Just days before Memorial Day Weekend 2024, Brigantine Beach has yet to appoint a Short-Term Rental Czar.
Brigantine is still searching for someone to manage the explosion of STR’s operating within it’s residential neighborhoods. Ventnor and Atlantic City are also dealing with this challenge.
A STR official would oversee enforcement of these new Short-Term Rental (STR) rules.
After years of mounting complaints, Brigantine finally updated its short-term rental ordinance. That was 7 months ago.
At a recent Brigantine Council meeting, resident Ann Phillips asked: what tools do we have to enforce this 22-page STR ordinance?
Brigantine budgeted $560,000 for STR staffing, legal resources and enforcement tools.
Presumably, this expense would be covered by the licensing fee of $150. per advertised bedroom and the 1.25% digital lodging tax per online booking.
This does not include illegal rentals, or property managers that use Facebook or private websites to transact their STR bookings.
Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera blames personnel issues. Insiders point the finger at City Manager Tiger Platt. After all this time, Platt still hasn’t hired a short-term rental official.
Brigantine City Manager, Tiger Platt, is the ex-fire chief of Brigantine. Platt is a resident of Absecon. This decision will not affect him. He has no skin in the game.
Sera is ‘hopeful’ to make the appointment soon. “We’re moving forward with that process. We have conducted interviews. We’re down to our final couple of candidates.
City Manager Platt will be making a decision, hopefully very soon, according to Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera.
In September 2023, Brigantine had on file, 957 short-term rental property registrations. These are STR properties registered with the city’s licensing department, excluding illegal rentals or properties not registered with the city.
Brigantine allows 3rd parties to manage STR’s. The primary contact for STR properties are not required to live in Brigantine.
Company called EVOLVE manages 43 STR properties in Brigantine.
As of MAY 6, 2024, according to AIR DNA:
- Brigantine: 969 STRs on Airbnb / VRBO, 24 homes for sale.
- Ventnor: 466 STRs on AirBnB / VRBO, 24 homes for sale.
- Margate: 140 STRs on AirBnB / VRBO, 11 homes for sale.
- Atlantic City: 1,600 STRs on AirBnb / VRBO, 102 homes for sale
Homeowner complaints have grown: poorly managed STR’s invite crime, underage drinking, lack of proper insurance, noise, no parking, trash, overcrowding. Most critical: City Council is allowing owners to operate a motel business within a residential zone.
Sera also under pressure from short-term rental property owners. Many are outside speculators, operating a commercial business within a residential zone.
Brigantine and Downbeach business owners remain quiet on the STR issue. Privately, these small businesses say they can’t survive with just 15 summer weekends a season. They need and want more year-round residents. They also need local employees. Most can’t find a place to live in town.
Allegations: Brigantine Mayor Sera pressured by the builders on his hand-selected Planning Board?
Brigantine blocks zoom video access to Planning Board mtgs. Remote public comment also prohibited.
Just like wind turbine industrialization of our oceans, short-term rentals will have a profound, negative effect on residents as well.
Resident Andrea Sullivan.
Brigantine has a poorly enforced two-day rental minimum. Control measures are still not in place.
No one has been appointed to oversee that office. No enforcer or STR czar.
Sullivan proposes a 7-night minimum. A seven-night minimum is standard. Almost everywhere.
City must provide transparency. Who owns these homes? Are they properly insured and financed as commercial property?
Rick DeLucry is a Brigantine councilman. He’s also a highly regarded, land use attorney. Residents hope he will provide guidance on this issue.
I’m just waiting for the STR market to crash, especially in this economy.
It will be an interesting summer indeed. Housing real estate taxes up, home owners insurance up, flood insurance up, utilities up, cleaning fees, service fees, etc. Many STRs will end up not getting their ROI and will end up selling. Not to mention many wanting an STR book will hesitate on those additional costs.