As President Trump continues to hand over decision-making power to individual states during the COVID-19 crisis, US governors find themselves with more executive control than they anticipated. And, as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility—along with a healthy dose of feedback, criticism, and protests from both residents and business owners. Consequently, governors are facing significant backlash for executive orders to open—or not open—parts of the economy.
For example, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis grabbed national headlines on April 14 after he declared professional wrestling an essential service, saying people are “starved” for new entertainment, and “we are watching reruns from like the early 2000s.”
But greenlighting WWE wasn’t DeSantis’ only recent head-shaking executive action. When considering the travel industry’s lodging sector, as the governor weighed opening/closing hotels, B&Bs, vacation rentals, and timeshares, DeSantis crafted an executive order (20-87) to prohibit stays in vacation rentals while keeping hotels, motels, inns, resorts, and timeshares open for business.
The order now has been twice extended, and the vacation rental industry is reacting with a spectrum of activity that, as of yesterday, escalated to vacation rental managers issuing a Demand Letter to the governor, a necessary first step toward a widespread legal challenge to the orders.
Timeline: DeSantis’ Anti-Vacation Rental Actions
- March 27: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order Number 20-87. This order suspended vacation rental operations for 14 days and prohibited vacation rentals from making new reservations or checking in new guests for the duration of the order. Hotels, motels, inns, resorts, and timeshares were allowed to remain open.
- April 10: Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order Number 20-103, extending the vacation rental ban until April 30, 2020. The ban on vacation rentals was later extended through May 4, when the next directive goes into effect.
- April 29: Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-112 outlining “Phase 1: Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step. Plan for Florida’s Recovery.” which opens restaurants, retail, museums, libraries, and elective procedures (with limitations), but keeps vacation rentals closed for the duration of the order–which begins May 4 and is open-ended. As in previous orders, hotels, motels, inns, resorts, and timeshares remain open.
- According to Florida’s FAQ page about the duration of the order, Phase 2 will begin “Once the Governor determines it is suitable to continue re-opening and after fully considering medical data in consultation with state health officials.”
Governor DeSantis provided no explanation for the continued closure of vacation rentals, even though—as lodging options—vacation homes are more conducive to the state’s social distancing recommendations than the other lodging types he has allowed to remain open, including hotels, inns, and timeshares.
Reaction from the vacation rental industry
Vacation rental managers have expressed anger and frustration about DeSantis’ decision to keep vacation rentals closed while allowing every other lodging type to remain open. With news of beach openings in neighboring states, Georgia and Alabama, pressure is mounting.
Yesterday, Orlando-based law firm Fasset, Anthony, and Taylor sent a Demand Letter to Governor DeSantis on behalf of Florida vacation rental property owners, saying, “The purpose of this letter is to protest any extension of the Governor’s ban on vacation rentals and formally demand just compensation for property destroyed and taken by the state under Executive Order Numbers 20-87 and 20-103.”
The letter, initiated by Jeff and Gina Paglialonga, vacation home owners and founders of Teeming Vacation Rentals, states: “These executive orders have forced vacation rental owners to refund all guests scheduled to check in during the banned period under the threat of vacation rental license forfeiture. The executive orders also require vacation rental owners to let their properties sit idle during the peak of the rental season in Florida. Together, these state actions constitute unprecedented and historic destruction and taking of private property held by vacation rental owners. The state’s destruction and taking of private property necessitate just compensation under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment), Article X, Section 6(a) of the Florida Constitution, and Section 252.43, Florida Statutes.”
VRM Intel also obtained a brief on legal precendent and analysis related to moving forward with a legal challenge to DeSantis’ order, which recommends, “To streamline the takings on behalf of all vacation rental owners in Florida, a representing entity, such as the VRMA should pursue a class action claim against the state on behalf of all vacation rental owners.”
While some vacation rental managers are exploring legal options, the Florida Vacation Rental Management Association (FVRMA) and Florida Realtors joined forces to try to negotiate with the governor’s office to open vacation rentals by proposing a three-day “safe time” between stays, a move that would reduce overall occupancy for Florida vacation rentals by 25 to 30 percent during the affected time period. To date there is no evidence that a three-day waiting period between stays leads to a lower rate of COVID-19 transmission.
In addition, there are other dangers in letting a rental property sit empty after a stay for three days before a cleaner, inspector, or manager enters the home (i.e. unlocked entry points, appliances left on, fireplaces or grills left on, spoiled food, mildewed towels, doors left open, unreported property damage, etc).
What is DeSantis’ Motivation?
Why is DeSantis discriminating against vacation rental lodging while continuing to prop up hotels, inns, resorts, and timeshares? In talking to several vacation rental managers, no one seems to have a definitive answer. Most professional vacation rental companies believed DeSantis was reasonable in his approach to vacation rentals before COVID-19.
Some of the guesses about the “why” behind the governor’s actions include:
- Influence from the state’s powerful hotel lobbying arm;
- Embarrassment and negative feedback over images appearing in national media of overcrowded Florida beaches during shelter-in-place orders;
- Lingering animosity with rental listing site Airbnb over the company’s removal of listings on the West Bank and after DeSantis ordered state officials to refrain from using Airbnb when conducting state business (an order that was later rescinded);
- A belief that local residents are more comfortable with travelers staying in hotels instead of vacation rentals;
- Unsubstantiated fear that vacation rentals will be populated with “diseased New Yorkers” (which wouldn’t explain why timeshares are still open);
- Or simply that DeSantis is in over his head with the magnitude of reopening decisions.
According to Jeff Paglialonga, vacation home owner and founder of Teeming Vacation Rentals, “As a vacation rental manager managing hundreds of rental lodging options, I was appalled at the singling out of our industry for personal retribution by an Executive Order of Governor DeSantis.”
In Florida, vacation rentals have been an established and popular lodging type in the state for a century.
As DeSantis knows, according to a recent UCF research study, “The 2018 economic impact of Florida’s vacation home rental industry represents $16.6 billion in direct spending and $10.8 billion in indirect spending, totaling $27.4 billion.”
In 2018, the total amount of tourists staying in vacation rental homes in Florida was 14,233,274, which equates to 11.2 percent of the total 127 million tourists that came to Florida in 2018.
The report adds that “The direct spending amounts to nearly $46 million a day and approximately $1.9 million every hour . . . and the direct spending supports roughly 115,000 jobs.”
According to Palm Beach’s WPTV, on April 20, “New numbers Monday show Florida has paid out only about 6.2 percent of the 1.5 million unemployment claims submitted since March 15.”
The state’s Department of Economic Opportunity dashboard says they have processed 162,039 of the claims but only 40,193 have been paid so far.
Related: Phase 2 Plan for Florida Recovery
Florida’s Phase 2 of reopening adds cumbersome regulations for vacation rentals.
Amiee
May 20, 2020 at 12:49 am
Air bnb is destroying property values for normal citizens.
Dana McCoy
May 15, 2020 at 11:21 am
Whatever ground-rules the Governor feels is appropriate for hotels, inns, timeshares, and resorts should be the same for vacation rentals. If he wants a 3 day period between guest stays, the same should apply to the hotels, inns, timeshares, and resorts. How can he justify vacation rentals cleaning practices be different than that of the hotels, inns, timeshares, and resorts? There is absolutely NO REASON to treat vacation rental properties different!!!
Anne Gunderson
May 12, 2020 at 1:38 pm
There are so many intelligent reasons as why vacation rentals and hotels should not be open in vacation destinations at all. If you are traveling for reasons other than “fun” or a “vacay” then options for travel stays should be open to you , but if you are just in it to get away , you shouldn’t be , and you should stay home. What part of “stay at home order” don’t you understand? Stay at home or give up your right to get medical tests or care if you should become ill. Why should those who are abiding by guidelines , doing their part , have to compete with the selfish people who just don’t care for medical care and supplies? We shouldn’t. No sympathy to vacation rental owners, the risk of trying to become rich off of people vacationing in times of plenty, is there are ebbs and flows of every business , including yours, guess you might have to sell your 2nd or 3rd homes , no tears for you. Buck up , and deal with it, the rest of us are just trying to stay in our 1 home.
Tracey
May 13, 2020 at 10:05 am
Ignorant response. Too many people out of work, Florida not paying unemployment as it should (6.2% of claims!!!!). It is not the homeowners of these rentals who are suffering as much as the Floridians who have lost their jobs in the tourist industry. In my opinion you have missed the point of the objection. If hotels, motels, inns and timeshares can stay open and are not considered to be places of possible contagion, then why on earth would a short-term rental be considered anything else? Fewer people, less traffic, no elevators or front doors with many unrelated people passing through. Just one home, one family, then full cleaning. Let’s try to be consistent and rational in our thinking.
Steve
May 15, 2020 at 5:15 pm
You missed the point entirely, reread the article and Tracey’s reply.
ben elaine dooley
May 12, 2020 at 11:20 am
This order is all by itself dsetroying what’s left of the economy of Franklin County, FL. It’s strike 3 after the devastation already brought by strike 1, the collapse of the oyster industry and strike 2, Hurricane Michael! I hope the voters of Franklin county don’t forget this governor’s action!
Brian Tyler
May 7, 2020 at 2:03 pm
Does the governor have investment in or significant financial support from the hotel industry that has driven this decision? That is the only logical reason he is allowing hotels to open and not individual rentals. Since the federal government and most states agree that individual residences is the safest place during this pandemic, how could he in any good conscience not allow them to open when he does allow public gathering spaces with community gathering areas, rooms that are entered daily by people who have been in all the other rooms, and amenities that are used by the masses, instead of a single family between cleanings. This is a clear bow to an industry in need of a money grab while devastating small business owners, who have paid more than their share of taxes, unnecessarily. Feels like the political wheels are once again getting greased at the expense of those out there trying to make a living.
Mary Carney
May 7, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Amy,
If the Governor could count on rental agents and property owners to reasonably accommodate renters by altering their refund policy to allow for people to return home in the event that conditions deteriorate, then he may not have had to issue an ORDER halting the further check in of visitors.
TeemingVR and Jeff Paglialonga, who are DEMANDING that the Governor allow rentals during this emergency are part of the problem. They did not inform me of the change in their standard policy to allow a refund or transfer of my rental time. After my check in on March 15, when I soon realized that groceries were scarce, restaurants were closing, as well as the pool and the beach closing, they refused to provide compensation when I decided it was time to go home after only spending 6 days of the 17 I PAID FOR.
And TeemingVR will not respond to my email asking why they did not inform me of their change in refund policy prior to my check in even though I have tried to contact them.
I realize your focus here is on the rights of the Vacation Rental Managers and property owners, but the Governor’s policy should also take into account the rights of renters, vacationers and individuals.
Buddy Davenport
May 8, 2020 at 10:46 am
It sounds like you made the voluntary decision to leave your rental for reasons outside the control of TeemingVR, Mary. You could have stayed, but decided not to for personal reasons. I wouldn’t refund you either. Groceries were scarce? Give me a break.
I believe your frustration should be redirected at Governor DeSantis. He ruined your vacation, not TeemingVR.
Gwen H
May 10, 2020 at 3:38 pm
Buddy Davenport, Groceries are evener scarcer right now – hardly any fresh meat, still very little in the way of paper products and when they are available there are limits to what you may purchase, limited supply of bottled water, there is no antibacterial “anything” and many other things missing on our grocery shelves throughout Northwest Florida. Before you make a derisive comment to someones viewpoint you should check your facts… The lack of groceries and other items is why the Walton County TDC Director has asked people who are visiting this area to plan ahead and to do the following: •Bring supplies that may not be available due to the potential for limited supplies in Walton County, such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and plan to use them.
•Bring face masks for you and your family to use when interacting in public spaces.
•Plan to purchase supplies such as staple groceries, toilet paper or other essential items before arriving in the destination, as local shortages are possible.
Also Mary did the right thing by leaving as it was a “Shelter at home” order and Florida (or where she was staying) was obviously not her home so she had to leave, it was part of the EO and so she really didn’t have a choice. It is too bad that a company such as Teeming VR making loads of money off tourism won’t give refunds when a global pandemic strikes, I am a very small business that relies on tourism but I have had to give many refunds to my clients because of Covid-19 shut downs and you know what, they appreciate that and many have told me to keep the deposits and others have booked with me again for later in the year.
Stephen
May 15, 2020 at 5:25 pm
As a short term rental owner in Sandestin, renters had the option to stay until the end of their stay. They were not ordered to cut their stays short and leave. This ban is discriminatory and there is no reasonable rationale for it.
Kathy Mandeville
May 6, 2020 at 8:48 pm
I intentionally book rental homes, vs hotel rooms, when I travel because of the decreased contact with other travelers. I have a rental booked, for May 23-30, not for vacation but for a home search as I prepare to move to FL. That booking must be canceled now, because the Governor believes I’ll be safer in a hotel, in close proximity to hundreds of others?!? There’s no science behind this decision.
Please, open vacation home rentals, to allow for greater social distancing.
James Milloway
May 6, 2020 at 10:36 am
As an Airbnb & VRBO host I’m outraged by the lack of support from either company and perplexed as why neither have filed a lawsuit challenging this. This is a clear case of discrimination. If there’s a class action suit I certainly intend to join in and it should be filed sooner than later. All these government agencies have their hands out for all the taxes we pay. It’s going to be a struggle to make my mortgage payment again this month and for what??????
Peggy P
May 4, 2020 at 8:44 pm
I’m coming down from Cincinnati. We’ve stayed at the same condo resort since 2008. This governor is not thinking clearly. There’s no way that hotels would be safer than a small condo resort. My daughter and I have bother emailed him letters. We’ve already had to change our date once. At this point I’m not holding my breath for our June 5th reservation. I’m not accusing him of anything but I have to wonder if big hotels are pressuring him. If I have to change my reservation again, I’ll probably go to another beach in another state.
Kim Nall
May 7, 2020 at 12:35 am
Look on internet and check out who is on the risk teams to re-open
Gary
May 4, 2020 at 9:35 am
Everyone needs to send daily emails to DeSantis office. I have sent two, of course with no response. I also called and got a representative that told me this order would expire on 5/14. Their own call center staff doesn’t know what is going on. They just listen and then say they will pass it on. Zero logic in this order which begs for why he is discriminating against Tourism which is the financial life blood of Florida. If this continues Florida with see a Real Estate crash that will dwarf 2006.
Lisa Vigil
May 3, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Class Action…count us in!
Michelle Roberts Bentley
May 5, 2020 at 8:33 am
I’m also in!!!
Bethany Russell
May 2, 2020 at 3:01 pm
We own a beach home in Pensacola Beach. After two months, this order is killing our family financially. I’m ready to join a class action suit because this is discriminatory. If it was a blanket ban, that’s one thing. But singling out homes while allowing timeshares, hotels, resorts and inns to rent is incredibly unfair, and forces homeowners to pay dearly. Our special place, where we always imagined retiring, is being listed for sale. I should also mention that we applied for the $10,000 emergency aid and haven’t heard a peep. Looks like the fund is depleted and here we are.
Turd Ferguson
May 7, 2020 at 6:04 pm
Same here. Count us in on any class-action that comes along. Nothing screams tyranny better than government telling you what you can and can’t do with your property. We applied for the $10k in emergency aid as soon as we heard about it. Nothing. IRS check hasn’t showed up either. I voted for this fool, but will not do so again. Getting so tired of all this government overreach. Our vacation rental sat empty for all of April. We said the hell with it and are renting it out despite the ban. EFF socialism and Desantis!
Richard Laine
May 2, 2020 at 3:01 pm
I would like to ask you to please help me, my family, and thousands of other family owned vacation rental businesses throughout the state of Florida out by signing and sharing this petition with others?
http://chng.it/9BQ45vrB
We need to let Governor DeSantis know that it’s not right to continue to ban vacation rentals while he’s allowed hotels and motels to operate throughout the COVID-19 epidemic without any restrictions. This ban on just vacation rentals makes no sense as vacation rentals are much safer than hotels and motels. If the goal is to reduce the spread of the virus vacation rentals have fewer shared spaces then hotels and motels. There is no reason to single out vacation rentals while allowing all other forms of lodging to continue to operate. This ban is hurting family owned small businesses throughout the state of Florida for no reason.
Steve S
May 2, 2020 at 8:43 am
My wife and I booked a condo rental beginning May 1 in Santa Rosa. We arrived in Florida, secured a rental car, drove 5 hours, then received an email from our rental company cancelling our reservation. (Less than 24 hrs prior to our rental)
Is this governor out of his mind?
Nick
May 2, 2020 at 3:19 am
we just can not see the rational behind this not allowing condo rentals!! which are much safer for the general public, home from home style of vacation. Then to say we need to leave 72Hrs between rentals? which would relate to only two weeks at best per month! How can a hotel be better? Just not playing fair and obviously bias towards the hotel industry which must be funding thier decisions!!!
Richard Vaughton
May 2, 2020 at 2:55 am
Wow, reading this from across the Atlantic. I’d probably put this in the Trump, daft decision and lack of intelligence pot. Surely advisors/lobbyists have influenced this decision.
Any sane person knows the challenges facing opening of any accommodation relate to basic hygiene procedures and transmission opportunity and hotels without doubt excel in this area. Elevators alone would see non family members by the hundreds potentially transferring the virus, or would it be, one in one out, clean, one in one out.
Ridiculous and Freedom of Information comes to mind.
Neil Benton Cox
May 2, 2020 at 9:01 am
This was not a Trump order. The Florida Governor, DeSantis, made this decision.
Bec
May 3, 2020 at 5:00 pm
Correct!!
ben elaine dooley
May 12, 2020 at 11:12 am
Did the closure order negatively impact Mar-a-Lago? This was not a Trump decision but he is sure lurking in the wings!!
J
May 1, 2020 at 9:45 pm
What defines travelers engaged in non-vacation commercial activity?
Danielle
May 4, 2020 at 1:17 pm
Did you ever receive an answer to this question? I too am curious the answer to this. I have been told that you can keep a reservation if you have the appropriate paperwork and will be there still working, but working from home so to speak, which I do.
Dean Taylor
May 1, 2020 at 8:21 pm
Seems the threat of a class action lawsuit is called for. The argument for blatent discrimination seems a slam dunk. Haven’t reporters or someone asked the Governor or his office for actual reason behind this ridiculous discrepancy? Totally defies any logic except hotel industry political pandering.
Donna Scalero
May 5, 2020 at 9:28 am
Yes, a class action law suit is definitely in order here.
Vicki Harris
May 5, 2020 at 12:29 pm
It seems the Governor never will discuss his reasoning for the ban on vacation rentals. There is no way that my family would ever stay in a hotel, motel,or timeshare where your chances of catching the virus are definitely much higher. He is destroying this state. I have emailed him multiple times and knew that he would never respond. Northwest Florida is already suffering due to Hurricane Michael a year and half ago. The economic impact is going to destroy us. My vacation has been cancelled twice and is probably going to be cancelled again.
Teresa Johns
May 1, 2020 at 8:17 pm
I’m in complete agreement with everything said in this article. It just doesn’t make any sense to target closing vacation rentals while leaving all other forms of higher density lodging open. Has the Governor responded to the letter? Is there a chance that it can make an impact on the decision? What other action can we do to right this wrong?
Darrell
May 1, 2020 at 4:19 pm
My family has a house rented for the second week in May and it sounds like our vacation is down the drain. I do not understand the reasoning of the governor and I feel for the home owners affected. We have been offered a refund but are taking credit instead because I understand the cash flow implications. I hope this gets straightened out soon.
San McWal
May 1, 2020 at 4:11 pm
Thank you so much for this article. I was looking all over the internet why the governor allows hotels and not Airbnb’s? Social distancing in a hotel? Elevator anyone? Laughable! Legal action? I’m in.
Ken
May 1, 2020 at 2:14 pm
Nice letter but didn’t they ask for a timely response?
Dale Stephens
May 1, 2020 at 2:13 pm
I don’t get fired up often, but this has me lit. If it was consistent and hotels, time shares, resorts, and motels were also closed I could buy in and understand. But the inconsistency just smacks of favoring special interest to the detriment of small business owners like myself. I’ll be FIRMLY in favor of legal action to challenge the unfairness of the discrimination within the vacation travel sector. Get it right, GOV ….
Richard Laine
May 1, 2020 at 1:04 pm
Thank you so much for covering this. Families with vacation rental businesses throughout the state have been severely impacted by this unjustified ban singling out just vacation rentals.
“DeSantis provided no explanation for the continued closure of vacation rentals, even though — as lodging options — vacation homes are more conducive to social distancing recommendations than the other lodging types he has allowed to stay open, including hotels, inns, and timeshares.”
Exactly! So why are hotels, motels, and inns which are less conducive to social distancing recommendations allowed to continue to operate unimpeded while small family businesses get singled out and banned from operating? This is hurting families all across the state unfairly.
John Harlow
May 1, 2020 at 12:55 pm
My guess is that hotel guests (but not timeshare guests) tend to have less interaction with local grocery and other chains which reduces their interaction with locals. That being said, it doesn’t explain timeshares. Folks at timeshares are more than likely going to the grocery stores. Staying in a timeshare is pretty much identical to a vacation rental
John Banczak
May 1, 2020 at 11:39 am
Thanks for posting Amy. A big mistake by the Governor. Consumer demand is for private homes that enable them to socially distance right now. It is a shame they are being denied this. I would expect everyone to come to their senses quickly.
Barry C Anthony
May 1, 2020 at 11:29 am
It’s hard to add to what has been said. We are a small 30-unit VRM in Destin FL area. We are of course saddened for the loss of income by our cleaners, inspector, and maintenance person. Our property owners are hurt financially yet are still expected to pay HOA dues and mortgage payments. I want to believe the Governor does not realize (or maybe does not care) how devastating this order is to small businesses like ours. We are encouraging our owners and guests to email the governor at his “Task Force to Re-open Florida” comment form. (I will post a link to the form in the website field so Amy can share if she chooses.) I have been including a sample letter to make commenting easier. Thanks Amy. It’s good to hear what others are thinking and feeling about this.
Kenny
May 1, 2020 at 6:34 pm
For some perspective….I am from Missouri and we had a condo reserved for next week in Destin. Because of the extension on the ban, we just booked a hotel down the road from our condo. We are not requesting a refund because we will use that towards next years reservation. The point of this is to say, we are going to be in a hotel, down the road, no more safe than our condo. This makes no sense!!. We intend on respecting Florida and it’s rules and practicing the guidelines. We believe you guys can open while being safe. I like the governor but I’m surprised by this decision. We would much rather stay in our condo but we also really want to spend time together as a family, in your great state. I feel for you folks and hope you get some relief.
Joyce
May 1, 2020 at 11:15 am
I submitted la comment last night. Will it be posted? Wondering if it was censored because I wrote a##?
Amy Hinote
May 1, 2020 at 5:40 pm
I looked back and do not see a previous comment from you. Looked in spam too, to double check. Please repost if you can.
Scott Hanlon
May 1, 2020 at 8:57 am
I have been going to Longboat Key and staying the same property since the 70’s. My reservation this year start May 6. I live in GA. I should be able to come and enjoy the Florida sunshine. I made my reservation at least six months age.
Allan Oakley
May 1, 2020 at 7:16 am
Thank you for this superb report. The governor is plainly making decisions based on bad information provided to him.I have asked myself from day one if he has ever been inside a vacation home? If he has issues with AIRBNB that’s their issue and not ours.Over night, it didn’t take long for some of the major gated central Florida resort communities to email their changes starting today.Basically, starting today they are back in business as long as owners and their guests abide by the social distancing rules and accept that their smaller bars, restaurants and amenities may have some restrictions.Yes the governor needs to examine our industry.Yes, he is entitled to demand groups of 10 or less. That in itself can be accommodated in any size home. All being said he needs to have a date determined by next week when the vacation home industry can return to normal.
Kim
May 3, 2020 at 5:04 am
The ban doesn’t have anything to do with third party bookings such as Airbnb, VRBO, Flipkey, Trip Advisor, etc. They are all third party bookings that are hired by the owners of the short term vacation rentals. This is hurting the actual owner(s) of the short term vacation rentals that pays the mortgage, association fees, taxes, third part booking fees like Airbnb,and more!
B Wise
May 6, 2020 at 1:03 am
As a Vacation beach house owner on Pensacola Beach, I can’t believe we live in the United States of America! This decision by the governor is the worst decision he has made during these horrible times. I hope he wakes up and changes his mind before we all end up declaring bankruptcy.
ben elaine dooley
May 12, 2020 at 11:09 am
Humm….wonder if Mar-a-Lago is still open?
William Mitchell
May 1, 2020 at 6:12 am
What is even more puzzling than home vacation rentals is the ban on condo-tel rentals. In Daytona Beach, many hotels have been converted to private ownership of the units. They still operate as resorts with a front desk, cleaners etc. They have mixed ownership. The units owned by the resort are free to rent their units. The units that are owned by a timeshare company are open. My units are identical, but I have had to cancel $59,000 in rentals and refund their payments. I have had to borrow $25,000 to make the refunds and now am faced with how to extend this practice. I have over $5,000 per month in fixed expenses for my 7 units with Association Fees, taxes, insurance, etc. with zero income. I am faced with losing over a million dollars of properties with no explanation as to why privately owned units would be singled out as creating any greater risk than those units owned by the resort and time shares.
Darrell
May 1, 2020 at 4:10 pm
The situation you described is insanity.
Chad
April 30, 2020 at 10:28 pm
I chose to go to the vacation rental I use as it is not crowded and overrun by other people like the hotels and resorts so the governor’s actions and justification makes no sense. I can literally go a couple of miles up the road and rent a unit today in Alabama. I think it is ridiculous and violates my freedoms to tell me I can’t stay where I want to as long as I abide by that area’s requirements when I’m outside the space my family and I are staying.
Michael James
April 30, 2020 at 10:13 pm
Thanks for your hard work and reporting Amy!!!
Buddy Davenport
April 30, 2020 at 8:28 pm
I hope Florida vacation rental owners receive the funding to bring these takings claims and defend our constitutional rights. Here is the link to their gofundme page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/florida-vacation-rental-owners-illegal-taking-fl
LuAnn
May 4, 2020 at 10:06 am
Here is another related gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/f/str-litigation-fund
Diane Dodd
April 30, 2020 at 6:49 pm
The State of Florida needs to get its act together on the licensing of all homes. Every single one of them should have a stand alone license. As it stands right now, we see homes that are being rented in defiance of any order to not rent. Do they pay the local tourist tax? Do they have a license of any kind? Do they remit sales tax to the State? Uniformity and get back to having rental properties inspected like they did in years past.
Baxter
May 1, 2020 at 2:33 am
Diane,
The State of Florida does require a license and annual inspection. We pay Sales tax and county tourist tax.
Not sure your point with the suspensions of Vacation Rentals. You must own or work at a hotel
San
May 1, 2020 at 4:04 pm
Diane,
Here info from Airbnb: “Airbnb automatically collects and pays occupancy taxes on behalf of hosts whenever a guest pays for a booking in specific jurisdictions.” In Brevard county FL they do and it helps to streamline the entire taxing process.
Jeannine
April 30, 2020 at 6:38 pm
Why is DeSantis specifically targeting vacation rentals? My guests who have been booked for a year are forced to cancel their vacations and in good faith I am forced to do refund their entire reservation fee. This is greatly hurting families like ours. We are not a wealthy big business hotel chain. Families will soon lose their Florida homes for which they have saved so carefully and now rent to other families as a small business. My guests are forced to cancel their vacation at my professionally cleaned vacation home and are simply moving to the hotel a few doors down. How is that helping stop the spread of COVID-19? I do not think a Hotel with shared spaces are cleaner and safer than my home.
Richard Laine
May 1, 2020 at 12:41 pm
As a fellow family owned vacation rental business we absolutely agree. This has been totally devastating to my family and is totally unjustified. There is no reason to single out vacation rentals while allowing all other forms of lodging to continue without any restrictions. Properly cleaned and sanitized vacation homes are actually the safest form of lodging with less shared spaces.
Michael Yoder
April 30, 2020 at 5:36 pm
This ban just screwed me. I’m down on a work project (I am in the medical field) With restaurants closed me and my team were renting homes instead of hotels so we could cook our own meals. I rented a condo to take care of our needs though VRBO just to have them accept my reservation with a conformation # and then email me back to say nope. After I received my confirmation number I had some very important items UPSed to the address we were supposed to be at. We’ll see how this goes????
Deana
April 30, 2020 at 5:30 pm
“DeSantis provided no explanation for the continued closure of vacation rentals, even though — as lodging options — vacation homes are more conducive to social distancing recommendations than the other lodging types he has allowed to stay open, including hotels, inns, and timeshares.”
So, why ARE hotels and timeshares open and not vacation rentals? I, for one, will be ready to sign up for any legal action going forward on this issue. Please let us know when it organizes.
Richard Laine
May 1, 2020 at 12:48 pm
Exactly! Me and my family’s rental business will be happy to join you in any legal action against this unjustified and unconstitutional ban singling out our business while other forms of lodging which are less conducive to social distancing are allowed to remain open and unaffected.
Ed O’Donnell
April 30, 2020 at 5:29 pm
Thank you for the detailed summary. The unfair business practices the Governor is promoting will require compensation to rental owners who can document income losses.
Paula
April 30, 2020 at 5:22 pm
Hmmmm….we have a house in our community that has 11 bedrooms – could sleep 24 people – and it has!
Short-term rentals can have multiple families living in one place – sharing a common kitchen, bathroom, family room, etc. A hotel may have one or two people per room. Quite a difference!
Then, they head out to the stores, etc. after intermingling with many other people in the str.
This is more than just about money – most of these are investors – look at AirDNA data – 2/3 of STR owners own multiple places. It’s not “mom and pop.”
We applaud the governor for making the correct decision about not allowing short-term rentals.
He is putting people before $$. Good for him.
Margie perry
April 30, 2020 at 6:36 pm
So hotels, inns and motels are ok? Which would have more traffic my home which sleeps 10 and has a private pool, kitchen, etc. or those establishments with huge foot traffic, no kitchens , and people sharing a pool? And no these are not all run by big companies, we have one house….
Jeannine
April 30, 2020 at 6:42 pm
You are sadly mistaken. The majority of vacation homes are owned by families like mine. We are not a big business hotel chain. Very few homes hold 24 people. Most hold 4 – 10 people max. A hotel with many guests sharing shared spaces, touching shared knobs and buttons are not safer than individual homes.
Oscar
April 30, 2020 at 7:17 pm
Didn’t you read the whole article or are not aware of the circumstances?. He’s only doing this on the single family and condo short term rentals, which makes no sense is he is allowing it on the hotels, motels, etc. He is not putting people before money. He’s favoring the hotel industry. He’s an idiot!!. I support a lawsuit against this guy on this subject.
Buddy Davenport
April 30, 2020 at 8:13 pm
Wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and get a grip, Paula!
Don’t tell me your subjective fears about a virus are a more valid concern than a bank foreclosing on a vacation rental owner’s life savings.
bashka
April 30, 2020 at 8:54 pm
Paula you must be just an envious neighbor. We the small business owners are suffering because of this unfair executive order!
Maria Schilke
May 1, 2020 at 10:02 am
You are judging all the rental homes by your personal experience with one house. You can call the authorities on all this and stop it. Most of us rental managers do not want big groups in homes ever. I do not rent to people that want to hold wedding reception in one of the large homes because it would be too many people.
Most people that rent their homes need the income to pay the mortgage, property taxes, etc.
I urge the governor to re consider his decision. I have a house across from me that rents and there have been people there all of April. They do not bother me.
Richard Laine
May 1, 2020 at 1:15 pm
Paula you don’t know what you are talking about. The vast majority of vacation rentals consist of 1, 2, or 3 bedroom accommodations run by small family businesses like my families throughout the state of Florida. A hotel with many guests sharing common spaces are vastly less safe than individual homes. The governor is not putting people before money. He’s favoring the hotel industry. Me and my family support any lawsuit against this ban going forward. Not sure what you have against short term rentals, but me and my family are suffering tremendously under this unjustified and unfair ban against our business.
David Gantt
May 4, 2020 at 11:42 am
Bullshit. I own one house. Many, many others also own one or just a few houses. That’s a lot more mom and pop than hotel chains. If multiple families in one house is the concern then make the rule to allow only members from one immediate family per booking. Also your point about people being out and intermingling is also bullshit. In a hotel most people go out to a restaurant for every meal. In a house with a kitchen you can go to the grocery store once and get what you need for multiple meals cooked safely in your own kitchen. Allowing hotels where it is impossible to avoid common areas to have guests but not allowing stand alone houses where complete social distancing is possible makes no sense. This smacks of hotel lobby influence. I’m losing thousands per month while less socially distancing types of lodging are allowed to remain open.
Michelle Bentley
May 5, 2020 at 9:13 am
I’m sorry, all of my vacation rentals are one and two bedroom apartments. The greatest number of people that can stay in any of my apartments are 6. Even my large houses have a max capacity of 10. I have worked for three years to build my business from two apartments to 16 units. Thanks to these bans, I have had to shut down 4 units, rent the houses out long term just to pay the mortgages, and stay afloat, and all my other units are subject to being closed if this continues. We do not make a huge amount of money but we did have housekeepers that were getting paid, and my families ONLY source of income. We go in and bleach everything, every surface is bleached every single time we clean. Putting people before money????? Who are you kidding??? This is absolutely a vendetta against vacation rentals, I will definitely be in on the Class action lawsuit. This is discriminatory and is putting a lot of people out of business, and I know you think this is about making the big bucks, but this is actually about feeding my family, paying my bills, and not being on welfare as it appears most of our government officials would love to have us all living off the government so they can more easily control us. Also…How many people do hotels hold????? I’m sure more than 25 people and they don’t even know each other!!
Betty
May 7, 2020 at 1:03 pm
What about owners that only have a 1 or even a 2 bedroom condo with 1 bath? Perhaps the ban should have only included rental condos or homes to hold over 5 or so people.. but than this would be discrimination, correct? Hmmm….
Shannon
May 9, 2020 at 7:49 pm
Glad you can afford for your 11 bedroom home to sit idle. I think it’s safe to say the majority of us can’t. Are we not people?
Robert Ward
April 30, 2020 at 4:25 pm
Thank you. Many of the owners of rental property are families who will have nearly an impossible time covering the 20 to 30 thousand dollar monthly mortgage payments on the properties for very long without the needed rental income.
Steve M
April 30, 2020 at 4:18 pm
A three day waiting period between stays would reduce occupancy by 50%, not by 25-30%, because the turnover day would still be on the weekend. Travelers would arrive on Saturday or Sunday, no matter when the prior guest checked out, so the four days of the week after the “safe time” would also be vacant.
Clare Sanborne
May 2, 2020 at 10:04 am
Timeshares, hotels, inns and B&Bs do not require a three-day waiting period. Neither should vacation rentals which, frankly, tend to be much better serviced. The last time my extended family stayed at a timeshare, the place was filthy.
Also, most of the timeshares and resorts in the Orlando area are multi-story requiring the use of elevators, interaction with staff, etc. they also have shared pools.
You can check into a vacation rental with either no or little interaction and then social distance as much as you want. If you want a private pool, you can have one.
Laurel Waters
April 30, 2020 at 11:17 am
I had reserved a beach condo and have changed my reservation twice. I booked from the website Emerald Coast by Owner. I have been denied a refund. Will the State of Florida compensate me?
Brittany Blackman
April 30, 2020 at 9:52 am
THANK YOU for compiling a fact-based article that hits the nail on the head and responsibly representing our industry with such grace. You are a true light in these dark days.