Despite this month's efforts by Airbnb to crack down on party houses, at least one Arizona town still is experiencing issues with parties at short-term rentals.
On Saturday, Paradise Valley police were called to a party with approximately 300 people at a short-term rental.
Police shut down the party, and citations were issued to the homeowner for criminal littering, unruly gathering and excessive noise, a police spokesman said. One arrest was made for an unrelated warrant.
Town Manager Jill Keimach said Paradise Valley has a number of short-term rentals that police regularly visit when responding to complaints.
"Having parties is not unusual," Keimach said. "Having this size of a party, unfortunately, is not normal."
The incident comes after Airbnb announced Wednesday that it had suspended or removed 50 short-term rental listings across Arizona, following complaints related to parties or events.
Paradise Valley was not among the 12 Arizona communities with suspended or removed listings.
Airbnb and VRBO are just two popular sites that advertise and host vacation rentals.
Data from the Denver-based research firm AirDNA showed the Airbnb market exploded in Arizona after a 2017 state law restricted how cities and towns can regulate short-term rentals.
Enforcing neighborhood codes
Saturday's party that attracted Paradise Valley police was at a 6,400-square-foot house near Lincoln Drive and 56th Street, according to online listings for the property.
The Arizona Republic reached out to the owner of an LLC that is listed on property records for the home, but did not immediately hear back.
Police responded to calls of suspicious activity at the property, but Keimach said the house is a newer short-term rental and not one that would typically rise to the level of police response.
"There might have been one or two visits by the police department," Keimach said. "It hasn’t been on our radar."
The home has been "green-tagged" for the next 90 days as the site of an unruly gathering, a police spokesman said. The designation lets the owner and future renters know that there will be increased penalties for a subsequent police response, Keimach said.
But the town has had several disturbances since the state law expanded protections for short-term rentals to operate in the state, she said.
They're not alone.
Residents across the state have complained about more noise, trash and traffic in their neighborhoods since the 2017 state law took effect.
Paradise Valley has an unruly-gathering ordinance that code-enforcement officers and police can reference when called out to rental properties. On Saturday, police also relied on ordinances related to noise and trash to issue citations, Keimach said.
But for cities like Scottsdale, which have ordinances governing the number of people that can stay in a single home, enforcement has been difficult due to privacy rights that prevent illegal search and seizure.
“It’s destroying the peace and quiet of our neighborhoods,” Keimach said of the short-term rental issue. “It’s something staff are really frustrated about.”
Last year, after mounting complaints from neighbors and city leaders, Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill allowing more regulations.
But Keimach said the regulations largely have been ineffective.
New state regulations not having an impact
Ducey's 2019 law allowed municipalities to restrict rentals to overnight stays while prohibiting events, such as weddings, that otherwise would require a permit.
Rental operators now are required to provide contact information for someone who can respond to complaints, and list a sales tax license number on any advertisements for the property. Cities began taking action last year after some short-term rentals weren't reporting their fair share in sales taxes.
Online lodging operators can be fined between $250 and $1,500, and sometimes more, for violations under the new law.
Paradise Valley has sent letters to all of its short-term rental operators asking them to adhere to the new guidelines. Only a small percentage have complied, Keimach said.
Airbnb also issued a warning to hosts and guests earlier this year, saying parties would be prohibited while social distancing guidelines remained in place throughout the state.
But Keimach said it is impossible for cities and towns to enforce social distancing or mask wearing on private property. Maricopa County guidelines say enforcement of mask requirements should center around education for first-time offenders, with fines for repeated offenses starting at $50.
"$50 doesn’t change behavior," Keimach said.
Airbnb said Wednesday that concerns raised by Arizonans through the company's 24/7 neighborhood hotline has led directly to many listings being suspended.
Neighbors who are concerned about a party or disturbance at an Airbnb nearby can call 1-855-635-7754 to report an issue.
Have a tip out of Scottsdale? Reach the reporter Lorraine Longhi at llonghi@gannett.com or 480-243-4086. Follow her on Twitter @lolonghi.
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Party at Paradise Valley short-term rental with 300 people leads to citations, police say - AZCentral
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