Short-term Rentals Frustrate Lower Residents

VILLAS – Lower Township residents expressed frustration in Spout Off regarding homes conducting weekly and daily rentals. 
One spout asked the municipality for regulation of short-term rentals, saying they are adversely affecting homeowners in the area. 
Today, Airbnb and VRBO are popular options of online marketplace rentals for vacationers and visitors alike to stay for short periods at a particular destination, including within the municipality. 
However, this year, the municipality has been working to locate homes operating short-term rentals to make landlords aware they need a mercantile license to operate. 
According to Lower Township Manager Mike Laffey, Lower Township does not plan to ban short-term rentals since the area is a “seasonal resort.” Within the past few years, Airbnbs have taken off, even in Lower Township.
However, he noted that if residents are experiencing problems, the municipality needs to be made aware of them to address them. The municipality can take action regarding noncompliant properties, like taking away registration renewals, as one example, depending on the severity of the problem.
The goal isn’t to shut anyone down, but to bring landlords into compliance with the requirements. 
According to Laffey, the municipality identified, through the effort of the clerk’s office, an additional 270 short-term rentals, which has increased revenue stream. 
The municipality also hired additional code and seasonal code enforcement agents to implement the regulations that are outlined in the ordinance, and to deal with trouble that might come from short-term rentals, which are typically dealt with by seasonal workers. However, short-term rentals are not easily detectable, according to Laffey. 
If a complaint about a rental not following regulations is provided to the municipality, it can then provide further information about the requirements the rental should be following. 
The municipality follows a three-tier system regarding rental property size to appropriate mercantile fees ranging from small, medium and large. 
Laffey also noted that if noise problems are coming from rental properties, there are ordinances in place for that issue, and residents should call the police department for enforcement.
To contact Rebecca Fox, email rfox@cmcherald.com.