HAINES CITY, Fla. — Haines City officials are stepping up enforcement on short-term vacation rentals operating illegally within city limits.
For snowbirds like Jerry Gavin and his wife, short-term vacation homes are a seasonal way of life. They are currently staying in a vacation rental in
Haines City.
“We’re snow-birding from January through March. The owner here, she has been very responsive and it’s a beautiful unit,” said Gavin.
WATCH: Haines City targets illegal short-term vacation rentals with new registry
Haines City leaders say short-term vacation rentals have surged in recent years, and not all are complying with the rules.
“We’ve had an uptick of complaints of short-term rentals that are in areas that aren’t permitted within the city,” said Steve Shifley, Haines City code compliance supervisor.
The city is creating a new short-term rental registry. Property owners renting homes or apartments for stays of 30 days or less must register with the city by March 1 and pay a $100 fee. Those who fail to comply could face daily fines of up to $250.
Haines City permits short-term rentals only in four designated communities: Balmoral Estates, Calabay Park of Towerview, Southern Dunes, and Villa Sorrento. With the help of a third-party vendor, city leaders identified about 1,200 short-term rental listings operating within city limits. That's far more than what zoning allows.
“In the past it was easy when there was only a few websites that we could look and see which ones were outside the area but with over 10,000 websites there’s no way that we have the staff for the time to be able to go through all those websites and the ones that are not permitted,” Shifley said.
Gavin believes some hosts may pass the registry fee down to renters like him, but he tells me he doesn’t mind.
“I’d rather have the peace of mind, knowing that everything is honest and upfront. I would not have a problem,” Gavin said.
Property owners can register online. They will be given a grace period and receive at least three letters before enforcement.
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