Starting October 1st property owners who use their homes as a vacation rental will see much higher fees. Currently vacation renters only pay a one-time charge of $35.
There are approximately 9,500 vacation rentals in Cape Coral. As of next month, property owners renting their homes on a short-term basis will pay $350 per year. Property owners who rent on a long-term basis will pay $35 per year. The Resolution provides for a $50 late fee for those residential rental properties who fail to renew their residential rental property registration within 30 days of its registration anniversary date.
The higher fees will be used to help offset the expense of code enforcement and law enforcement calls, however the money will go into the general fund.
The final vote was 5-3 with Mayor John Gunter and Council members Joe Kilraine and Rachel Kaduk voting against.
Kaduk explains why she voted against. I voted no because when I asked the City Manager a question regarding how much a code officer or police officer cost to go on a call to a vacation rental, he said it was $441.00. That wasn’t really what my question was, but since he answered that way, I started to lean more toward what the stakeholder group presented originally which was $100 annually for everyone. This was a tough vote for me. I remember when this fee came about. It was $35 one time. Now, I am on council and we are switching it to $35 annually, and $350 annually. I just see this becoming another revenue source which is exactly why I suggested it becoming a committed fund.”