Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has extended until April 30 an executive order that suspended rentals of vacation properties because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Late Friday, DeSantis issued an extension of a March 27 executive order that was slated to last two weeks and end this Friday, April 17. The March 27 order said “many cases of COVID-19 in Florida have resulted from individuals coming into the state of Florida from international travel and other states, posing great risk to Florida residents” and added that “vacation rentals and third-party platforms advertising vacation rentals in Florida present attractive lodging destinations for individuals coming into Florida.”
The order required suspension of vacation rentals of homes and condominiums. It did not apply to such lodging establishments as hotels, inns and resorts. It also did not apply to long-term rentals.
“While we understand the public safety approach to this emergency order and extension, we do have some serious concerns as the only hospitality sector singled out and restricted by its implementation,” Florida Vacation Rental Management Association Executive Director Denis Hanks said in a statement. “In the meantime, hotels, cruise ships, airports and other lodging and transportation providers continue to operate without restrictions of this nature despite them posing a higher risk of spreading the virus.”
Source: News Service of Florida