Since late March, Florida hotels have been allowed to operate without state restrictions, while rental properties across the street or even in the same building have gathered dust.
Gov. Ron DeSantis banned vacation rentals on March 27 in an executive order aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. The move, kept in place in subsequent edicts, sparked intense pushback from property owners, management companies and some local government officials, especially in the Panhandle.
On Friday, DeSantis announced that vacation rentals could soon roll out the welcome mats again — if county and state officials give the go-ahead.
But the governor’s plan may not quell the outrage — and fear of financial ruin — over losses incurred amid what in some parts of the state is the busiest tourist season.
“I think he passed the buck, but the bomb is still in his lap,” John Adams, an Inglis retiree who owns three vacation-rental properties and sponsored television ads urging DeSantis to “end your unfair ban now,” told The News Service of Florida following Friday’s announcement.
Starting today, vacation rentals will be allowed to host guests again if DeSantis’ administration gives the stamp of approval, the governor said during a news conference in Jacksonville last week, where he announced additional steps in his first phase of reopening the state’s economy.
Counties can submit vacation-rental reopening plans to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which will have to sign off on the proposals, according to DeSantis.
“If you tell me you’re going to rent them out to people from New York City, I’m probably not going to approve that, OK?” the governor said of the short-term rentals. “If you’re saying that you’re going to rent it out to people in other parts of Florida or something that would be manageable, if there’s ways in there that clearly you have an eye to safety, then I’m fine.”
The ban prompted an outcry from property owners and management companies that accused the governor of arbitrarily targeting the vacation-rental industry, which generates an estimated $27 billion annually in the state, according to a report by the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
But requiring county and state officials to bless the vacation-rental reopening plans could take weeks, said Denis Hanks, executive director of the Florida Vacation Rental Management Association.
“The relief for places like the Panhandle and others that are contingent upon the Memorial Day weekend and being open, it could really take them out of the whole picture,” Hanks said in a telephone interview.
In March, DeSantis said the vacation-rental ban was aimed at discouraging visitors from COVID-19 hot spots, such as New York and Louisiana, from bringing the virus into Florida.
DeSantis later extended the ban, while allowing hotels, motels and inns to continue to operate without additional precautions, such as reduced capacity or social-distancing measures.
On Friday, he said he needed hotels to remain open throughout the pandemic to house National Guard troops he activated to help with COVID-19 testing.
The coronavirus pandemic, “stay-at-home” and “safer-at-home” orders have walloped the tourism-dependent Sunshine State. Florida hotel revenue, for example, declined by $2.9 billion between March 1 and May 9, compared to the same time last year, according to the tourism-marketing agency Visit Florida.
The impact on the vacation-rental industry — which has about 275,000 statewide listings — is unknown, but, according to property owners and management companies, it’s huge. The push to get DeSantis to pull the plug on the ban reached a crescendo over the past two weeks.
Owners and management companies pleaded, cajoled and bullied the governor over what many viewed as unfair treatment. His office has received more than 20,000 emails and dozens of videos demanding that the ban be lifted, along with Adams running the TV ads in Citrus and Leon counties.
A group of property owners and investors filed a lawsuit against DeSantis over the ban, accusing him of violating their constitutional rights and asking a federal judge for a temporary restraining order.
But on May 8, U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday said the plaintiffs did not comply with procedures required for the issuance of a temporary restraining order. While the request for a temporary restraining order was denied, Merryday allowed the lawsuit to proceed.
At least part of the outcry over the vacation-rental ban came from Republican strongholds. such as the Panhandle, Southwest Florida, Jacksonville and Panama City Beach.
Coastal pockets of Northwest Florida have been especially hard hit, according to pleas that GOP officials in the region made to DeSantis.
The vacation-rental pause came amid spring break, when hundreds of thousands of college students and families flock to Panhandle shores renowned for sugar-white beaches and emerald-green waters. The area’s prime tourism season runs through Labor Day.
Walton County Commission Chairman W.N. Bill Chapman told DeSantis on Tuesday that more than 40 percent of the vacation-rental businesses in the area could shut their doors permanently if the ban isn’t lifted.
Vacation rentals account for 87 percent of South Walton’s total lodging inventory, Chapman wrote to the governor on Tuesday.
Commissioners in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Franklin counties, where vacation rentals also outstrip hotel accommodations, implored DeSantis to lift the ban.
State Rep. Jayer Williamson, R-Pace, was among the many officials who pressed DeSantis to allow vacation rentals to start doing business again. Williamson’s House district includes Navarre Beach, a waterfront community with just one hotel.
In an interview Friday afternoon, Williamson said county officials in Northwest Florida “will communicate with each other,” especially because their beaches often abut.
Williamson predicted that Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears, a former state representative from North Florida, will expedite processing the plans.
“I think that he will be very adamant about making sure that the counties’ plans are looked at it in a timely manner and things are released, where we can get people back renting properties again,” he said.
Tom Martinelli, Airbnb’s Florida policy director, called DeSantis’ announcement “a good start.”
“We’re glad that the governor has listened to the many voices who have called for the reopening of vacation rentals in Florida. As conveyed, vacation rentals are an important part of Florida’s economic recovery as they remain a key source of income for thousands of hosts, small businesses and local governments across the state,” Martinelli said in a prepared statement.
The coronavirus-caused shutdown is the latest controversy swirling around the vacation-rental industry, which has gone to the Legislature to try to be shielded from local regulations. The controversy for years has pitted platforms, such as Airbnb, against local government officials and hotel lobbyists.
The tug-of-war played out this year in one of the legislative session’s most intensely waged battles. A proposed deal was scrapped after DeSantis appeared skeptical.
“We have 22 million people almost. We are a very diverse state. For us to be micromanaging vacation rentals, I am not sure that is the right thing to do,” DeSantis said in February.
–Dara Kam, News Service of Florida
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Paula says
Let those short-term rentals that are in commercial areas re-open; but not those that are in residential areas. Denis Hanks and his ilk insist short-term rentals should be treated just like hotels; if that’s the case, put short-term rentals in commercial areas – they are a business – and then talk about re-opening them.
Investors want short-term rentals to be treated exactly like hotels – but only when it suits their finances. Otherwise, they want their mini-hotels in residential areas – ones like this mini-hotel in our community:
“11 Bedrooms, 10 Baths. Appropriate for a business group as well as families, the 9,000-square-foot home offers kitchen facilities on every floor (one main kitchen and two kitchenettes), king-size beds in all but one bedroom (a kids’ room with bunk beds) and all the latest electronics.” Want that next to you, with groups from who knows where coming to stay next door? Don’t think so.
FreeMarketRules says
It is amazing how easily some people are willing to give away their basic freedoms. People need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Ron says
The Governor made the right decision keeping vacation rentals closed during this pandemic. They should remain closed in Flagler County. Our Supermarkets are having a hard enough time supplying food, cleaning supplies and other essentials for our residents. We need more time. We do not need 1000 to 2000 vacationers competing for food in our stores. In addition to possibly infecting our population.
Vacation rentals in Flagler County have conducted illegal activities prior to our county gaining the ability to regulate. Prior to conducting inspections of these dwellings the owners where illegally without permits creating additional sleeping areas out of garages, storage rooms and laundry areas to accommodate more occupants. We had one three bedroom vacation rental home advertising occupancy for 26 people. This STVR converted a storage area that lack a secondary means of egress. This space was advertised as the kids area. Sleeping eight children.
All of these STVR’s where over occupied prior to these inspections. Over 90 percent of these STVR’s where in non compliance with the Florida Fire Code. They lack extinguisher, non functioning smoke detectors and secondary means of egress. In addition to not complying with the pool safety requirements.
Now this industry wants to reopen. Even though the COVID 19 numbers continue to increase in Flagler with hundreds of test inconclusive.
Who is going to make sure that these STVR’s are in compliance with CDC protocols?
Who is going to regulate occupancy? Preventing gatherings over 10 people?
Who is going to make sure the occupants are not from areas outside Florida?
Will the county setup a 24/7 hotline for residents?
Will the county respond to these complaints 24/7?
Who is going to make sure theses STVR are sanitize prior to new check in’s?
What safety plans will be put in place by our local elected officials?
diane says
we are going through it with a vacation house next to us advertising it sleeps 17, but we see crowds of 20 vehicles and double that in people all partying and staying overnight. We are full time residents and we get no sleep! They don’t use masks, no social distancing, wandering into our yard and driveway. Called the police who advises them to quiet down. Period. We don’t want to move after all these years, but may have no choice. permanent full time residents’ rights come second to theirs because they’re producing revenue I guess.
Bartholomew says
There is a vacation rental across the street from us. They didn’t stop they just kept renting it out.
Ron says
County has just sent a letter to DBPR to reopen STVR. There is absolutely no enforcement mechanism in place. The Hammock Beach Resort is not enforcing the 14 day COVID -19 quarantine requirements. There are families staying in their Condos from the NY area shopping at our local Publix and eating at our restaurants without any care of our residents. Now Hammock Beach claims they are ready to welcome guest in their STVR’s. Get ready for visitors arriving from all hot spots in our country.
erobot says
Flagler Beach’s descent from a restful haven with miles of unspoiled beach to “Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches” is what happens when easy $$$$$$$$ are for the taking. Last time I looked only 47% of FB property owners live here.
Now our local leaders are looking to spend another half million on a second fire truck designed for high rises. Getting ready to annex the new development south of here featuring high rise condos maybe? What a shame. Neighbors who only use their property for “family visits,” had five cars parked in front of a house with three bedrooms.
Everybody complained about ITT, but as soon as they left, the barbarians at the gate rushed in and now Palm Coast is an oasis of affordable housing (affordable because tax payers pay for it) and FB is just another coastal tinsel town.
Ron says
Florida DBPR is useless. They are not responding to complaints regarding STVR’s. While vacationers dismiss Florida Governor’s 14 day self quarantine orders. There is no enforcement mechanism in place. The State, our County and Cities will not conduct audits or inspections. They will not set up a hot line phone number for our residents to report incidents. They will not have available enforcement personal. This vacation rental industry has mainly gone unregulated in Flagler County.
Now our Commissioners want the DBPR to approved their reopening. This is comical. Do you know who is on this board. It is a member of the Florida Vacation Management Association. Thanks to 2011 Senate Bill 883. This bill most be repealed now!
Commissioners due your job. Protecting our residents and our neighborhoods from these illegal business operations.