Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 28, 2017

Republican state Rep. Rene Plasencia and his family are starring in a new promotional internet video released Friday by the vacation rental home marketing giant Airbnb. The minute, 41-second video shows interviews with Plasencia, his wife Marucci Guzman, and her daughter [his stepdaughter,] in scenes at vacation homes they have rented through Airbnb in Georgia […]

Scott PowersApril 20, 2017

Vacation rental home marketing giant Airbnb and five of its Miami hosts have won a preliminary victory in Miami that temporarily blocks that city’s ban on such operations in residential neighborhoods. In a suit that Airbnb and five vacation rental homeowners filed last week, Circuit Judge Beatrice Butchko issued a temporary restraining order late Wednesday […]

Michael MolineApril 17, 2017

The Senate sponsor of legislation crimping local restrictions on Airbnb and other home vacation rentals abruptly cried uncle Monday — confusing a committee room full of lobbyists, plus a few committee members. Sen. Greg Steube acquiesced in a late amendment by Sen. Jeff Brandes that essentially gutted his bill. CS/SB 188, as amended, passed on […]

Scott PowersApril 14, 2017

Airbnb and five of its clients filed suit against the city of Miami Friday over a controversial move the city made last month to ban vacation rental homes in residential districts. At issue is whether and how cities can regulate vacation rental homes, a rapidly increasing part of the lodging industry in which homeowners turn […]

Scott PowersApril 12, 2017

Apparently there’s nothing like a home-away-from-home for baseball fans wanting to take in Florida spring training. Airbnb, the leader in marketing vacation rental home, announced Wednesday that all 12 Florida cities that host spring training camps and stadiums for Major League Baseball teams saw remarkable spikes in bookings during the baseball spring training that ended […]

Scott PowersApril 4, 2017

Vacation rental home marketing giant Arbnb has signed agreements with the state’s two most populous counties, Miami-Dade and Broward, in its efforts to coordinate tax collection from participating property owners, the company announced Tuesday. The agreements mean that Arbnb will collect tourist taxes from the vacation rental homes it is booking and turn those over […]

Scott PowersApril 2, 2017

A new poll commissioned by the vacation home rental giant Airbnb shows that Floridians are overwhelmingly supportive of the idea of people renting out their homes to tourists. The poll found 80 percent support allowing Florida residents to rent out their homes through Airbnb and more than half think the rapidly-rising trend is good for […]

Mitch PerryMarch 28, 2017

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A bill to repeal all local ordinances and regulations on vacation rental homes, rolling them back to 2011 levels, advanced Tuesday in the House Careers and Competition Subcommittee. The proposal, by St. Cloud Republican Mike LaRosa (HB 425), would require local governments in Florida to treat vacation rental homes like any other home in any given neighborhood. […]

Peter SchorschMarch 21, 2017

Republican Rep. Greg Steube was called out in an op-ed in his hometown paper, the Sarasota Herald Tribune, for his sponsorship of a bill that would preempt local governments when it comes to vacation rentals. Steube’s bill, SB 188, would prohibit local laws enacted after a certain June 1, 2011, from barring or regulating vacation rentals, such as those […]

Scott PowersMarch 21, 2017

The move to strip cities and counties of their authority to explicitly regulate vacation rental homes got approval of another Florida Senate committee Tuesday despite impassioned pleas from several local government representatives that the bill could expand what they see as emerging community chaos. Sen. Greg Steube, sponsor of Senate Bill 188, defended the measure […]

Tag: Airbnb
Pastel colored tropical townhomes

Rene Plasencia stars in Airbnb promotional video

Airbnb wins stay against Miami anti-vacation rental home rules

Bill sponsor bows out of fight over short-term vacation rentals

Showdown in Miami: Airbnb sues over vacation rental home ban

Baseball has been very, very good to Airbnb

Airbnb signs up Miami-Dade, Broward for vacation rental tax collection

Poll shows 80% of Floridians OK with vacation home rentals

Bill to deregulate vacation rentals advances in House Committee

Greg Steube called out by hometown paper for vacation rental bill

Vacation rentals de-reg bill gets nod despite pleas from cities, counties