Recently, the Gabber, a local newspaper, printed articles on community pushback on airbnb rentals. Short-term rentals are illegal in Gulfport and a small group of angry citizens are pushing elected officials to ramp up code enforcement. They say short-term rentals are the cause of housing shortages, the degradation of established neighborhoods and a lack of affordable annual rentals. While it is true, short-term rentals have an impact, it is not clear to what extent they are a cause when other influences are considered. Influences such as a high percentage of investor purchased homes, condos and apartments, lack of space to build, supply chain issues, conflicts with zoning designations, wages and retirement income not keeping up with rising costs, and an influx of many new residents moving to the state.
I have spoken to a sitting council member and the code enforcement officer of Gulfport and believe there is an opportunity to generate a broader, more thoughtful and accurate assessment of what is causing the housing crisis. If you own and operate a short-term rental in Gulfport, FL, please get in touch and let's discuss ways to influence what could be bad news for airbnb's in Gulfport.
Michael
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