She prefers to find potentially illegal short-term rentals and report them to code enforcement. Price, 27, has made a hobby out of reporting potential violators to St. Petersburg Code Compliance. She has filed at least complaints since starting this work two months ago.
According to the city, 88 of those properties reported by Price have received violation notices. But I just feel like if not me, who? This is the one thing I can do, so I might as well. Many have hailed Price as a hero for doing what she can to slow down St. Price began filing complaints in February after her long-term neighbor died and his home was sold. She discovered that the city has had rules on the books since Homes can be rented out for no fewer than 30 days or, if fewer than that, no more than three consecutive times within a day period.
Sometimes the door, windows or layout of the kitchen can be a giveaway. Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? She logs that data into a spreadsheet, which she shared with City Council members last month in an email. Petersburg has increased astronomically in the past 5 years. Foster said that if a violation is backed up by evidence, the property owner has 20 days to stop.
If the owner continues renting the home on a short-term basis, a hearing is scheduled for the Code Enforcement Board, which determines if the property is still in violation. If so, it can impose a fine that recurs each day the owner offers their home as a short-term rental.
If the property continues to operate illegally, Foster said the fines can result in a lien against the property. The city does get a cut from local taxes collected by Airbnb, just as it does for taxes collected by hotels. Foster said that, as with all of those taxes collected by Pinellas County, St. Petersburg receives a share. She pointed out that a state law passed in prohibits the city from passing stricter regulations on short-term rentals.
