Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMay 26, 2017

Summertime is here — well, almost. While Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the country’s armed forces, the holiday also marks the unofficial start to summer. And for many people, that means it’s time to start thinking about summer vacation. More than 39.9 million Americans are expected to travel more […]

Peter SchorschMay 12, 2017

Airbnb, the online marketplace that allows people to find and rent vacation homes, has formed a political committee in Florida, state campaign finance records show. “People versus the Powerful” was formed April 6 for the purpose of “supporting or opposing statewide, legislative, multi-county and local candidates,” according to its statement of organization. Its chairman is Tomas Martinelli […]

Scott PowersApril 28, 2017

Local governments that went too far in trying to crack down on or drive out vacation rental homes now face the prospect that they may not be able to do anything to specifically regulate such properties. The Florida House of Representatives approved House Bill 425 Friday 63-56, essentially re-instituting a 2011 ban on cities or counties imposing […]

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 […]

Tag: Airbnb

Memorial Day Weekend brought to you by these lobbyists and associations

Airbnb opens Florida political committee with $1 million

House votes to strip away local regulations of vacation rental homes

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