Local governments want vacation rental control

The Florida Legislature could cede some authority over vacation rentals, a popular option for seasonal visitors to South Florida.

Local governments have asked the state for some control over the short-term rental industry, News Service of Florida reported. They claim a 2011 state law has given residential property owners the ability to run mini-hotels. Supporters of the law counter that Florida has enjoyed three straight years of tourism milestones thanks in part to vacation rentals.

Any property leased more than three times in a given year for less than 30 days each time is considered a short-term rental.

The companion bills advancing through the Legislature would lift a provision from the 2011 law that prohibits local governments from making their own rules to ban or limit vacation rentals. [News Service of Florida] — Eric Kalis