Vacation Rentals for Dummies – Part II
by B. Vigilant…….
Dear Editor,
How to build a brand new hotel while there is a County moratorium on new hotel rooms:
- Start with one of the oldest working marinas, one with a public boat ramp and ample off street trailer parking, a tackle shop and ships store, rental slips and racks, storage units for marina occupants, inboard and outboard repair businesses, work racks, boat and yacht rental businesses.
- Add 79 Affordable Housing ROGOs, the ones that are supposed to build new workforce housing throughout the County.
- Hire land use consultants and attorneys to massage the Land Development Code into turning a blind eye to the protections for working waterfront and the provision of affordable housing.
- Arrange for thousands of dollars to a County Commissioners campaign fund.
- Kick out all the boats in the marina and don’t let any liveaboards back in.
- Have parking calculated on 79 residences then build lockouts to double the number of dwelling units.
- Put up a gate, restrict parking spaces and hide access to the required public boardwalk.
- Plant more trees that any development around and tell everyone how wonderful it looks.
- Have travel sites advertise your brand new 175 room hotel.
- Count on the County to say it was all ‘by the book.’
Proof that money can buy anything. Key west is a huge joke that will never end. It slowly will self destruct when workers can no longer be found. Seen dozens of help wanted signs on Duval last week. Until the bubba system is destroyed don’t look to see any changes. Corruption at it’s best.
Took 2 looks at the old Simonton trailer park. Took second look at night to prove it is dam near empty. Either still not finished or a bankrupt ready to take place.
With such a law, criminal charges should be filed within a “reasonable amount of time”. If the locals in charge do not file criminal charges than it becomes the responsibility of the county. If the county refuses than the state and then the feds. All under who every files the criminal charges should also be charged with an offense. As in most if not all case, nothing will be done. For its size, Key West has to be the most corrupt city in the United States. Florida in general is one of the most f***ed up states in America. Yes, there are other states that are close behind.
Criminal charges? What criminal charges?
If your smart enough to manage to obtain a building permit then it is past the point of legality. What ever it is zoned for at the time determines how it can be used. Yes the value goes up if it can be rented to tourists. Don’t blame the developer for out foxing or bribing the system. Your chance to fix is on election day.
The time is nearer than you might think. 100 year old homes become very costly to maintain and unless they are profitable to the owner they end up torn down or fall down. The supply of affordable workforce housing is shrinking every day while the demand for workers grows. We noticed the high number of parking lots becoming restaurants and bars. Is that the new Key West ? It is too late to save KW and with the rich finding ways to create high end housing the future will force wages up.