Ban On Rentals Less Than 90 Days Considered In Oakland Park

The City of Oakland had a discussion on May 6 about language banning the rental of single family homes for a period less than 90 days, despite previous promises that their goal was to only ban daily rentals. The idea did not move forward thanks in large part to the efforts of Oakland Park Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue, who spoke out strongly against this proposal and kept Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale (RAGFL) leadership informed on the progress of the issue.

Since then, RAGFL’s Board of Directors adopted a uniform policy opposing all efforts by any governmental entity to place restrictions on the length of time a homeowner can rent a single family home to a particular renter. RAGFL believes we should be using existing codes pertaining to noise and nuisance to keep our neighborhoods peaceful, rather than limiting the rights of homeowners.

Bad for Homeowners & Private Property Rights--
As our market struggles and the foreclosure crisis continues, the last thing homeowners need is the “Lease Police” telling homeowners how they can or cannot utilize their property and pay their bills. Limiting the ability of homeowners to utilize a home could mean the difference between paying their mortgage or not.

Bad for Moving Residents--
It is common for a gap to exist between the time one sells a home and purchases their next one. Sometimes a person or family will need to rent space on a short term basis during their transition. If short term rentals are banned, people in this situation will be forced out of the city.

Bad for Traveling Professionals--
Traveling professionals, such as nurses who are hired to work temporarily during peak seasons, need housing too. We cannot afford to drive essential personnel out of the area.

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