Update: County can't substantiate violation of VHR rules in Biden Tahoe visit

Douglas County has determined a complaint that billionaire Tom Steyer illegally rented his Tahoe mansion to President Joe Biden cannot be substantiated.

“Douglas County Code Enforcement has followed the standard procedures related to code complaints and cannot substantiate that a code violation occurred," according to a statement issued just after noon Wednesday. "We consider the matter closed at this time.”

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If President Joe Biden is actually renting a Glenbrook home owned by former Democratic Presidential candidate Tom Steyer, the billionaire might be facing a $20,000 fine for renting a vacation home without a permit. He's probably good for the fine, though.

On Monday, Douglas County Vacation Home Program Manager Ernie Strehlow confirmed there wasn’t a permit for the address owned by Steyer.

He said that there’s more to look into before any citation would be issued.

“I do not know details until we investigate the terms of the rental,” Strehlow said. “We treat it as any other complaint on illegal renting we receive from the public.”

Whether a citation was issued would depend on the agreement between Biden and Steyer and whether it was truly a rental.

Biden’s vacation to Lake Tahoe snarled traffic on Friday night between Reno and Glenbrook after landing at Reno-Tahoe Airport.

Traffic was again blocked off on Monday morning as the President traveled back to the airport to visit the Maui wildfire. He returned around midnight.

Residents around Lake Tahoe and in Western Carson Valley reported jets flying overhead.

A flight of F-18 Hornets flew over Carson Valley on Thursday afternoon the day before Biden’s arrival.

The remnants of former Hurricane Hilary dampened the President’s visit to Lake Tahoe as more than an inch of rain fell near the Steyer estate.

Steyer and Kathryn Taylor own the $15 million, three-acre Lake front estate purchased in 2007, according to the Douglas County Assessor’s Office.

Steyer conducted a whistle stop in Gardnerville on Feb. 11, 2020, while seeking the nomination for President. According to his campaign, he milked cows for the Springmeyer family when he was a teenager.

The Vacation Home Rental Advisory Panel is scheduled to meet 1 p.m. Wednesday to discuss density of rentals at Lake Tahoe. The panel will be discussing rental densities and is not agendized to talk about the Biden visit or Steyer's rental status.