Police in Las Vegas perform spot-checks on Airbnb rentals to break up Spring Break gatherings.
The Las Vegas police force is now performing surprise visits on Airbnb and other short-term rental homes, trying to catch youths drinking during spring break and noisy events taking place.
An official from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department informed KSNV-TV that they check which rentals are most likely to hold huge gatherings. The representative added that these check-ups also guarantee residents that their communities are secure. Police perform these inspections more frequently during Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day celebrations as well.
Apparently, these visits startle tourists, who specifically chose to stay away from the Strip for tranquility. They're not pleased having to open their doors and converse with officers without being accused of anything.
Ordinance Fails, Then Passes
Last year in June, the Clark County Commissioners enacted a law that outlawed parties, weddings, and other activities with more participants than the maximum occupancy of each rental house. The law also permitted the county to inspect these rentals without prior notification andallowed misdemeanor citations for violations.
Airbnb released a press release claiming the new laws would restrict the number of lodgings available for tourists, make it more challenging for Clark County citizens to rent out their homes, and "take money away from the pockets of Nevada residents and the local tourism economy."
However, in February, Clark County District Court judge Jessica Peterson deemed the ordinance unconstitutional since it didn't clearly specify what constituted a party or wedding. In her verdict, Peterson stated that Article 1, Section 8 of the Nevada Constitution and the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the US Constitution constraint authorities from creating a licensing process that is imprecise or arbitrary.
Indignation Surfaces
The Greater Las Vegas Short Term Rental Association issued a press release disagreeing with these surprise inspections based on legal grounds.
In their statement, the association insisted: "We hope the District Attorney, who also represents Metro, understands the District Court's order and notifies Metro of the existing injunction affecting these private homes."
The association's statement continued: "Amid a shortfall of police officers in Las Vegas, the county should pay more attention to prioritizing their resources to answer urgent calls from residents and lower response times for more significant issues in the area, rather than having officers show up at every Airbnb in town, and majority of them without any problems."
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