Sunday, June 9, 2013

Vacation rentals - possible flea bag motels?

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Basically, we as residents are only concerned about the health and welfare of our city and our immediate environment--not these businesses whose owners think they have the right to do what they please. Vacation rentals have popped up in our city and are operating illegally. We don't worry about the possibility of damage to their homes or guests who rent their places that even the low-end motels wouldn't even want. We only care that it will, overall, affect our neighborhoods. We don't want them in our backyard.

We have 50 vacation rental businesses operating illegally now. What could happen in our neighborhoods if we change our laws to accommodate more of them and reward people who have had no respect for our current ordinances? Anyone could buy up houses under the pretense of "vacation rentals" and rent to any Tom, Dick or Suzie. This city does not have the resources to enforce our code as it is.

Not only could we open up this "bed of bugs" but we could be subjecting our residential homeowners to all sorts of unsavory possibilities.  We don't want, as a far-out example but a real possibility nevertheless, the opening of a house of ill repute Vacation Rental in our city.

I always remember former commissioner Nadine Burns saying, "You have to look at the BIG picture."  We must take that advice and think of all the future possibilities of short-term rentals and how these rentals could "morph" into something very undesirable.  "Morph" was another one of her great descriptive adjectives. Short-term rentals could destroy our goal of rising from the ashes and becoming the destination city that we all want this to be. Remember the old adage, "Give them an inch and they will take a mile."

Protect our residential neighborhoods. Protect Lake Worth's legacy that has been known for 100 years for its single family and friendly neighborhoods. Do not allow the real possibility of changing Lake Worth to a city known as "flea bag motel." Keep house rentals to the 60 day minimum.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

true.just because these vacation homes are well maintained now, does not guarantee the same thing in the future when the flood ascends on our town.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely, people who rent out their homes or all these short-term home rentals, or long term only care about one thing, $! Many likely still want to get the homestead exemption on the property to boot. Has anyone investigated this? It is all about money Lynn, greed. We already have enough of these wealthy business-minded people in this city who do not keep up their properties with blight and boarded up buildings that bring our properties values down and contribute to more blight and crime, we do not need more. Thanks for staying on top of this issue for the people, you do more for this city than the pathetic elected ones without any spines.

Anonymous said...

For all of the reasons pointed out in this article, and ones that have not even occurred to us yet, PLEASE Commissioners, enforce our 60 day law! Katie Mcgiveron

Anonymous said...

well katie at least you left ted bundy out of it.my prediction is our commissioners will stay away from making any decision. they always seem afraid of peeing off the yes voters. why, i cannot figure out since yes voters are not going to vote for them anyway.

Lynn Anderson said...

Not sure that Katie will see your comment but I want you to know that she voted for everyone on the dais.

Anonymous said...

Lynn, our legacy of friendly neighborhoods you say. It is you who does the crimes of the day report is it not. Do you really think vac. rental clients are contributing to your list?

Anonymous said...

6:36 I meant in the future. But anyway Szerdi ran unopposed as did Maxwell. McVoy is one of her favorites and I cannot believe she voted against Golden.

Lynn Anderson said...

I worry about the clever owners who will use this vacation rental policy, if it were to change, to their advantage to rent to undesirables. I worry about it all escalating out of control.

Lynn Anderson said...

She really needs to speak for herself. As stated, she voted for all--at one time or another--other than Szerdi. He got a free skate.