If you were thinking of visiting Miami Beach and finding a cheap apartment through Airbnb, it won't be easy: the city is cracking down on short-term rentals.
The city has doled out $1.6 million (1.4 million euros) in fines against homeowners and websites like Airbnb, HomeAway and Booking.com for listing or renting homes on a short-term basis.
Police have even evicted tourists staying in 31 properties that had been the subject of fines, according to a recently disclosed memo from city manager Jimmy Morales.
Rentals for periods of less than six months and a day are prohibited in much of Miami Beach, an island with an expansive beachfront, turquoise waters and a vibrant nightlife enjoyed by thousands of tourists a month.
The authorities argue that regular residents are fed up with the round-the-clock partying at short-term rentals. And they contend that those who rent out the properties are nothing more than tax dodgers.
"People are squeezing anywhere from five to 10 people in a room at basement rates. They're up all night, they party all night, residents don't want that," said Michael Grieco, a Miami Beach commissioner.
"This is not an issue about tourism, it has to do with people's quality of life. And secondarily it's tax evasion," he said.
Since March, when the city jacked up fines, owners and website operators have been hit with fines ranging from $20,000 to $80,000, according to the memo which was published by the Miami New Times.
Grieco said hundreds of investigations are ongoing into "thousands of listings."
Some residents are applauding the crackdown.
"You don't want to see people you don't know in your building all the time," said Rafael Belisario.
Discouraging foreign buyers
But not everyone is happy about it.
Ross Milroy, a Miami Beach real estate agent, said he's considering a class action suit and warns that the city is going to discourage foreigners from buying property there.
"Why would, say, a European or even American buyer purchase an investment property or vacation home in Miami Beach if they could not rent it out for any period of less than 6 months and one day?" he asks.
An Airbnb spokesman, Benjamin Brait, said the online rental lister is "a very small but unique part of Miami Beach's tourism ecosystem, one of the world's greatest destinations."
"We look forward to working with community leaders and stakeholders in the coming months to create fair rules for home sharing," he said.
Miami is the latest in a string of cities across the world which are trying to clamp down on properties being rented out through platforms like Airbnb.
Among them are Berlin, Paris, Lisbon, Vancouver and even San Francisco, where the home-sharing website is based.
Hoteliers in many cities are up in arms over such sites, which have also been accused of driving up property prices.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Sat Sep 10 2016
Rentals for periods of less than six months and a day are prohibited in much of Miami Beach, an island with an expansive beachfront, turquoise waters and a vibrant nightlife enjoyed by thousands of tourists a month. - AFP Photo
Chegubard didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen KL esok - Peguam
Badrul Hisham Shaharin atau dikenali Chegubard akan didakwa di Mahkamah Sesyen Kuala Lumpur esok atas pertuduhan memfitnah dan menghasut.
Pulau Pinang, kerajaan pusat bekerjasama tarik pelaburan semikonduktor
Kerajaan Pulau Pinang akan bekerjasama dengan Kerajaan Persekutuan untuk meneruskan usaha menarik pelaburan dalam sektor semikonduktor, termasuk segmen reka bentuk litar bersepadu (IC) di negeri itu.
Rakyat Malaysia di Jordan jadi duta produk PMKS negara
Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi Datuk Ewon Benedick menyarankan rakyat Malaysia yang menetap di Jordan supaya memainkan peranan sebagai “duta” untuk mempromosikan produk perusahaan mikro kecil dan sederhana (PMKS) SERTA koperasi negara.
Mohamed Khaled tiba di Indonesia, dijadual bertemu Prabowo
Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin tiba di Jakarta hari ini untuk lawatan kerja rasmi sulung beliau ke Indonesia sejak memegang jawatan itu.
SPRM mohon maklumat dari Jerman
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) memohon maklumat terkini daripada pihak berkuasa Jerman mengenai dana bon 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) yang dipercayai digunakan untuk membeli kereta mewah di negara itu pada 26 Okt 2022.
SPRM siasat pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air
Seorang pemimpin kanan di utara tanah air disiasat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) kerana disyaki melantik beberapa syarikat yang mempunyai kepentingan dengannya membabitkan beberapa projek pembekalan melibatkan peruntukan kira-kira RM300,000.
Kembangkan kandungan tempatan melalui AI
Menurut Setiausaha Agung Organisasi Kerjasama Digital (DCO) Deemah Al Yahya, terdapat 2.7 peratus daripada penduduk dunia tidak berhubung malah tidak mempunyai sambungan asas internet. Beliau turut berkata infrastruktur pengkomputeran setiap negara perlu mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengembangkan kandungan tempatan khususnya yang melibatkan penggunaan AI.
AI tidak dapat ganti guru
Menteri Pendidikan Rwanda, Gaspard Twagirayezu berkata kepesatan teknologi AI dalam pendidikan tidak dapat menggantikan guru malah membantu guru dalam menyediakan bahan pengajaran yang bermanfaat kepada pelajar.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Ahad, 28 April 2024.
Mesyuarat Khas WEF: Dunia perlukan persaingan sihat dalam transisi ke Orde Baharu - Menteri Luar Arab Saudi
Menteri Luar Negeri Arab Saudi, Putera Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud berkata dunia memerlukan persaingan sihat dalam transisi daripada Orde Dunia Lama kepada Orde Baharu. Jelasnya, persaingan ini akan memberi manfaat dalam bentuk kos pengeluaran lebih rendah, perkembangan inovasi dan pelaburan lebih baik. #MesyuaratKhasWEF #WEF
Gusar dibanjiri pelancong ketika 'spring break', Miami Beach laksana perintah darurat
Pelancong dari seluruh dunia, yang rata-ratanya adalah kumpulan remaja dan penuntut kolej yang sedang dalam cuti musim bunga atau spring break, membanjiri bandaraya ini sejak beberapa hari lalu.
Ombak besar: Tutup laluan 'Miami Beach' jika orang ramai terus berkumpul - Polis
Selain Pantai Seberang Takir, penutupan jalan turut dilakukan di Pantai Pengkalan Maras, Batu Rakit.
Fenomena air pasang besar: Orang ramai dinasihat jauhi 'Miami Beach'
Orang ramai dinasihatkan tidak menghampiri kawasan pantai untuk menyaksikan fenomena air pasang besar di Pantai Seberang Takir yang lebih terkenal sebagai Miami Beach di Kuala Nerus, Terengganu.