By Kendra Baker
With a temporary ban on short-term rentals in place due to novel coronavirus concerns, some Connecticut property owners are expecting to lose revenue this summer.
In an effort to prevent unnecessary travel and slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order on March 10, prohibiting nonessential short-term lodging in the state during the pandemic.
With the order prohibiting rentals of 31 or fewer days, vacation rental property owners like Peter Fiore are anticipating a loss in revenue during a peak season.
Fiore, who owns a ridge-top rental property on New Fairfield’s Candlewood Isle, said the temporary short-term renting ban has already had an impact on business.
About nine people, who had booked weekly stays at his property prior to March, canceled their reservations shortly after Lamont signed the executive order, he said.
Although he did get “an influx of people” looking to rent his property for at least a month, Fiore said it will not generate as much revenue as shortterm stays.
“Weekly rentals maximize more profit than monthly rentals, so overall I would say for the summer, we might be down 20 to 25 percent in profit,” he said.
In addition to short-term rentals like those found on Airbnb and VRBO, the executive order prohibits nonessential, overnight accommodations by commercial transaction at hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, resorts, inns and timeshares.
The executive order has the effect of state law, and its enforcement falls on municipalities. Local leaders, however, have had different responses and approaches to the temporary short-term lodging ban.
New Milford Mayor Pete Bass signed an emergency order March 27, suspending Airbnb-type lodging within New Milford’s border until June 16.
Eleven days later, the police department opened an investigation into short-term, nonessential lodging in town.
“The focus of our work was to identify shortrental properties in New Milford and educate the owners as to the emergency orders in effect,” said Lt. Lee Grabner. “Our agency identified 15 properties listed on the various websites. Each owner was then contacted and compliance was later verified on each website that the property was blocked from being rented.”
Grabner said there have been no violations in New Milford to date.
“Everyone has been cooperative in working together to meet the requirements of the emergency orders,” he said.
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said city officials are aware of the executive order and will “certainly enforce it” if an abuse of the policy is reported.
When people call 311 with complaints, Boughton said, they “get filed and then we go out and do our investigatory work.”
Bethel First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker said his town is primarily relying on citizens to report any problems or violations, and he has not heard of any. “Travel is down and the area hotels and motels seem to have room for first responders or family members who need temporary housing, as intended by the governor,” Knickerbocker said.
Brookfield First Selectman Steve Dunn said he’s not aware of any violations of the executive order in his town, but will “take action if the situation changes.”
“Weekly rentals maximize more profit than monthly rentals, so overall I would say for the summer, we might be down 20 to 25 percent in profit.”
PeterFiore, rental property owner