A chance to affect short term rental issues
- Thread starter Sun Chaser
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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...
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
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.
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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!
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".