If you live near or next door to a short term rental, then no doubt you know about the parking, NOISE, and other related issues. It is maddening. Yes, tourism is important to the local economy but when the house next to you resembles a frat house, it's reasonable to be able to implement pragmatic rules that respect the locals.
There are two bills in the 2017 legislative session that will offer less or more control to the local cities/counties. Source article: The Fight Over Short Term Rentals - Two Competing Bills Could Change the Short Term Rental Landscape in Florida - Lexology
SB 188 would take away local control and allow the state to write the rules for short term vacation rentals. Senate Bill 0188 (2017) - The Florida Senate
Encourage your State Senator, Senator Gainer, to vote NO on this bill. Senator Gainer - The Florida Senate
House Bill 6003 would ALLOW local counties/cities to write rules unique to their local area. House Bill 6003 (2017) - The Florida Senate
Representative Brad Drake represents Walton County: Florida House of Representatives - Brad Drake - 2016 - 2018 ( Speaker Corcoran )
Thank you.
Replies
57
Beach Lover
Actually, The 93% you quote is whether people should be able to rent something other than a hotel, a house or a condo. I agree, there should be choice.
The question from the poll more pertinent would be:
"QUESTION: Do you believe state and local governments should or should not have the authority to ban homeowners from renting out their private property for less than 30 days?"
SHOULD SHOULD NOT NOT SURE
STATE 26% 61% 13%
REGION SHOULD SHOULD NOT NOT SURE
North Florida 30% 58% 12%
Unless you live next door or very close to one of these rentals, then of course it won't be an issue to you. But, no doubt, more and more of these mega house rentals are coming on line and they will affect the neighbors. But back on point, local governments should have the control on short term rentals, not Tallahassee.
On principle the local should control yes --- in practicality no they have shown they cannot so I trust Tallahassee in this matter.
Beach Lover
On principle the local gov should control yes --- in practicality no they have shown they cannot so I trust Tallahassee in this matter. 20 people in a three bedroom house or causing a public nuisance isn't a unique problem that only a local government could solve.
Beach Fanatic
On principle the local gov should control yes --- in practicality no they have shown they cannot so I trust Tallahassee in this matter. 20 people in a three bedroom house or causing a public nuisance isn't a unique problem that only a local government could solve.
I agree with you in the present time.
BUT, don't WE want this option in the future should by an act of God we get a decent BCC or if we form a separate municipality?
Gov Scott loves tourists and tourism. Not going to help little locals...
Beach LoverAuthor
I don't know why we wouldn't want the state to regulate short-term rentals? If left to this BCC I don't think they would see any problems with the mayhem that the mixed use is causing residential areas. Absentee owners come in and purchase homes in quiet neighborhoods that are zoned residential and turn the property into commercial use and the county says nothing.
And now that the country has discovered this area, more and more investors are doing just that. And therein lies the growing issue: Investors, who see that 3,4 story home that sleeps 30 as an investment only. This is a commercial entity operating in a residential neighborhood. No single family will live there. Can I open a small 30 person occupancy bar in said neighborhood? No.
This protection that AirBnB and HomeAway are pushing for was provided to vacation rental properties back in 2011 but, under pressure from local cities and towns was rolled back in 2014 ( House Committee Approves Bill to Deregulate Vacation Rentals).
So, a question to be answered: if this passes, what's stopping your neighbor in your gated community, not to mention non-gated, from renting their home whenever to whoever they want to? Are you sure your HOA rules/restrictions supersede state law?
From the article link above you can see this bill has already been approved 9-6 in two of three committees. Does not look good. Call and tell them we want to keep local control. It's HB 425. Senate: 188.
Representative Brad Drake
Full Detail
Capitol Office
209 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee , FL32399-1300
Phone: (850) 717-5005
Senator George B. Gainer
Capitol Office:
302 Senate Office Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 487-5002
Beach Fanatic
Airbnb regulations: Local governments know best
Good Read.
"Local media have reported stories of “party houses,” hostels and boarding-house-style rentals from Longwood to Orlando and throughout the state. Investors are reportedly purchasing homes in residential areas for the express purpose of renting them commercially. Coastal and lakeside properties are especially popular. This presents an obvious threat to the balance and quality of life of full-time residents stuck next to the equivalent of an “illegal hotel.” For this reason, cities and homeowner associations have regulations in place to limit short-term rentals to specific areas. That is a lot like zoning tourist corridors for legitimate hotels or traditional bed-and-breakfast inns in our residential neighborhoods."
OR this one: Short rentals like Airbnb land in labyrinth of rules
“What’s beautiful going forward is the county is going to get all those TDT revenues from everybody who hosts or rents through Airbnb,” Smith said. “But remember, that’s not all we’re talking about. There’s also VRBO, FlipKey, Craigslist or just listing it in the newspaper.”
Hosts offering rentals through those other sites will still have to calculate and submit tourist tax to the county, which also collects the tax for the municipalities, Smith said. They also likely need to sign up to pay the county and municipal — if within one of the city’s boundaries — business tax, she added.
But the TDC Tax information is not subject to Public Record Requests...
Walton County needs to address this ASAP. I'm concerned that the current BCC doesn't give a flip about this.
Good Read.
"Local media have reported stories of “party houses,” hostels and boarding-house-style rentals from Longwood to Orlando and throughout the state. Investors are reportedly purchasing homes in residential areas for the express purpose of renting them commercially. Coastal and lakeside properties are especially popular. This presents an obvious threat to the balance and quality of life of full-time residents stuck next to the equivalent of an “illegal hotel.” For this reason, cities and homeowner associations have regulations in place to limit short-term rentals to specific areas. That is a lot like zoning tourist corridors for legitimate hotels or traditional bed-and-breakfast inns in our residential neighborhoods."
OR this one: Short rentals like Airbnb land in labyrinth of rules
“What’s beautiful going forward is the county is going to get all those TDT revenues from everybody who hosts or rents through Airbnb,” Smith said. “But remember, that’s not all we’re talking about. There’s also VRBO, FlipKey, Craigslist or just listing it in the newspaper.”
Hosts offering rentals through those other sites will still have to calculate and submit tourist tax to the county, which also collects the tax for the municipalities, Smith said. They also likely need to sign up to pay the county and municipal — if within one of the city’s boundaries — business tax, she added.
But the TDC Tax information is not subject to Public Record Requests...
Walton County needs to address this ASAP. I'm concerned that the current BCC doesn't give a flip about this.
Edited
Beach Fanatic
I have never understood why short term rentals are not considered commercial enterprise similar to either hotels or extended stay hotel/suites. Sadly, many of the older neighborhoods do not have restrictions on short term rentals even though they may prohibit commercial enterprise. Talk about an end around!
Beach LoverAuthor
Great articles, John G. Thank you for posting.
Here is the form of the bill that passed in the House: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sect...ocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0425&Session=2017
Representative Drake voted "Yea".
Here is the form of the bill that passed in the House: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sect...ocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0425&Session=2017
Representative Drake voted "Yea".
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