regular street, and families who don’t know them can lose weeks, or sign a lease the Association won’t accept.

I read through the Association’s current Rules & Regulations (the November 2025 update) and the lease package posted on its forms page. Here’s what they say, in plain English.

Leisure Village Rental Rules at a Glance

The 30-Day Minimum Means No Short-Term Rentals

The rule is short and clear. Homes in Leisure Village can’t be rented for less than 30 days. The rules also say a home can only be used as a residence, not for any business or commercial use.

So if you were picturing a vacation rental, or renting the place out a weekend at a time, that’s not allowed here. A lease can be month-to-month or for a longer, set period. If you go month-to-month, the lease form says it’s the owner’s job to let the Association Office know each month the tenant stays.

How the 25% Rental Cap Works

This is the rule that surprises people most. On January 3, 2022, the Association set a cap: no more than 25% of the lots can be rentals at one time.

Who the cap applies to

The cap applies to owners who took title after January 3, 2022. Owners who were already on title before that date aren’t blocked by it, although their rentals still count toward the 25% total.

That date matters for families. If your parent bought the home years ago and is still the owner, they may not be held to the cap. If the home has since passed to you, or you bought it recently, it may be a different story. I’d confirm your situation with the Association Office before you plan around rental income.

The waiting list

Once 25% of the lots are rentals, the Board keeps a waiting list. Owners who plan to rent get in line on a first-come, first-served basis. When a rental spot opens, the owner at the top of the list gets the chance. If that owner isn’t ready, they can stay on the list but lose their place at the front.

When a home stops counting as a rental

A home doesn’t lose its rental status only because one tenant moves out. Under the rules, it stops being a rental when the owner sells or transfers the home (with some exceptions under California law), when the owner or immediate family moves back in, or one year after a tenancy ends without a new tenant, with a few exceptions the rules spell out.

Exceptions for hard times

The Board can make exceptions for death, illness, or a dire emergency that keeps an owner from living in the home. The request has to be in writing with the details and any paperwork. If the Board doesn’t answer in writing within 60 days, the request counts as denied, so follow up.

Family Living in the Home Isn’t a Rental, but the Age Rules Still Apply

Families ask me this one too. If my brother moves into Dad’s house, is that a rental?

Under the rules, no. A home only counts as a rental when someone other than the owner or the owner’s immediate family lives there, rent or no rent. Immediate family means people related to the owner by marriage, domestic partnership, or a direct line, like parents, children, grandchildren and grandparents.

But the age rules don’t go away. Leisure Village is an age-restricted community, and the Association says it strictly enforces these rules. At least one resident of every home has to be 55 or older. Everyone else living there has to be what the rules call a qualified permanent resident, which is a specific legal definition. The rules ask for proof of age, like a driver’s license or birth certificate.

Guests are different. Guests of any age can stay up to 90 days total in any 12-month period, as long as the 55+ resident is living there too. So before a family member moves in, call the Association Office and ask how the rules fit your family. That’s a lot easier than sorting it out after the moving truck shows up.

What the Owner Is Still Responsible For

Renting the home doesn’t hand your responsibilities to the tenant. The rules are plain about that.

• ✓The dues. The owner keeps paying monthly dues and any other charges, no matter what the lease says.
• ✓The tenant’s behavior. The owner is responsible for the actions of tenants and their guests, and can face fines for their violations.
• ✓Eviction if needed. If a renter keeps breaking the rules, the owner has to evict them when the Association demands it.
• ✓Repairs. The owner side of the maintenance list stays with the owner. My post on Leisure Village HOA maintenance breaks down who fixes what.

One more thing owners don’t expect. While the home is leased, the owner gives up the right to use the community facilities. Those rights pass to the tenant. If you’re renting out your home to live elsewhere, that may not matter. If you planned to keep enjoying the amenities here, it does.

The Lease Packet: A Checklist Before Your Tenant Moves In

The Association’s lease package lists what it needs. Here’s the order I’d work in.

• ✓Write the lease. The Association doesn’t supply one, and yours must include the language required by Section 18.04 of the rules.
• ✓Fill out the Association’s form called “Leasing Leisure Village Property.”
• ✓Complete the Association Information Form (AIF) for the tenant.
• ✓Sign the Delegation of Facilities Usage Rights form, which lists each tenant’s name and date of birth.
• ✓Get a pet permit if the tenant has a pet. My post on moving with pets to Leisure Village covers the basics.
• ✓Have the tenants sign the receipt of documents, which certifies that one tenant is 55 or older.
• ✓Pay the fees. The October 2026 lease package lists an $80 processing fee and a $320 service fee for a new tenant lease, paid by the owner. Confirm the current amounts with the Association Office before you send payment.
• ✓Allow 7 to 10 business days after everything is turned in. The General Manager has to approve the lease.
• ✓Have the tenant set up their move-in through the Safety & Security Department at (805) 484-2861, extension 223. Gate passes are issued once the lease packet is on file. My post on Leisure Village security explains how the gates work.

Should You Rent, or Sell? Questions to Ask First

Renting can buy a family time. It can also bring costs people don’t see coming. Before you decide, I’d sit down and think through a few things.

Can the dues, repairs and insurance be covered if the home sits empty between tenants? Is everyone on title in agreement, or is this a sibling decision that still needs a family talk? My post on sharing an inherited home among siblings may help with that conversation.

And then there are taxes. Renting a home can change the tax picture, especially for an inherited home or a home you plan to sell later. That’s a CPA conversation, not mine, and it’s worth having before the lease is signed. My post on selling your paid-off home to rent walks through the other side of the same choice.

When families aren’t sure, I’ll bring recent comparable sales and guide you through what they mean for your home, so you know its true value and your options. Then you can compare selling to renting with real numbers in front of you. If you’re settling a parent’s home, start with inheriting a home in Leisure Village.

Why This Matters in Leisure Village

Leisure Village is 2,136 homes in a guard-gated 55+ community, and the rules exist to keep it working the way residents expect. My Leisure Village quick facts post has the basics and the current dues by model.

Steve and I are in Leisure Village all the time with buyers, sellers and owners, and we’ve worked on a lease here too. We’ll help you look at both paths, renting and selling, so you know your options before you decide.

This post is general information based on the Leisure Village Association’s Rules & Regulations (Update November 2025) and lease package as posted on leisurevillage.org in October 2026. It isn’t legal or tax advice. The CC&Rs and the Association’s current documents control, so confirm anything specific with the Association Office at (805) 484-2861. Talk with a real estate attorney about your lease and your own situation, and with a CPA or tax advisor about the tax side of renting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions About Renting or Selling a Leisure Village Home?