Florida Legislature Still Working On Short-Term Rental Bills

Tallahassee, FL – With a little over two weeks left in the current Florida legislative session, two similar bills pertaining to short-term rentals, Senate Bill 522 and House Bill 219 are still open. SB 522 is on the Rules Committee agenda on April 14. HB 219 has been on the House Ways and Means Committee since March 18, 2021. It was temporarily postponed on March 22.  The bills are similar: they both preempt local authority to regulate short-term rentals i.e. shifts regulation by cities/counties to the State’s Division of Hotels/Restaurants (under Dept of Business & Professional Regulation).  The legislature’s final decision will affect many Volusia County neighborhoods. Rentals of less than 30 days are regulated under Volusia County’s hotel/motel zoning rule. Hotels and motels (and, therefore, short-term rentals) are only allowed in areas zoned for tourism or some types of commercial activity.  During the March 16, 2021 Volusia County Council (VCC) meeting, councilmembers reversed course, deciding to enforce the county’s ban on short-term rentals in unincorporated parts of the county after putting a pause on doing so. Dr. Fred Lowry said at that time that not enforcing the law could be interpreted as changing the ordinance and therefore lose grandfathering.  VCC could make a decision on how to handle short-term rentals if and when the Florida Legislature passes the measure. If you have an opinion on the matter either way, contact your local representative or senator.  You can find your local representative at myfloridahouse.gov and your local senator at flsenate.gov.