1. How do AirBnBs cost cities money? Bringing tourists to town, making them happy with their accommodations, and leaving money in their pocket to spend on the local economy (the reason they came in the first place) hardly seems like costing the city money. If the state runs on tourist dollars then making it more difficult for the tourists to visit seems counterproductive.

2. In what way does allowing someone to stay in a home represent lining your pockets at the expense of others?

To me, rental properties seem to boost the local economy. Tourists come to town and spend money. If they stay in a home in the Villages then the local grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations get some of their money. If some homes are purchased for rentals, taking them off the market, then more homes need to be built for those who want to live here thus increasing construction activities and associated jobs. Tourists bring money, that was one of your points, why is the money from the short term renter in Sumter county less desirable than the money from the Orlando hotel dweller?

I wonder if maybe that is why some believe there is an uptick in rentals here. People will still come to Disney, Universal, and Seaworld regardless of local accommodations. But, if they can't find desirable rooms close then they will travel farther... and bring their wallets with them.

We dread snowbird season with all the people, crowds, and lines but I bet the restaurants don't. I bet the restaurants are happy to have the customers. Orlando may feel it has solved its short term rental "problem" but the local businesses may not be happy about that. I don't know and I'm not going to do the research to find out but I do wonder about it.

We should do that here, too. Better now than after if gets worse. This is from the Sept 5 New York Times article: “ For years, the city has maintained that existing laws preclude people from renting out homes to guests for less than 30 days, unless the host is present during the stay. The city also asserts that no more than two guests are allowed to stay at a time, and that they must have ready access to the entire home. . . . The new regulations, which the city will begin enforcing on Tuesday after a series of court challenges, require hosts to register with the city to be allowed to rent on a short-term basis. . . . In order to collect fees associated with the short-term stays, Airbnb, ****, Booking.com and other companies must check that a host’s registration application has been approved. Starting Tuesday, hosts who violate the rules could face fines of up to $5,000 for repeat offenders, and platforms could be fined up to $1,500 for transactions involving illegal rentals. . . . City officials estimated there were roughly 10,800 Airbnb listings as of March 2023 that were illegal short-term rentals. They have argued that renting those homes to tourists and visitors instead of New Yorkers exacerbates the city’s acute housing shortage and makes it even more expensive to live here. Residents who live in buildings with short-term rentals have complained that transient guests bring a greater risk of crime, excessive noise and cleanliness problems.“

Note that if we had rules like that here, it would not affect monthly or longer rentals. Short term rentals would also be allowed for those coming in for a lifestyle visit, but only if the owners of a home registered the house for that purpose with The Villages. This would have nothing to do with your family coming for a visit. I doubt that this would get passed here, though.

I agree. The Villages is probably not going to be the major fighter to stop STRs. But, if larger cities like Miami and Orlando do fight against them, it will probably follow suit here and throughout Florida. We are an hour or two from Orlando, Daytona, Tampa, St Augustine, Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Destin. Our location makes it very attractive for investors. Some politicians may decide controlling STRs here is a necessity. I can see it happening and will not be surprised if it does.

You didn't really ask that, did you????? The Orlando "hotel dweller" doesn't have NEIGHBORS in a 55+ RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. They don't block neighbors driveways, if the let their teens run wild it isn't on a neighbor's property, and they are staying in a hotel---a building and area specifically designed for vacation stays.

Full disclosure---do you own a STR???

I think it would take a revision of state law to pave the way for local restrictions on STRs. I also think that if the developer really wanted these restrictions, we would have them, starting with enforcement of the existing laws/rules/restrictions. I would hope they take the long term view like Harold Schwarts and Gary Morse and decide if they want The Villages known as a premier 55+ retirement destination, or a motel shantytown.

I In addition to what was said above, the Strs are taking customers away from hotels/motels. Businesses that legitimantly collect sales tax and send it to the state of Florida. Do all STRs have the required license? Do they collect and send the sales tax to Florida? Maybe some do. It is those who do not that are causing the state a problem.

If the hotel dweller did come to visit and blocked a driveway would that be okay since he was not a short term renter? If a child comes to visit their parents in the Villages and blocks a driveway is that okay because they are not a short term renter? If I have a card party at my house and a fulltime resident blocks a driveway is that okay because they are not a short term renter? Is the problem the short term renter status or is the problem the blocking of the driveway? If it's the former then let's get rid of the renters but if it's the latter then let's stop others from blocking driveways regardless of their reason for being here.

Take the rest of the alleged transgressions and fit them into the above paragraph. My answer is the same - the transgressions are transgressions regardless of the status of the person committing them.

I am skeptical of the widespread problems from renters. I've seen some pretty large numbers of rental properties claimed. If thousands of renters are causing problems there would be more than a few people complaining here on ToTV. I believe some renters do cause issues. I believe some fulltime neighbors cause issues. I know some snowbirds cause issues. Personally, getting rid of the snowbirds would improve my life much more than getting rid of the renters - who do I talk to about that?

Please let us know the next time that someone staying in an Orlando hotel drives to TV and parks in front of your driveway. Meanwhile, let's ask the Villagers who live next to a STR how often that happens, as well as the kids, late night parties and litter.

More and more you sound like the owner of STR(s)

Attack, attack, attack, renters, snowbirds etc. Attack, lawfully, only people who behave badly, regardless of who they are to prevent bad behavior. People have lost consideration and regard for others and we have also lost the rule of law. This will be a long ride now.

I will let you know the next time ANYONE parks in front of my driveway though I don't know that I will ask them for ID or information on where they are staying.

It wasn’t a problem in my neighborhood either, until one day it was. A woman who had no idea about being a landlord started running an AirBNB from her home and the results weren’t good for the neighborhood. Fortunately for our neighborhood, she met a guy and moved away to live with him. Nobody in our neighborhood was sad to see here go.

The Messenger is wrong.

I tried to make it as simple as possible and posted the language and a link.

Perhaps you should consider clicking the Link I posted in Post #20?

Its publication date is April 28, 2023.

The Information is current.

The Law has not changed.

Every year there are bills in the Legislature, to change most every law on the Florida books. A tiny percentage make it to a vote and a few get passed into law. No Amendment to the Short Term Rental Laws have made it through the Legislature since 2014.

Anyone who would like to wager, I'm in. State Control of Short Term Rentals in Florida will never end. Florida is a tourism state, why would they allow the crackers in mid-Florida to interfere with the state's #1 income generator?

We are not in NYC.

Nice thought and would probably apply in a perfect world, however........

Which type of rental do you think is more likely (by far) to lead to so called "bad behavior"? (you may pick 2)

1) a 58 year old married couple renting for 3 months to see if they want to retire here

2) a group of 6 20 somethings renting for 5 days to use TV as a home base for hitting Disney, our pools and our amenities

3) a family of 6 with children aged 12,14,15, and 16 renting because it is cheaper here.

I could not disagree more about the snowbirds. I live next door to a couple that is here for only 5 months a year and it is great. If there were no snowbirds then you would have winter like traffic all year round.

I have never met one that I believe wouldn't make a great next door neighbor.

Bingo! The fastest way to have local restrictions put into place, and be enforced, would be for a large number of potential buyers of new homes to clearly communicate to their Properties of the Villages sales representative that they are not interested in buying into pseudo 55+ retirement community that is being watered down and changed by short term rentals.

Or there would be summer traffic all year round.

Neither have I but I have also never met a renter who wouldn't make a great next door neighbor. On the other hand, there have been next door neighbors who weren't that great.

If someone is causing a problem, deal with the someone to fix the problem. There are noise ordinances and parking ordinances and certainly trespassing ordinances so use them. For the most part, this is a pretty sleepy area - give the police something to do.

Airbnb
 

TV has let this get out of control here. They should enforce the minimum rental period to one week, not overnight, not a weekend. TV is a retirement community, not a resort or hotel

I highly doubt the lawmakers in NYC and in other areas around the world (yes, WORLD) were concerned about driveway traffic when they wrote new laws that limit STRs. At this point, It is you against the world. I wonder who is going to win.

I am vocal but nearly alone. As another has pointed out, proposals are made every year to weaken the Florida law but they have not been successful yet.

Yea right all states need to follow how N.Y is run

Is it out of control? There have been a few issues and a few more complaining but there are thousands of rental properties. If things were out of control I would expect more than a few issues.

I have rented for a short term though they called it a Lifestyle Visit at the time. As a short term renter I take some of these comments personally. There have been hundreds (thousands?) of these visits but have there been hundreds of problems?

As for a time limit on rental periods, see post #20.

That time restriction would be against state law.
Prior posts have links to the law.

Anything people propose restricting STRs would directly impact Morse because the Lifestyle Visit is a STR program. That's not happening.

Just what we need.......another law telling you what you can and can't do with your property. We have too many laws regulating too many things and our freedoms are being choked to death.
On the other hand, if a house is being rented continuously, it should be considered "commercial" and if it's in a residential zoned area, it should be bought to the owner's attention. I feel for those who are affected by inconsiderate renters, but we don't need LAWS. They stifle our FREEDOM.

I hate too many laws as well. But in this case, without force of law, all you can do about a revolving door motel next door to you is use harsh language

Do something like Texas and Florida do on another topic. Allow citizens to sue the violater for up to $10,000.:pepper2:

I remember one time in the late 80's I parked my personal pickup in a South Florida condo and was left a note that they were not allowed. Next time it would be towed.

If they allow rules like that then what restrictions can't they impose.

....or some serious intimidation.

This banter back-and-forth is great, but can we at least agree that no permanent resident Of The Villages wants to see this become a community of short term rentals

At the risk of scaring people, by suggesting they use some common sense and be true to their likely political leanings (given TV is about 75% Republican) ....

The Republican mantra has historically been: "less government is better government".

As is the case with most things in life, Short Term Rentals exist in a cycle and are self-limiting.

Once there are enough Short Term Rentals to meet demand, investors will stop buying them. I know folks think that everyone in the world wants to live or vacation in TV, but that's simply not true. Based on what I've seen over the last year, the saturation point is close. There always seems to be units available for short term rental and for investors, that doesn't work. Most of them need to maintain high occupancy. Also, the current interest rates aren't conducive to buying for Investment.

It's unlikely the TV will turn into an STR playground. In the meantime, enjoy the property value appreciation the STR market has provided.

Also, I think it's inevitable that TV/CDD will at some point, step in and exercise more control over Guest Passes. That would be a very simple process, that would take away a lot of the STR pain.

No.

Villagers want it both ways.

They want to complain about "renters" & "snow birds", but can't wait to talk about their increasing property value/equity in their home. All of which is driven by the demand created by renters & snow birds.

WOW!!!! you win the award for making ANY topic political!!! :eclipsee_gold_cup:

FYI....Trickle down economics was also a republican thing. After 40 years we all see how well that one worked!!!

Yes, it is out of control. I have been coming to TV to visit parents for 30 years etc and now have a home here and yes the rental business is out of control. YOU may be aware of only a few issues, but that is only your situation. Lifestyle is run by the sales for the developer it is not in the same CATEGORY as the STRs we are talking about. You are welcome to a Lifestyles visit. The other types of STR you can take personally.

Time to change the state law then.

Agree. I sort of find it funny to see rants about STRs on this forum when this very website in another forum lists STRs (real estate section).

There are priorities and “the Villagers” in general, prioritize their life style over increased value of their homes. Of course people like more equity, but not at the cost of suffering for it everyday. The snowbirds own property and they are residents they just don’t happen to be here all the time. In some ways they are the exact opposite of short term renters. And we are talking about short term renters. So what exactly are you finding funny?

Aah.....GREED!!!!!!!:beer3:

Unfortunately, while I believe most will agree with the statement I suspect there will be no consensus on what constitutes "a community of short term rentals." To some, we've already passed that point while others have yet to see a short term rental in their neighborhood.

Totally agree.

Totally disagree. First, short term rentals and snowbirds are two mutually exclusive things. This thread is about short term rentals. Second, I don’t want it both ways, I don’t like short term renters (or the inconsiderate landlords that are jamming them down our throats) and I don’t want my property values to increase. I’m not selling my home, so increased property values only mean increased taxes and homeowners insurance premiums. Why would I want that?