1. CITY OF KEY WEST, FLORIDA
Transient rental investigation techniques

2. MUNICIPALITIES’ OBLIGATIONS
Municipalities have an obligation to:
create ordinances that enhance the public’s well being and safety as well help maintain property values.
“Enforce” or “Achieve Compliance” with the established ordinances.
investigate all complaints within our jurisdictional areas.
In order to fulfill these obligations, we have to identify potential violations.

3. Transient Ordinance – Do You Have One & What Does It Do?
DO YOU KNOW?
Transient Ordinance – Do You Have One & What Does It Do?
What does it allow?
Does it require additional state or county licensing?
Does it cap the number of licenses allowed?
Does it prohibit advertising?
Can you cite using a zoning ordinance?
Remove zoning requirements
Instead – Know your zoning requirments
And Don’t Confuse Transient with Non-Transient or Long-Term Rentals.

4. TRANSIENT IDENTIFICATION
City of Key West Medallions Per City Ordinance (d)(1) A residential property must prominently display the medallion to alert the public of transient use. Does your Municipality have an Identification?

5. RENTAL WEBSITES Approximate Map Locations Wish List Use with Account
Quote Options
Exact Map Locations
Wish list Use with Account
Visible Calendars
Exact Map Locations
No Wish List Use
Part of Tripadvisor

6. Utilize What the Website Has to Offer!
WEBSITE FEATURES
Utilize What the Website Has to Offer!
Create Wish Lists with names.
Create a Wish List for irregular ads.
Create as many lists as you need.
Vet ALL advertisements and assign to a Wish List.

7. ADVERTISEMENT VETTING
Study Each Ad for Clues!
Rental Description
Actual Property Address
Property Photos
Pool Shapes and Photos
Rental Reviews
General or Exact Map Location
“Host” Profile information.

8. RENTAL DESCRIPTIONS May contain street names.
May contain distances to attractions.
Restaurants close by.
Building descriptions in certain areas.
Look for information that can be translated to property location clues!

9. RENTAL DESCRIPTIONS May contain street names.
May contain distances to attractions.
Restaurants close by.
Building descriptions in certain areas.
Look for information that can be translated to property location clues!

10. RENTAL DESCRIPTIONS May contain street names.
May contain distances to attractions.
Restaurants close by.
Building descriptions in certain areas.
Look for information that can be translated to property location clues!

11. RENTAL DESCRIPTIONS May contain street names.
May contain distances to attractions.
Restaurants close by.
Building descriptions in certain areas.
Look for information that can be translated to property location clues!

12. RENTAL DESCRIPTIONS May contain street names.
May contain distances to attractions.
Restaurants close by.
Building descriptions in certain areas.
Look for information that can be translated to property location clues!

13. Is the Property Address in the Advertisement?

14. PROPERTY PHOTOS What Do You See Out the Window?
Is it a business sign with name or symbol?
Is it the only parking garage in town?
Is it an oddly shaped tree?

15. PROPERTY PHOTOS What Do You See Out the Window?
Is it a business sign with name or symbol?
Is it the only parking garage in town?
Is it an oddly shaped tree?

16. PROPERTY PHOTOS What Do You See Out the Window?
Is it a business sign with name or symbol?
Is it the only parking garage in town?
Is it an oddly shaped tree?

17. PROPERTY PHOTOS What Do You See Out the Window?
Is it a business sign with name or symbol?
Is it the only parking garage in town?
Is it an oddly shaped tree?

18. PROPERTY PHOTOS Is it outside? Balcony furniture.
Front porch furniture.
Use Google Earth Street View.
Physically drive the neighborhood.

19. POOL SHAPES – WEIRD?

20. Reviews Can Contain Useful Information
READ REVIEWS!
Reviews Can Contain Useful Information
A hard to find host or property owner name.
Reviews show Month/Year when written.
Sometimes mention how long the stay lasted.
Information about what was close by.

21. Easy to Get an Address Now!
MAP LOCATION
Easy to Get an Address Now!
Use Google Earth.
Use your GIS program.
Use the Property Appraisers’ Website.

22. WHO IS THE HOST? A person or Company? Oddly spelled name?
Property purchase year?
Property owner or tenant?
Profile picture or pictures.

23. Search Social Media for Matching Names with Faces
WHO IS THE HOST?
Search Social Media for Matching Names with Faces

24. Property Appraiser's Website
WHO IS THE HOST?
Property Appraiser's Website

25. Property Appraiser's Website
WHO IS THE HOST?
Property Appraiser's Website

26. Utilities Account Information or Lease
WHO IS THE HOST?
Utilities Account Information or Lease

27. Once you know the address of the property in the advertisement…
Verify the business tax receipt.
Add it to the proper “Wish List”
Send a NOCV?
Or follow your municipalities’ procedures.

28. VETTED & VERIFIED
All advertisements have been verified as legal, junk, non- transient, or illegal.
Map view shows all properties are known.
Creates an easy eye catching way to detect new ads.
Remember to use your
And make it easy!

29. EASY CATCH!
With your “Wish List” complete, it makes spotting a new advertisement and possible violation easy.

30. JUNK ADVERTISEMENTS Nothing Ever Changes! Calendar updates not made
Reviews never happen or…
State “Host Cancelled within 2 days”
Usually no more than 1 photo
Viewers lose interest
Listing information never updates

31. SCAM ADVERTISEMENTS They Have Tells! Calendar updates not made
Reviews never happen or…
State “Host Cancelled within 2 days”
Grainy photos from internet
Rates do not match area
When booking, you are lead to a different website.

32. KEY WEST AND GIS
The City of Key West implemented a GIS (Geographic Information System) to provide the capability to collect, manipulate, analyze and share information tied to any location in the City amongst all departments.
Not sure I like the wording!?

33. Property Appraiser’s Information
GIS LAYERS
Property Appraiser’s Information

34. GIS LAYERS
City Loading Zones

35. Historical Cemetery Markers
GIS LAYERS
Historical Cemetery Markers

36. Key West Code Compliance Created a Layer to Track Transient Licenses.
LEGAL TRANSIENT LAYER
Key West Code Compliance Created a Layer to Track Transient Licenses.
1 Transient License on
1 RE #

37. Key West Code Compliance Created a Layer to Track Transient Licenses.
LEGAL TRANSIENT LAYER
Key West Code Compliance Created a Layer to Track Transient Licenses.
4 Transient Licenses on
1 RE #

38. LEGAL TRANSIENT POINT LAYER
Created to cover condo complexes with 10 or more licenses on a single large RE #.

39. GIS IN TRANSIENT INVESTIGATION
Provides:
quick visual check for a legal license.
property identification info.
property owner info.
licensing data.
Medallion tracking.
Allows web hyperlinks directly to advertisements.
Data Must Be:
manually input and maintained.
updated by IT. (certain layers)
Key West Code Compliance utilizes and maintains GIS layers for ease and convenience but it takes some TLC to be accurate.

40. CITY OF KEY WEST, FLORIDA
Beau Langford Transient Rental Investigator
JW Waite Transient Rental Investigator
Craig Cates
Mayor
Jim Young
Director,
Code Compliance