Will Brigantine short-term rental reform be in place for the 2024 summer season?
Based on the slow-walking of Mayor Sera and no comment from the new city manager, we think that answer is no.
Bookings for 2024 already happening. These one-night only, party rentals are surely to be protected via a grandfather clause.
For past 6 years, Brigantine has been grappling with the unregulated rise in absentee landlords.
A number of rowdy, short-term rentals (STR’s) powered by online platforms like AirBnB are making life difficult for STR landlords that respect Brig neighborhoods.
Brigantine officials admit to being severely understaffed in managing the estimated 2,000 short-term rental units on the island.
The STR problem was officially identified in 2017 with a fairly weak ordinance passed.
For past 5 years, Brigantine allowed STR’s to grow with little oversight.
Many Brig STR’s could be in violation of city code. Running a hospitality business within a Brigantine residential neighborhood is not permitted. Yet it continues with support and cover from Sera and Platt.
Brigantine has only 2 or 3 city employees assigned to STR and code enforcement tasks.
Brigantine has NO minimum stay requirements for rentals, whereas most shore towns have 7 night minimum stay.
Mayor Sera Of Brigantine: Stonewalling & Slow-Walking, Short-Term Rental Reform.
City Manager Platt is a former Brigantine Fire Chief that’s well-versed in the importance of rental safety, code enforcement and inspections.
To date, City Manager Platt has remained in support of no STR restrictions.
Longer minimum stay requirements means less chance for weekend party houses.
Does Brigantine have 2,000 rental permits properly filed inside City Hall?
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I doubt the mayor can grandfather in anyone who is breaking the law of commercial rentals in a residential area. I’m sure he realizes that.
The mayor and the city will be sued either by those impacted by new laws that will require 7 day limit (landlords); or by those citizens where he with full knowledge allowed landlords to break the law.
Can’t keep hiding behind not enuf staff. Not gonna work.
So we will see what his brilliant solution is soon.
I lived in the republican town of Brigantine for 25+ years. It was the most corrupt town I ever lived in. The police ran the town. The mayor was in office for a thousand years then gave it to his son-in- law to run. And if you were a Democrat trying to open a business, well, you could forget it. They broke you. I HATE that town now. It used to be a beautiful, affordable island. Now they leave their trash everywhere because they pay a fortune in taxes and feel they don’t have to clean up after themselves. It’s 10 x’s worse with the STR’s now.