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Short-term rental listings have declined in the Joshua Tree area.

The trend may not make the region more affordable for locals.

JOSHUA TREE, Calif. — Many Angelenos dreamed about buying cheap land in the desert during the COVID-19 pandemic; Emmanuel Ruggiero actually did it.

On his plot in Joshua Tree, the software engineer built a home specifically as a short-term rental — part of a craze that saw investors seeking to cash in on people fleeing the stress and contagion of cities to isolate in more-remote locales. He equipped his modern cabin with 16-foot ceilings, a swim spa and a private nine-hole golf course.

Now, after two years as a top-rated Airbnb host, Ruggiero no longer

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