State approves Manatee plan to allow short-term rentals under new COVID-19 guidelines
A local plan to allow short-term rental owners to resume operations under new safety guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has been approved by state officials.
Manatee County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to submit a plan to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Vacation rental owners may begin accepting bookings under the new guidelines immediately, according to a press release.
The Board of County Commissioners heard public comment from the owners of several short-term rentals at Tuesday’s meeting. They urged board members to allow a speedy reopening of their businesses, citing losses of thousands of dollars in bookings due to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ statewide ban on short-term rentals as a safety precaution during the coronavirus pandemic.
Only U.S. residents from states with less than 700 cases per 100,000 residents as of May 15 will be allowed to book rentals in Manatee County. All international visitors and U.S. residents from identified COVID-19 “hot spots” are barred from new reservations.
Businesses are also required to implement contact-less check-in and check-out services. There are also new rules to follow regarding social distancing and the cleaning of the property before new visitors come. According to County Administrator Cheri Coryea, many of the policies will run on an honor system, but violations can be reported to the county.
“Because vacation rentals have been closed during the pandemic, we’re asking that vacation rental managers take extra precautions to make sure their renters have access to and follow the guidelines in the approved plan,” Coryea said in a statement. “(Owners) should ensure that their renters are aware and abide by the approved plan, but also any municipal restrictions in the city where the rental is located.
“Opening vacation rentals has been accelerated by the state recently and having a smooth transition in all cities and across the county is extremely important for our success,” she added.
