The Arizona State Legislature has established regulations that eliminated the ability of cities, like Scottsdale, to regulate rental units based on classification or use (HOA’s are exempt).
Previously, rentals of 30 days or less were prohibited in Scottsdale. Enter the short term rental (STR) quagmire.
To be sure, many STR owners are in compliance with all the rules and monitor the behavior of renters. However, some STR’s have become, or were intended to be, party homes where weekend renters host loud rowdy out of control parties.
The end result is that once quiet neighborhoods are in turmoil and peaceful neighbors are at wits end. This has gotten worse since COVID-19 restrictions have reduced the operating capacity of the entertainment district.
The police department has been inundated with numerous complaints on the party homes. They are working with city staff to solve the problem. Here are some of the possible methods of reducing this problem:
Solution 1. Short-term rental owner information is now available in a searchable database.
A new mapping system shows rental properties registered with Maricopa County and Scottsdale. Clicking on the information tab provides the phone number of the registered contact agent. You can now contact the agent directly to resolve complaints.
For the interactive map, go to https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/codes/vacation-short-term-rentals
Comments: Many of the STR’s are not registered. If you discover that your neighbor is not registered you can anonymously report this problem to code enforcement and they will investigate. By the way, if not registered the owner is dodging the 6.6% tax he or she owes the city.
Solution 2. Newly Established Party Patrol on Duty
Based on a recent conversation with Chief of Police Alan Rodbell, a police party patrol has been established. The goal of the party patrol is to break up the parties before they are out of control. The patrol will cover the entire city, so there may be a time lag for them to reach you. Contact the police at their nonemergency number 480-312-5000 to report troublesome party activity.
We present this information to you as a public service. As we walked through many of the neighborhoods in Scottsdale passing out information and meeting residents, we were asked numerous times “What is being done about the rowdy STR’s?” or “When is the City going to get control of the STR mess?” This is the current state of affairs on STR’s. It is our goal to keep you informed on this and other issues of importance.
We are running for Scottsdale City Council to be a voice for you, the citizens. We want to restore trust in your City Council. We worked for the Passage of Prop 420 which was approved by an overwhelming voter majority. We supported the successful referendum to halt the Southbridge 2 Project.
We have spoken at numerous City Council meetings to stop the up-zoning on the Marquee, Canalside, and Fiesta Ranch projects. The current pro-business City Council majority rejected our voices, the voices of the citizens.
We identified the flaws in the proposed changes to the ethics code and now have secured an agreement to redo the code when the new City Council is seated. We have been endorsed by Mary Manross, former mayor, current City Council members Kathy Littlefield and Solange Whitehead and Coalition of Greater Scottsdale. We want to be your voice on the City Council.
Please vote for Betty Janik and Tom Durham for Scottsdale City Council on Nov. 3.
Editor’s Note: Betty Janik and Tom Durham are candidates for Scottsdale City Council in the Nov. 3 general election.
