Clark County is considering opening up an old wound.
The Clark County Commission is about to look at a plan to allow short-term rentals at homes in residential neighborhoods. Long-term rentals are allowed currently.
It’s a big issue in Las Vegas, where millions visit per year, and some of them want to stay off the Strip.
The plan being talked about would stiffen penalties and regulations when renters cause too much noise or create neighborhood problems.
County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani explained to KNPR's State of Nevada why she does not want to allow so-called party houses in neighborhoods.
"We have enough problems in our districts with empty houses, squatters," she said, "This just becomes an added layer of a way to really impact single family residences"
The commissioner said she had a problem in her own neighborhood. She had to contact the owner of a house about the renters after several disturbances. She said the owner didn't even know the people who had rented out the house were renting it out for weekend parties.
Giunchigliani said that allowing short-term rentals like they do in the city of Las Vegas would incentivize people to buy homes to rent out instead of buying a home to put down roots in a neighborhood.
"It destabilizes the neighborhood because they're picking up rental properties for cheap and renting them out" she said. "If you want to be in the business of renting out, go buy a hotel."
She also dismissed the idea that since people are doing it illegally now, why not better regulate it and make some money in the process.
"It's not whether you make money," she said, "It's whether it should be there in the first place"
Chris Giunchigliani, commission, Clark County Commission
