When you have guests here for one night, they’re not a benefit to this town, says Ventnor Commissioner Lance Landgraf. They’re not going to our restaurants. Instead, they’re going to Atlantic City for a show or they’re renting the house out for a party. That’s not what we want.
Ventnor Commissioners Public Comment from Aug 25, 2022. Watch video.
Those who disagree with Landgraf: She’s a short-term rental (STR) owner / realtor and has strong opinions about property rights as long as people are not breaking the law, they should be able to do what they want with their property. We have a very short season. I need to rent winter weekends. I can’t rent for a week. Even three days is hard. That hurts our businesses.
Requiring a minimum stay isn’t going to change anything about violators.
Rental Owner Public Comment
Realtor/STR owner: I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but for me, I would like to see some evidence of these issues. I’d like to see some pictures, some police reports. What I’m hearing is very subjective. I was speaking with a woman online today. You could read it an (online) Ventnor forum. She says no, I don’t call the authorities, because it really doesn’t bother me.
Landgraf: I suggest people don’t complain on the (social media) forum, because I’m not on that forum. I don’t get my news from the community forum. The best way to combat unruly, non-compliant renters is to call the police or the zoning office.
Short-term rental owners are ambassadors for Ventnor.
Landgraf: From a land use standpoint, we (could) require Airbnbs to have trash enclosures and have private trash pickup instead of the commercial, after a turnover.
A new ordinance wouldn’t go into effect until next year.
Hold a town hall meeting so all sides could be heard. There’s a lot of rumor and innuendo about short term rentals. What are the short-term rental complaints?
I’d like to have a town hall or some way we could all discuss it because I don’t think every short-term rental owner should be penalized because there’s some bad apples in the bunch on Buffalo Ave. It’s not just Buffalo Ave, either.
Realtor/STR owner: after elderly folks pass away, houses were bought by folks from New York, Philadelphia, who come a couple weekends a month or week, a couple weekends in the summer, and then they rent out their places through short-term rental venues or marketing.
Maybe consider short term rentals off season.
Rentals for less than 3 days minimum should not be allowed. All renters should be registered with the city and vetted by the landlords.
It should be required that Landlords post and explain Ventnor’s ordinances regarding parking, etc. No parking on the wrong side of the street facing the wrong direction, no blocking sidewalk with their cars forcing people with baby carriages and beach carts into the streets in order to proceed, etc.
Violating LANDLORDS should be fined for non compliance, and the onus should be on the landlord/homeowner to recover the fine from the short term tenant’s security deposit.
Too many scofflaws, too little enforcement.
We used to know everyone on the block. Now it’s a constantly rotating group of strangers who violate our ordinances, allow their pets to destroy our lawns and flowers with defecation and urine.
Litter, cigarette butts. People who don’t care because it’s not their house, not their town, and since they are paying rent, they feel they can ignore rules of ordinance.
AirBnB has totally changed the character of our street. The parking has become horrendous. People are advertising small houses for six people and more, sleeping on couches. There should absolutely be a one week minimum.