There are tourists in the Florida Keys.
The above statement wouldn’t make headlines on a typical day in our thriving island chain. But these days are anything but typical.
Visitors have been banned from the Florida Keys since the governor issued an order on March 27, and a checkpoint at the entrance to the island chain was implemented to help limit “community spread” of the coronavirus.
Officials in Key West and Monroe County are working together to find those unwelcome guests and send them packing.
“This has become the top priority for code enforcement both in the city of Key West and throughout Monroe County,” Key West Code Compliance Director Jim Young told Keys Weekly on Sunday. “Here in the city, we have our own code officers doing investigations, and are working with Key West Police, along with Sam Steele and Dee Dee Henriquez in the tax collector’s office as well as County Mayor Heather Carruthers’ office to pool our efforts and resources.”
Key West Mayor Teri Johnston also said that Keys residents have been extremely helpful using Facebook and other avenues to monitor and report both illegal rentals and illegal gatherings around town.
“I’m not always a huge fan of Facebook, but when the information shared is accurate and up to date, it can be of real assistance,” Johnston said. “We’ve essentially deputized 25,000 residents to help us patrol these situations. We’re working very hard to try to close all the loopholes we encounter on a daily basis.”
Mayor Johnston said the illegal renters are arriving at Key West International Airport and at local marinas.
“Some of this we have jurisdiction over, and some we do not. But we do have a significant number of general aviation, or private planes, arriving at both Key West and Marathon airports,” she said, adding that while the city and county have no authority to close airports or limit arrivals, “we can do whatever is possible to find out where people are going once they arrive.”
A quick scroll through vacation rental websites such as VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) and AirBnB shows dozens of available rentals. A “fake” attempt to book one of the listings allows one to proceed with nearly the entire booking process.
“That’s where the investigative challenge starts,” Young said, adding that many people who have contacted him about available listings on those websites understandably haven’t finished the process by entering a credit card number to reserve the rental.
Some of the online listings will not allow would-be renters to proceed with the payment, “but we don’t know that until we or someone else enters a credit card number,” Young said. “So the investigation takes some time and research.”
The Key West page of VRBO.com does include a warning that states, “COVID-19 travel restrictions: This county or area currently has travel restrictions, including preclusión on lodging, due to COVID-19. Check travel advisories from health officials and local orders.”
But that warning does not prohibit bookings.
“We are taking the situation very seriously,” Young said. “Violating a governor’s executive order is a second-degree misdemeanor and violators can be arrested or issued a Notice to Appear in court. Tensions are getting high and we won’t hesitate to involve law enforcement if a person who shouldn’t be here refuses to leave.”
Young said most people his team have investigated have complied with orders to leave the Florida Keys.
As of Sunday, five groups of renters in Key West had been sent home. They had arrived by air and by boat, he said.
“We have one guy at a Key West marina who came down on his yacht from Fort Lauderdale and is staying at a Key West marina,” Young said. “We quarantined him to his boat, and told him he had to go. He was dragging his feet, and then City Manager Greg Veliz interceded and directed the marina owner to ensure that he leaves.”
Young emphasized that property owners, property managers and renters all can be held liable for rental violations.
He said city and county residents have been vigilant in reporting seemingly illegal rental activity, and encouraged them to continue to do so. But don’t take matters into your own hands, he emphasized.
Those who suspect an illegal rental in Key West should call the Code Compliance office at 305-809-3740. Those phones are manned seven days a week until midnight. Callers can remain anonymous and can also use the city’s Citizen Action link on the city website at cityofkeywest-fl.gov. Similarly, if anyone sees a gathering of people, they are encouraged to call the non-emergency number for Key West Police at 305-809-1000
In Monroe County, a similar Citizen Action link is available at monroecounty-fl.gov.
