CARBON COUNTY, Pa. — Paul Arcure and his husband have been renting out their condo part-time at Midlake on Big Boulder for 15 years, but a new proposed ordinance in Kidder Township focusing on short-term rentals could change that.
"I think a lot of these township people think we're all rolling in cash because we rent the place out, and that's not the case," Arcure said. "I basically make enough money to pay my expenses, my utilities, my condo fees, my taxes. And then when I come, I get to enjoy the property."
They and many other homeowners are concerned with a proposed application fee. For years, it was $35, but now officials may jack it up to $2,000.
David Joyce also rents out his property at Midlake and is on the board of directors.
"I think it's definitely going to have a negative effect on the rental community in the Poconos," Joyce said. "Hopefully, we don't have a lot of people that sell their property as a result, which would kill everybody's property values."
Kara Sincavage owns Pocono Properties, a rentals and sales firm in Carbon County. She says renting out is the lifeblood of the community.
"Last year, Forbes magazine and Kiplinger put out an article that the Poconos is ranked fourth in the country for best place to vacation and own a vacation home."
COVID-19 only made the area more popular.
"With COVID, more people are traveling, and they are not flying, and Poconos are in the middle of several states, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland," Sincavage said.
Kidder Township Manager Suzanne Brooks says that's why officials put a new proposal in writing.
"We get a lot of complaints on renters that come in from New York, New Jersey, wherever—a lot of complaints from the homeowners on noise, trash," Brooks said.
Brooks says the new ordinance would help reduce those kinds of complaints.
"The short-term rental ordinance is to protect both the property owners and the rental property owners."
And that huge application fee hike is there to enforce those rules.
"Covering the cost of code enforcement, vehicle usage, administration time... the possibility of more police officers as well," Brooks explained.
Some homeowners say those complaints are coming largely from the larger properties.
"There are these big, massive parties where you see like 20, 30 cars in front of the house," Arcure said.
One homeowner renting out larger properties says he always makes his tenants aware of the rules, and this proposed ordinance could lump him in a category with those who don't follow the rules. The owner, who did not wish to appear on camera, says if the tenants don't follow the rules, it is understood they could lose their deposit without a refund. He suggests a program for landlord education would be most beneficial.
The proposal clearly states that it is just that: a proposal, and nothing is set in stone. The ordinance is expected to be finalized anywhere from 60 days to six months from now.