Town proposes to prohibit short-term rentals

Officials calling for a 28-day stay minimum

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Showing a disdain for short-term rentals in the Town of Hempstead, Supervisor Anthony Santino announced that the board plans to prohibit living arrangements that are shorter than 28 days.

Santino made the announcement flanked by Councilmen Anthony D’Esposito and Dennis Dunne Sr. and Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby outside of Rock Hall Museum in Lawrence on Monday.

“You can’t help but notice the proliferation of short-term home rentals in some communities with the advent of internet-based services like Airbnb, VRBO and Home Away,” Santino said. “These types of rentals are threatening the character of our residential communities while also raising serious health and safety concerns.”

Under the proposal, residential property rentals would be restricted to a minimum of 28 days. Santino also plans to establish a rental registry and permit program that would help ensure the safety of the residential units. The program would include a $500 fee for the initial two-year permit and a subsequent $450 renewal fee that would cover the cost of inspections and administration. Building department officials will be monitoring websites for those who advertise rentals for fewer than 28 days and they will be issuing summons for $1,000 for the first offense.

D’Esposito believes these rentals can alter their communities. “During this time of year our South Shore communities … definitely see an uptick [in these short-term rentals], it gives an opportunity for those who either own homes or have the opportunity to rent homes in those areas to really turn our streets into something that we don’t want,” he said.

Santino explained that these rentals create a transient environment with people coming and going though all hours of the day and night, an increase in vehicles parking on the street and with tenants less invested in the community.

D’Esposito also believes that without regulations and inspections tenants and first responder lives are at risk. “As a former chief of the Island Park Fire Department and a New York City detective there’s also really nothing more dangerous to first responders,” he said. “Taking a home and turning it into a rental gives the opportunity to sometimes create SROs, single room occupancies which could be deadly for first responders.”

Santino said there were more than 1,000 ads for short-term rentals in the area and they’re not limited to the areas near the shore. “In communities like Uniondale … because of it’s close proximity to the Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, because of the office buildings that are nearby … many people who are coming here on business are coming here and going the Airbnb route and staying in residential properties,” he said.

Santino said the intention is to prevent private homes on quiet residential streets from being run as bed and breakfasts or motel units, and disrupting the quality of life of the residents he represents.

“What we’ve been finding is that people are coming in and buying the properties,” the supervisor said. “This is not someone who lives there and is bringing in a tenant to help make ends meet… it’s people who are absentee landlords who are coming here not so much to make ends meet they’re coming here to make money.”