Miami Beach, a popular destination for tourists from all over the world, is changing up their laws around what they call “illegal” short-term rentals. Short-term rentals are very common in America’s biggest cities, providing furnished and quick housing for people with a variety of income levels. Chicago in particular is one of the cities that allows for more short-term rental options. But in Miami Beach, officials are tired of rampant illegal housing and are now rolling out a new law designed to prevent this, a decision many temporary housing companies disagree with.
The new law, which went into effect at the end of September, forces online platforms to list specific business license information on their housing sites. The city has given housing companies 30 days to institute these changes, and hopes that by implementing this law, companies like Airbnb will no longer be able to allow rentals in illegal zoning districts.
Under the new law, Miami rentals for less than 6 months and a day are prohibited by the city unless they are within one of the designated legally permissible zones, like South Beach. As such, most short-term rentals are illegal in Miami’s more residential areas, something that the city has long tried to crack down on.
Officials say they are modeling this program after a similar law went into effect in San Francisco, which required housing platforms to list city-issued tax receipt numbers for each of their listings. Officials say this law was a success, and are looking to model Miami’s temporary housing market the same way.
While some residents and lawmakers are happy about the new rules, companies like Airbnb are less than thrilled.
“We are disappointed by the city’s decision to double down on a law that even they admit isn’t working. We stand by our position that our hosts and residents in Miami Beach deserve comprehensive short-term rental reform that addresses the fundamental flaws in the city’s existing system,” says Tom Martinelli, a top Airbnb policy official in Florida.