Sea Cliff, Huntington consider regulating short-term rentals

Officials in Sea Cliff and Huntington are considering restricting short-term rentals to address resident complaints.

“What we’re trying to control is renting a house for a weekend for a bachelor party or a wild party of any sort,” Sea Cliff village trustee Kevin McGilloway said at Monday’s board meeting.

A draft code change, which has not been made public but was described at the meeting, would require a permit to rent property for periods of eight days or less, and would require rental properties to follow safety standards.

The short-term rental industry has been growing in recent years. San Francisco-based Airbnb Inc. reported in April that the number of hosts renting out rooms, houses or apartments increased in 2016 to 2,400 from 1,500 the previous year.

McGilloway said an initial meeting with residents about the issue showed mixed opinions that would require a policy to balance different interests.

“There are lots of people in our community who rent space in their house in a very controlled and well-supervised way,” McGilloway said. “We don’t want to infringe on someone who is renting out legally to a student for a summer or a winter.”

Once the draft code is released to the public, the village would schedule a hearing for feedback from the public, McGilloway said.

A search on Airbnb on Wednesday showed three properties with rentals available in Sea Cliff. McGilloway said the village was aware of 11 such properties that have been previously listed on the company’s website.

A proposal in Huntington is further along. Huntington Town board members are to vote next month on two resolutions that would regulate short-term rentals, Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said Tuesday after a public hearing on the issue.

The legislation would create a $50 permit process with a $25 renewal fee for short-term rentals, according to the proposals. It would also limit town residents to renting out rooms and space no more than 120 days each year.

Penalties for violating the code would range from $150 to $500 for the first offense, and $750 to $1,500 for a second offense.

Communities around Long Island have passed laws to regulate short-term rentals or have considered them. The Town of Islip prohibits renting properties for fewer than 14 days. The restrict does not apply on Fire Island.

With Valerie Bauman