DeSantis vetoes STR regulations bill 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed legislation that would have blocked local officials from imposing stricter rules on short-term rentals. 

DeSantis said he took issue with the bill's "one-size-fits-all" approach. 

The Sunshine State has debated how to effectively regulate STRs for years. In 2011, state lawmakers blocked local officials from restricting rentals on sites like Airbnb and VRBO. Three years later, in response to community pushback, lawmakers amended the law to allow local governments to regulate certain issues like parking, noise and trash. 

The legislation DeSantis vetoed would have shifted STR regulation from local to state control.

STR stakeholders had fiercely opposed the bill, including vacation-rental management companies and Florida Realtors, an influential real-estate industry group.  

DeSantis vetoed the bill on the grounds that it would create new red tape for local officials. The bill would have blocked local governments from enforcing existing ordinances or passing any new regulations on STRs, the governor wrote in his veto letter. 

“Under the bill, any such measure must apply to all residential properties. The effect of this provision will prevent virtually all local regulation of vacation rentals even though the vacation rental markets are far from uniform across the various regions of the state,” DeSantis wrote. “Going forward, I encourage the Florida Legislature and all key stakeholders to work together, with the understanding that vacation rentals should not be approached as a one-size-fits-all issue.

Some stakeholders took issue with the veto. Others applauded the governor's decision and suggested DeSantis form a working group to explore more nuanced legislation in the future. 

“I would love it if he would form some kind of task force with some legislators and some local officials and some building officials, like a regional task force, and maybe we could come back and propose better legislation next year. That would make both sides happy on some of these issues,” Melbourne Beach Mayor Alison Dennington said. 

Below, please find Property Guard's weekly short term rental regulation round-up, highlighting state and local news regarding short term rental regulations to regulate (or prohibit) Airbnbs and other STRs. If you want a comprehensive data solution on STR regulations in all 20,000 state and local jurisdictions, contact us here.

New and Proposed Regulations:

• San Antonio, Texas: City officials are rolling out stricter rules for STRs, including higher permit fees for owners who don’t live on site. (link) 
• Long Beach, California: The College Estates neighborhood is banning un-hosted STRs – a ban that’s a long time coming and the first of its kind in the waterfront city. (link) 
• Door County, Wisconsin: A judge ruled an STR called Captains Cottage could continue operating while a lawsuit over the Village of Sister Bay allegedly refusing to issue a permit to the waterfront rental plays out. (link) 
• Klamath Falls, Oregon: After passing new STR licensing and operating rules last fall, city officials are reminding prospective property owners of the regulations. (link) 
• Barcelona, Spain: The popular Spanish vacation destination plans to scrap the licenses of over 10,000 short-term rentals by 2028, in response to rising housing costs for residents. (link) 

Other Noteworthy News:

• NYC plummet: Short-term rentals in the Big Apple have plummeted to just 2,276 legal STRs since the city’s new regulations kicked in, raising hotel prices. (link). 
• Island debate: The Maui mayor’s plan to shift STRs to long-term rental properties for local residents faces multiple legislative and bureaucratic hurdles. (link) 
• Tax troubles: Santa Barbara’s year-to-date revenues from the city’s hotel tax is coming in 3.1 percent below budget. (link)