VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A bill that is currently in the Florida Senate and its accompanying bill in the House would change vacation property regulations across the state. They would put control in the state’s hands instead of the city or counties.
In Volusia County, short-term rentals have been a fight for years and they are currently banned in several areas.
Some Daytona Beach residents hope this proposed legislation could let them bring back their short-term rentals.
“The house is maintained whereas with the long-term side, the tenants aren’t maintaining as well,” said Krista Goodrich.
Goodrich owns Salty Dog Vacation Rentals. She said the new rules could even the playing field across the city and allowing people to come in and redo properties into short-term rentals could help revitalize and boost the economy in many areas.
“Between Silver Beach Bridge and Seabreeze Bridge, that area is a wonderful area for tourism, however, the houses are very old, they require a lot of money to update them and bring them to current standards to make them nice and make it a welcoming area,” she said.
On the flip side, some worry about vacation homes turning into party homes.
“I’m not against anybody making hotel money. My issue is if you want to make hotel money, just got buy a darn hotel,” said Troy Kent, a Volusia County commissioner.
Right now, short-term rentals are banned in unincorporated areas of Volusia County.
Several cities have made similar moves, such as Daytona Beach which has zones where it doesn’t allow any rentals shorter than 30 days.
The new bills would allow some local governments whose ordinances were in place before June of 2011 to be grandfathered with their ordinances.
Others would have to follow the new rules, which is something some residents and officials feel is overreach.
“I don’t really think that it’s fair that the state would try to take advantage of any city and make decisions for those that reside here,” said Daytona Beach Commissioner Paula Reed.
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