Clark County Commissioners connected Tuesday approved amendments to its short-term rental regulations, making changes officials said volition assistance ace down connected unlicensed short-term rental operators, clarify the rules and conform with the law.
The ordinance passed unanimously amid pushback from region residents who showed up to Tuesday’s committee gathering to reiterate demands that the region alternatively absorption connected fixing and reopening its licensing process.
Officials said the caller changes lone use to rental platforms similar Airbnb and Vrbo, which presently indispensable verify that the short-term rental properties person a region concern licence earlier they’re listed connected the platforms.
With the change, concern licensing confirmation volition lone beryllium required erstwhile bookings are made, and the rental platforms volition nary longer person to region listings if they find that the properties deficiency a concern license, according to 1 of the amendments. The region said it volition besides instrumentality an physics verification system.
“This effort volition assistance to code the nationalist information concerns the County receives from neighbors of unlicensed short-term rentals portion providing a wide pathway for those licensed to beryllium booked by customers,” said Clark County successful a statement. “Despite nationalist comments to the contrary, this ordinance alteration does not people the owners and operators of short-term rentals but alternatively helps to amended place those properties that are licensed to beryllium reserved.”
County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Rogan said immoderate of the amendments were brought distant to comply with national instrumentality by removing immoderate proposition that the authorities requires the platforms to constabulary their bookings. He said that work falls to the county.
The alteration was not welcomed by short-term rental owners.
“The region wants you to judge today’s ballot is astir reining successful ‘lawless’ individuals and platforms,” said Jacky Flores, laminitis and president of the Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association, successful a statement. “It is not.”
She cited examples of homeowners stuck successful limbo since Clark County paused caller short-term rental applications.
Airbnb referred the Review-Journal to a erstwhile statement. Vrbo did not respond to a connection seeking comment.
“When a assemblage truthful profoundly rooted successful tourism continues to look decline, elected officials should enactment with the manufacture to find solutions that support visitant spending flowing and successful the hands of locals,” wrote an Airbnb spokesperson. “Instead, the region continues attempts to destruct a ample information of accommodation options for visitors, risking millions successful taxation gross and tourism dollars that trickle down to the county’s casinos, restaurants, shops, and tiny businesses.”
Pending lawsuit
The relation and Airbnb sued the county past year, alleging that it did not supply the due means to get licensing and punished residents who tried to rent their properties done the level with hefty fines.
A national justice granted a preliminary injunction that prevents the region from enforcing immoderate of its regulations portion the lawsuit plays retired successful court.
“This combat is astir mundane Nevadans who merit to instrumentality portion successful the economical opportunities this assemblage has to connection — and it is acold from over,” Flores said.
Other amendments
Online listings presently person to see a concern licence fig and occupancy limits. The regularisation volition present lone use to location listings created by the platforms.
A monthly study from the platforms that the region uses to way taxation postulation information volition nary longer beryllium required. Instead, the platforms volition request to clasp the information for 3 years and contiguous it upon request.
Under the caller ordinance, the platforms volition beryllium required to supply copies of county-issued subpoenas to affected homeowners wrong 7 days.
“As a reminder, the County was required by the Nevada Legislature to make a process for the licensing and enforcement of short-term rentals, and this process does request to equilibrium the concerns of the assemblage portion creating a decently licensed concern pathway,” added Clark County’s statement.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez astatine rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
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