Homowner Sues Miami Beach, Claiming Airbnb Ban May Have Cost Him At Least $7.65M

·26 Comments

Miami Beach investor Greg Mirmelli is suing the city of Miami Beach over its law banning Airbnb short term rentals.

Mirmelli estimates he could have earned $7.65 million since 2010 at just 50% occupancy, the lawsuit states.

According to the suit, another short term rental company, Vilazzo, has not been fined for renting luxury homes in the city.

Records show that Mirmelli owns a bayfront home on Sunset Island.

The suit was first reported by Miami New Times.

 

 

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Anonymous
2 years ago

So can I sue my city for not letting me operate a McDonald’s franchise out of my house and depriving me of millions in sales?

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Anonymous
2 years ago

? what lol

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Probably because that’s a health hazard, among other reasons…

If you want government restrictions over your property, move to Miami Shores. You legally can’t grow vegetables in your front yard! Time to draw a line in the sand. Also looks like he is suing because law was enforced for some, but not others (i.e. special interests).

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A. Nonymous
2 years ago

Eating at McDonald’s is a health hazard.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

lol…….

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Great comprehension. Someone is getting over the system (with help) while another is getting the shaft

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Anonymous
2 years ago

That’s the way it is on the beach special privileges for certain people. Government officials think they are above the law in this city. Perfect example you’ve seen many of them being arrested over the last few years when they finally get busted. Unfortunately it takes too long.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

As long as Short Term renters comply with noice ordinances and pay all the taxes, I don’t understand why property owners are prevented from having this additional source of income.

It’s like Uber… welcome to the internet industry… This is just a monopoly mafia rule from the hotel industry lobby.

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petee
2 years ago

Bad analogy. A better analogy would be if the city told super markets that they could only sell cereals from Kelloggs Corp and couldn’t sell cereals from the Post company. There is no change in use with short term rentals. The use is residential. The city ban is a ban against people, not property use.

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Anonymousg
2 years ago

If AirBnB tenants comply with city regulations about noice, etc. Why should short-terms rentals be outlawed? I agree with homeowners suing.. City went too far.

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anon
2 years ago

Well, there’s the zoning of course. If the zoning doesn’t permit transient use, other regulations are irrelevant. So it boils down to what the zoning and city ordinances permit for the “USE” of the single-family house at that location. People should know their zoning before they buy, and shouldn’t cry later if something isn’t a permitted use of the property.

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petee
2 years ago

Zoning regulates the use of a property. The Short term ban regulates the occupants of a building. Whether a person lives in a house for 6 months or 6 years, the use remains residential. The city has acknowledged that they are doing this because major hotels are feeling the competition from airbb. 30 years ago, before airbb, short term rentals were not a problem.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

>The city has acknowledged that they are doing this because major hotels

Source?

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Was the home purchased with the intention of renting short term?

Couldn’t this person… you know, sell? Is it right to rent out homes like hotels in residential neighborhoods?

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2cents
2 years ago

The issue is that they are giving one short term operator (vilazzo) special treatment over another. Why shouldn’t the law be equal for all constituents?

It’s also idiotic that if you have a single family home in Miami Beach, you can’t rent it out for less than 6 months, or you’ll face a $20,000-$100,000 fine. No one wants a hotel in a residential area, but these restrictions are gross. I imagine all the snow birds would like to rent their home out with ease when not using it…why not have a 1-month minimum and enforce occupancy limits to prevent? Would achieve the same result with fewer restrictions.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Irrelevant! It’s about someone getting favorable and unequal treatment.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

They are not operating a hotel. Just because certain things occur at a hotel that also occur in a house, doesn’t make the house a hotel. If you cook a meal for 20 relatives at thanksgiving, it doesn’t make you a restaurant. Hotels have signs and large parking lots and high density and restaurants in many and they don’t have kitchens and people rarely stay more than 2 days at a hotel. Hotels attract heavy vehicle traffic. Short term rentals do not affect traffic, nor do short term rentals employee daily workers.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

I live near the house pictured. What is not discussed is that this is a serious party house with crazy, loud music, partiers arriving on jet skis and other conditions that the neighbors are not happy about. This is not a quiet vacation rental property.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Basically what you’re saying is that you neighbors are nothing but a bunch of boring old farts and want any and everybody who rent this house to be just like you!

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Anonymous
2 years ago

The owner should pay a fine if that is the case. However it does not deem. Short-term rentals should be illegal. We do not need more government in our lives. As competent people we should govern ourselves. If we break the rules we pay the fine.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Sure ya do 😉

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Anonymous
2 years ago

If that is the case, then they should be fined by code enforcement for those violations. You’d still have the same problem if the owner had the same lifestyle.

The issue at hand is that the ban was placed due to pressure by the hotel industry, and the law is not being upheld to all the residents – $20-100K in fines is absurd. They should focus on other issues, and find a way to make it work and collect taxes from short term rentals instead.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

The city of Miami Beach is acting in a discriminatory fashion. This is a city that is run by thugs and like a mob organization. Citizens have the right to do whatever they want to do with their property. In the event there is a violation they should pay the violation however they should not be told they cannot rent their property and have their constitutional rights taken away.

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Ah Okay.

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Andres
2 years ago

Greg you have an absurd thought process. I live on a residential neighborhood because I want to live on a residential neighborhood. I want to know my neighbors and have quality of life, I do not want daily tourists in my neighborhood!!!! This is absolutely ridiculous. Greg instead of wasting City of Miami Beach dollars in your nonsense law suit, why don;t you sell your home and buy a hotel on ocean drive or collins avenue or a house where zoning allows short term rentals if what you want is a transient operation!!!!

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Anonymous
2 years ago

Maybe you should move to Kendall. I have known my neighbors for 25 years ^-^

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