Watch Brigantine Council Pick Winners & Losers via AirBnB Rental Ban
While most of us were hunkering down to avoid COVID-19, Brigantine City Council was busy banning all short-term rentals using websites like AirBnB.
Many Jersey shore towns like Ocean City and Ventnor are temporarily banning ALL short-term vacation rentals. Yes. ALL short term rentals.
But in Brigantine, city leaders are allowing local real estate agents to continue business as usual. Brigantine realtors can continue rental operations, as long as they don’t use sites like AirBnB and VRBO.
Of course, Realtors don’t use these types of sites. Most realtors HATE AirBnB.
Typical Brigantine corruption on steroids. Nothing more disgusting that taking advantage of a health crisis to destroy the competition.
But that’s exactly what Brigantine greenhead politicians are doing right now. Hosing those who invest in Brigantine.
Some background: NJ Governor Phil Murphy announced he’s allowing more restrictions on short-term rentals in New Jersey in an effort to help stop the spread of COVID 19. Murphy doesn’t want people fleeing to the Jersey shore during the coronavirus pandemic.
NJ now allowing towns like Brigantine to prohibit all short-term rentals. Brigantine decided to be selective about this new power. Mayor Simpson, along with City Council, voted YES to effectively kill off AirBnB until further notice…while allowing local realtors to continue business as usual.
Don’t expect these Brigantine council scumbags to lift that ban anytime soon.
The Brigantine Councilman who wrote the resolution is Brigantine Real Estate agent, Mike Riorden. Well, how about that.
In the resolution Riordan wrote, the use of AirBnB & VRBO type platforms are prohibited from promoting short-term Brigantine rentals. BUT… Riordan & all of his Council cronies voted YES to allow local, struggling realtors like Riordan to still conduct rental business as usual.
Local Brigantine realtors can still conduct their short-term rental business using their company web site, social media, print ads, email, phone and don’t forget about those walk-ins.
Riordan should have recused himself. So should have Mayor Simpson. We believe the Mayor owns property being leased by a local real estate company.
The harmful resolution was simply a way of picking winners & losers during this Covid-19 health crisis.
Brigantine City Hall and the Brigantine Chamber of Commerce are not to be trusted. Ever. Read Greenhead Politics
Brigantine Real Estate Agent
President Chamber of Commerce.
Approx 400 Brigantine property owners use platforms like AirBnB and VRBO to rent their vacation properties. This is how they pay their taxes to the City of Brigantine.
Why hurt independent home owners that use AirBnB? Why only protect local realtors?
Very few knew of this vote. Only 4 attended the video conference, held at 1pm on April 1.
This was a last minute, virtually secret resolution by Brigantine politicians. Nobody knew about it.
City Clerk failed to post the appropriate agenda. Oops. Again.
While COVID-19 crushes the economy, Brigantine City Council is picking winners and losers. Online short term rentals via AirBnB are now banned until further notice. But…. local Real Estate agents can still rent properties to anyone. Even those from #1 corona hotspot, NYC.
Concerned Citizens of Brigantine
This controversial resolution was originally developed to protect against COVID-19 infections coming from out-of-town renters. But it became a tool to kill the use of AirBnB and VRBO in Brigantine. Local Real Estate agents HATE these online marketplaces. Much like cabbies & Jitney drivers hate UBER & LYFT. Much like the Brigantine Times HATES BrigantineNOW.com.
Resolution allows City of Brigantine to force AirBnB and VRBO to remove all Brigantine short-term (less than 30 days) rental properties from their online platform.
From City Manager Jim Bennett: To be clear. The ONLY action that was taken with regards to rentals, a resolution was passed that temporarily allows the city to have online marketplaces such as AirBnB and VRBO remove Brigantine from their sites. It’s only for SHORT TERM RENTALS (30 days or less). Realtors, once City Hall is full staffed again, will be able to get a CO after inspections.
Local Brigantine Real Estate offices are not affected by this resolution. They can still offer short-term rentals to anyone, as long as they don’t use online platforms like AirBnB, etc.
‘Total scam’, says one Brigantine homeowner who depends on summer rentals to pay her sizable property tax bill. I refuse to use local Brigantine realtors. I don’t trust them one bit’
Social Media Feedback
ERIC
No rentals for the summer. The over-stuffed real estate people on the island have made enough over the years. They only care about themselves. They can survive. The fn’ weekenders and weekly Covid carriers can’t abide by the rules in their own towns. Why ruin ours?
Margaret
Are you serious? First let me educate you that we do not get “over-stuffed” on summer rentals. Our homeowners however DO use the money they make from these rentals to pay their mortgages and their BRIGANTINE property taxes which we ALL need them to do. So NO the real estate people do NOT care only about themselves. If you ever need to move please don’t call us. I’ll buy you a For Sale By Owner sign and you can find out how easy our job is.
Mike
I bought my 2br condo almost three years ago to have a place to retire and enjoy life. Was scheduled to retire the end of the month but that’s on hold. I pay more in taxes on this condo than I do on my primary single family residence. Don’t get a say in any decisions made and how much of the city services are paid by owners of second properties. Have been practicing all the required safety measures for weeks, not 10 days. I have as much right to be there as anyone. Was there a couple of weeks ago and saw many people at the Acme and CVS standing right on top of each other. So don’t judge.
Elizabeth
Do you want to give tax rebates to all second home owners in Brigantine? Pro-rate our taxes if we can’t use our homes .
ERIC
Second homes not the issue. It’s the asshole weekenders and summer rentals.
Jaime
That’s a poor attitude that I know is shared by other residents. I am a full time resident and I find that sentiment to be undeserved and embarrassing. Weekenders and summer renters are good for the local economy. They help keep our handful of remaining businesses intact. You live in a shore town and it comes with the territory. Unless we elect politicians that can actually manage this town and generate revenue, you’re stuck either relying on summer visitors or paying significantly higher taxes.
ERIC
I rent full time on a private deal because the realtor screwed my owner for the first 2 years I was here. You are all the same mold. Brigantine is a town of clicks and clowns in Real Estate. The inside deals in flips. The bullshit piles up yearly. I went to purchase 2 homes on the island. It took weeks of diligence to see how we were lied to by the Realtor. Insider shill bidding, among other crap. Please toss your nonsense someplace else. We are all filled up here.
Subscribe BrigantineNOW
What’s next ban your lifeline 2nd tax payer?
I would assume most places are already rented for the summer. what happens to those already existing rentals/renters?
That’s probably a question for the City Manager or a Councilperson, not an obviously biased homemade webpage
Wow…this informative website is For the people that OWN real estate in Brigantine, Rent teal estate in Brigantine and visit Brigantine….not just those protected by political malfeasance, Sir.
Wow. This informative website is for the people that OWN real estate in Brigantine, rent real estate in Brigantine, and visit Brigantine….not just those protected by political malfeasance, Sir.
Sooooo, Real Estate agencies can RENT Short Term but people using a less expensive internet platform cannot? Are the Real Estate agencies testing their clients for the virus? Or is this more lousey Brigantine Politics because Mayor Simpson owns a Real Estate agency?
Hello! BRIGANTINE MY ❤️! BUT FIVE STAR RESORT TOWN YOU ARE NOT! So many of those McMansions sit there unoccupied most of the year! Little if nothing to do for kids as well and you want to exclude short term and other option renters? How narrow minded and frankly, ignorant! This island needs every option out there to garnish money for the businesses etc to survive! People of BRIGANTINE should greet any renters with open arms because I for one see a struggling beach town! I have been a happy renter since 1959 (with my parents) to the present ! I would hate to find a new “happy place” up to you and BRIGANTINE!
Not a year goes by that some bonehead idea like banning rentals on non realtor sites comes out.
Had the Councilman ever heard of conflict of interest. So long as it benefits himself or his industry, who cares.
Brigantine has lost many residents for this political / business ignorance.
My family rented in Brigantine for thirty years before buying a house. I will be dammed if I decide to rent my house and have to pay 10% commission to someone preventing American capitalism.
So now our double dipping City Manager is going to tell residents where and who they can pay. I wait to hear the end of this story.
With nearly a 1000 people using these sites, the City better back down before they become the laughing stock of the Jersey Shore…
Maybe a little advertising will bring more visitors to the Island. But that would actually be something worthwhile..
I also am a realtor on the island — We’ve been locked down for a month now and Brigantine has remained relatively safe. Everyone is sacrificing. The number of deaths in Atlantic county are low because everyone is doing their part. Now you are opening the island this summer to renters from all the “hot spots” in the country like Phila and NY?! Do we want to reach numbers similar to our neighbors in Ocean County? Do we want to be on lock down again this fall? Shouldn’t the health and welfare of the residents be taken into consideration? We have many seniors living in Brigantine and their welfare should come before making a profit from rental properties. All rentals should be banned for this summer. This should be reconsidered, placed on the agenda and a vote taken next month.
What is the difference whether the properties are short term rented OR the actual owners themselves decide to come from Philadelphia,
New York or from wherever to occupy their second home? I believe NONE! Are you saying that everyone who owns a 2nd home in Brigantine should NOT use their homes? An occupant is an occupant regardless. ESPECIALLY, when they are paying their fair share of the taxes. BTW, anyone have the number of full time residence all year round in Brigantine? Specifically the number of “many seniors”? Unfortunately, Brigantine year round population has diminished drastically over the years because of the high taxes. BTW…Phila and NY & N. Jersey is what is keeping Brigantine in business…. I’d say the taxes are more of an illness than COVID-19.
Maybe you should look at the taxes in Camden County and any county in the north.. You will be quite pleased to be in Brigantine/
I’m a second homeowner & I am so fed up with these spoiled fiefdoms at the Jersey Shore who pay all their friends huge salaries & pensions & then don’t appreciate all the second homeowners & renters who are filling the tax coffers to pay their salaries- talk about taxation without representation!
You are appreciated, very much. Have you seen anything about a pandemic? It’s all over the news.
Actually, you’re not to use your home right now per the governor, Phil Murphy. Time will tell if that changes. but everyone was told not to come to their second homes.
There are less hospital services in the area. His concern is the virus increasing in the shore towns. There are not enough hospital beds.
This should not be about an individuals rights, but the communities rights. THE BEACHES, THE BARS, THE CASINO and RESTAURANTS are closed. So why come down?
The rentals happening by Realtors should not be. period.
I will report that to the governors office. Realtors must suffer just as all of us are at this point. The sooner everyone cooperates the sooner we get to normal.
Forget about your individual rights and work together to stop COVID-19.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” Benjamin Franklin
This is why people don’t trust politicians they all are corrupt and self serving acting like they give a shit about the people.
So, I am a bit confused. I can rent a house for a week through a realtor but not online?
On another note; I’ve spent many vacations in Brigantine (which we love) and have thought about purchasing property there but with all the nasty comments from residents about weekly and summer renters I’m rethinking this.
Sort of sad about all this meanness
Husband and I bought our beloved shore house in 2001. Renovated it many times, the worst being after Sandy hit us hard.
We trudged through for four years waiting for permits to be approved, as we lifted our house, built beautiful new decks, an outside shower, planted a new back yard lawn, renovated the inside, stocking it with used furniture to help save some money.
Then we added fencing and gates, lighting, and outside sidewalls and stoned pathways. In addition to these expenses, we have paid exorbitant taxes for 20 years, with no children attending Brigantine schools.
We pay taxes, as do other homeowners who OWN their homes, not renters. We do not rent out our home, rather we have friends and family stay there for free. I’m a teacher in Bucks County, and stay practically the entire summer there, take workout classes at the community center, and have come to know many full time residents in doing so.
We dine at the restaurants, pay for 6 beach tags every year, browse and make purchases from gift stores, boutiques, fill our tanks at local gas stations, and the local Acme, Walgreen’s (Rite Aid), and CVS, and buy breakfast and coffee, at times, at DD.
We plan on retiring in beautiful Brigantine, our happy place, in a few short years.
HOW DARE anyone tell us to get out, not ride through the city with out of state licenses, or call us “shoobies.”
We are tax-paying (long distance at times) part-time residents.
Ditto for me.