INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — City leaders in Indian Rocks Beach approved new rules Tuesday for homeowners trying to cash in on short-term rentals.
Anyone who posts on vacation rental sites like Airbnb and VRBO must now register with the state's Department of Revenue and Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Homeowners are also required to file a business tax receipt with the city.
A phone number and tax receipt number must be displayed outside the rental property.
City council members unanimously approved the changes Tuesday night.
As ABC Action News first reported in August, this vote could inspire similar policy changes in destination communities across Florida.
Related: Homeowners renting homes could soon be forced to get a business license
One rental owner says trash and traffic are the real concerns and is calling for occupancy restrictions in Indian Rocks Beach.
"They'll put like 8 to 10 people in this apartment and so what happens is it increases the garbage, it increases all of the demand on the city itself," said Ruth Coopee. "It's not fair to my neighbors, it's not fair to the community."
City officials said Tuesday that they considered regulating occupancies for short-term rentals, but decided against it because those restrictions would be too difficult to enforce and could open the city up to costly lawsuits.
