Monroe Roark
Residents and Gulfport short-term rentals proponents spoke out in favor of short-term rentals at the Gulfport City Council’s April 18 meeting, after a few months of relative silence.
Some said it was fear of the city government that kept them quiet up to this point. With talk of dozens of illegal rental units throughout Gulfport and recent moves to beef up code enforcement to address complaints, residents have suggested that the city could use its new software and other tools to target scores of property owners.
City officials said that is not their purpose and never has been.
City Manager Jim O’Reilly reiterated previous discussions and pointed out that Council gave guidance to use the new software to follow up on complaints from citizens. He emphasized that enforcement of illegal rentals will continue to be complaint-driven, and not initiated by the City.
“It was not to be utilized to mine data or anything to that effect,” said O’Reilly. “If we receive a complaint, we need to verify it. We will use the software to assist us in making a case. There has not been this Draconian attack.”
Speakers spent about a half hour of general public comment time during the meeting expressing their concerns. Some of them, by the nature of their remarks, seemed to acknowledge that they or their friends they represented currently operate illegal rentals according to city ordinance.
Software Questions
The first speaker, Michael Lehman, said he and others are “uncertain about how the software is going to be used,” although city officials have repeatedly said it would be used solely to follow up on complaints.
“We have come tonight to urge you to open this conversation back up to all stakeholders in town,” said Lehman. “There is a broader group than the group that came initially with complaints. In our view, short-term rentals are essential to the economy of Gulfport.”
Dave Ahlgren spoke on behalf of a friend not in attendance who he acknowledged is afraid to come forward because of her illegal short-term rental operation.
“A single mom bought a duplex here in Gulfport,” as he described her. “She is not in compliance with the law. She will have to sell her home and leave.”
Ahlgren noted that if the City proceeds with its planned enforcement of illegal rentals, “people will lose their ability to stay in this city.”
Identifying himself as an economist by training, he said this trend will have a major effect on local restaurants and the Gulfport economy in general, which in his view has flourished in the past five years. He then returned to the subject of his friend.
“She could lose her home,” he said. “She can stay home and homeschool her children because she is able to rent that other place. She works and makes baked goods during the day, and sells them to people around Gulfport.”
Owners of Gulfport Short-Term Rentals Hesitant to Identify Themselves
Another person involved in the rental economy did speak in person, identifying herself by first name only: Emma.
“I am a Gulfport resident, a mom, and a small business owner,” she said. “I ask that you keep an open mind and that you do not use this information against me.”
Emma referred to herself as “a vacation rental co-host.” She oversees the rental of her snowbird neighbors’ homes in the off-season, when they would otherwise be vacant.
“I am able to support my family,” she said of this arrangement. “I am able to put food on the table. And by being a caring citizen in my own neighborhood, living across the street from my neighbors who want support with their vacation rentals, I am able to have a livelihood in Gulfport and afford to live here.”
She called the current city regulations “fair” regarding short-term rental but said she is concerned about a level of fear in the community.
“You haven’t seen many of us at these conversations previously because we’ve been afraid to speak up,” she said. “I’ve been afraid to lose my job; by the way, I’m in full compliance so no worries there. But I’ve been afraid and my neighbors have been afraid.”
One of her neighbors told her he would not attend the meeting because he felt it would place a target on his back, she said.
“This is not the Gulfport that I know and love,” she said.
A couple of speakers said they are in favor of the direction the city has taken. Some of the others suggested a moratorium on enforcement while more information is shared.
Mayor: We’re Not Out to Get Anyone
Most of those in attendance specifically because of the short-term rental discussion left the meeting after O’Reilly addressed their public comments. About two hours later, at the end of the meeting, Mayor Sam Henderson shared his thoughts.
“For all of the folks who were sitting out there worried that we are coming to hunt them down over Airbnbs, whoever is proliferating that rumor is not doing you any favors,” he said. “I noticed that people didn’t want to share their addresses, especially on this topic. We said multiple times over the years that we don’t want to take that approach where we are coming out looking for somebody just to be Draconian about it. We have not done that in the past, and we are not looking to do that now.”
Henderson reiterated that the City’s plan focuses on dealing with specific complaints from residents. By state law, people cannot register complaints anonymously. He said the new software will allow employees to do their jobs more quickly and cleanly.
“We are not coming out looking for anyone. That’s not how you maintain a caring community,” he said. “If you’ve got a bad tenant in there and they make somebody mad, we’re going to hear about it. It puts a little bit of incentive on you to not have rowdy tenants and to get on the radar.
“Our job is to help you if we can. We’re trying to find solutions that work for the greatest number of people without leaving anybody in the dust.”
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