In a destination-state like sunny Florida, it stands to reason that short-term rentals are big business.
So, when the state legislature began crafting a bill to govern the popular accommodations industry, the state REALTOR® association was hopeful it would streamline the multitude of municipal regulations in effect throughout the state. Instead, it became clear that the bill’s restructuring of regulatory control would significantly expand the authority of local governments and disproportionately burden property owners – so Florida REALTORS® sprang into action. Deploying multiple resources from the REALTOR® Party, they successfully backed a gubernatorial veto.
As Genessa Casanova, Vice President of Government and Political Affairs, explains, “SB 280 was intended to provide more regulation, but it failed to strike a fair balance between private property rights and the ability of local governments to regulate short-term rentals. It would have imposed unlimited fees on short-term rental owners; suspended and revoked registrations through undefined violations; and forced owners to appeal disciplinary actions through the courts. Its impact would have been huge for all short-term rental owners and managers in Florida – many of whom are our members.”
During the legislative session, Governor DeSantis was frequently asked about SB 280 in the press gaggle, but never gave a clear indication as to whether he would sign it or not; Casanova learned from a member of his policy team that he needed to be able to point to strong public support for a veto. “With the resources of the REALTOR® Party, we were able to give him that!” she says. In a nearly four-month campaign, the association’s longest ever, they mobilized the Advocacy Everywhere program and REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts, the REALTOR®-targeted texting program. At the same time, they secured an Issues Mobilization grant to support parallel campaigns targeting members and consumers, with an emphasis on vacation-rental owners. These featured patch-through calls, digital ads, and a Broker Call for Action, as well as interviews on television, radio, and digital news outlets.
Casanova monitored the CFA closely throughout its run, regularly checking to see if the governor’s mailbox had been emptied before refreshing the request for calls to his office. “It was one of those detailed tasks that takes effort, but makes a difference, and helped ensure that callers wouldn’t be thwarted by a full mailbox message,” she explains. The end result of all of these activities was a veto of the bill by Governor DeSantis on June 27, 2024, a huge win for private property rights in Florida.
Florida REALTORS®’ approach to advocacy campaigns starts with strategic planning, clear communication, and active engagement with stakeholders through channels that reach them where they are, says Casanova. “In the case of SB 280, our messaging was very sharp, and in mounting three different campaigns simultaneously, we were really able to proclaim it far and wide. It generated a lot of chatter in the governor’s office, and we believe that is what ultimately moved the needle in our favor on this issue.” She adds, “The effort really reinvigorated our members in advocacy efforts: it had been a long time since we’d engaged them in a state-wide campaign, and they came through, loud and clear: this is their victory.”
To learn more about how Florida REALTORS® is working to protect private property owners, contact Genessa Casanova, Vice President of Government and Political Affairs, at genessac@floridarealtors.org or 407.438.1400.
Post a comment