Fed up with the growing number of ‘party’ houses, Ventnor Commissioners are looking to require a minimum, 2 night, short-term rental stay. This would presumably reduce the number of unruly ‘animal’ houses that often disrupt a relatively quiet neighborhood.
Fueling the problem are online sites like Airbnb and VRBO. These digital platforms allow property owners to easily start, what some say, is a motel business.
Ventnor has well over 400 short-term rental properties. Most likely much more than that. Tough to track all the transactions. Real Estate agents handle a substantial amount of vacation rentals, typically monthly or seasonal rentals.
For the past few years, Ventnor short-term rental (STR) owners were required to buy a $100 mercantile license. The new fee to rent a vacation property for less than 30 days will be $500?
As usual, short-term rental properties will face inspection.
Ventnor going after problematic, short term rental, party houses.
Potential new rules include landlords having to place notification signage at the front entrance of a rental unit.
- What is maximum occupancy?
- Emergency contact information
- Police contact
- Ventnor Code Enforcement contact
Ventnor cracking down on problematic, absentee landlords. Short-Term Rental landlords must have a local contact available at all times. Must address issues in timely manner.
Ventnor Commissioners threaten minimum 5-night stay during summer months if nuisance rentals persist.
Margate and Longport rentals must be at least one week in length.
A public hearing on Ventnor’s short-term rental ordinance: 5:30p Thursday, April 15, 2023.
For years, Brigantine City Council has ignored pleas from angry, fearful residents. Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera avoiding minimum stay requirements. Even after Feb. 3, 2021 gunfire incident. WATCH VIDEO >
Brigantine Battles Unruly Short-Term Rentals and Party Houses
A two night minimum stay will not keep away “party animals”. In fact, it’s perfect for a party weekend.
Maybe Ventnor City should follow the lead of their neighbors, Margate and Longport. They’ve probably have experienced problems in the past also and ensured that there will be no weekend only party people.
Let’s learn from past errors.
2 nite minimum is useless in preventing the problem.
1 week minimum is required to preserve the residential tone of the City.
The issue isn’t the new rules per se, at a minimum it’s a good start. The issue will be in the enforcement and how rigorous enforcement will be.
There have been property owners on here before brazenly saying things like “good luck getting money out of me” or bragging they won’t adhere.
I heard the other writers loud and clear concerns and I agree that 2 nights is not the answer and I would have preferred at least 3 nights but 2 nights is a start.
Commissioners have clearly stated that this is a start.
There are a few very important items that should be added to the ordinance. Should someone do B & B or Air B & B and not be licensed and then are caught illegally renting their unit then there needs to be a stiff fine and a one year violation penalty where they cannot rent their unit for 1 year.
In the event there are hypothetically more than 2 complaints that result in a violation of a noise issue or occupancy over the legal limit then there needs to be a serious financial penalty and again maybe a 6 month period where they cannot rent their unit.
Very simply, let the owners know the rules from day one. Occupancy needs to be based on BOCA National codes.
BOCA is clear, maximum of 1 occupant for 70 square feet. 2 occupants for a bedroom room that is more than 100 square feet and less than 150.
Over 150 square feet allows 3 occupants. No living room couch guests here.
All neighbors should be entitled to the information pertaining to any Air B & B next to where they live or on their street.
Hopefully the owners will abide by the rules or you can a change them in the future.
Please understand that Air B & B has become a huge business. Investors are buying properties for $200 or $300,000 just to rent them as Air B & B’s.
Richard Gober
richardgober@comcast.net
Excellent points. Of course you’ll have entitled owners who think they are special.
2 nights may be a start, but 5 nights should be a bare minimum. In general these rentals are nothing but a problem for the community. They almost always cause problems. They fill the streets with rental properties cars sometimes 5 or more for one property.
Residents should be given at least the consideration as the few property owners who just want to make money off of our community.
Agree with one-week minimum stay. For less time, you can book a hotel.
What you want are families to come down and enjoy the summer at the beach.
I also agree that enforcement is what makes or breaks the whole thing.