Lazaro Aleman
This is a small victory for city and county governments, which recently found themselves on the winning side when the governor vetoed a bill aimed at wresting local control of vacation rentals from the state.
Senate Bill 280, which Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed on Thursday, June 27, would have eliminated all local regulations of vacation rentals and given that authority to the state. Under the bill, local governments would have retained the ability to respond to noise and safety concerns related to vacation rentals, but they would have been relieved of all regulatory ordinances enacted since 2016.
In his veto letter, DeSantis wrote that the bill would create new red tape that would prevent local governments from enforcing existing ordinances or adopting new measures that apply exclusively to vacation rentals.
“Under the bill,” DeSantis wrote, “any such measure must apply to all residential properties. The effect of this provision will effectively prevent any local regulation of vacation rentals, even though vacation rental markets are far from uniform across regions of the state.”
The governor noted that he encourages lawmakers and key stakeholders to work together going forward, “with the understanding that vacation rentals should not be viewed as a one-size-fits-all issue.”
The governor’s actions were seen as unusual in an administration that is increasingly focused on strengthening state authority at the expense of local governments.
It’s also an indication of the highly controversial nature of the bill, which reportedly struggled to pass in both chambers despite Republicans having an overwhelming majority in the House and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo championing the bill. The vacation rental bill faced strong opposition from local governments across the state, as well as from vacation rental companies and the Florida Association of Realtors.
While vacation rentals are popular as a quick source of income among some property owners, particularly in the state’s coastal communities, others believe they disrupt neighborhoods, reduce affordable housing and lower property values.
