Councilmembers, OC homeowners meet to discuss potential rental regulation

OCEAN CITY, Md. – Several Ocean City homeowners took the stand, Tuesday, calling on Ocean City council not to enforce a proposed regulation, which would limit how many times a property owner could rent out their home in a 7-day period.

Property owner, Linda Tucker said if passed, the rule would put Airbnb and Vrbo hosts, like herself, at a disadvantage.

“You’d be losing a lot of money if you rent it, because of you could have three or four day rentals that are twice a week,” Tucker said.

But Councilman, John Gehrig said constant turnover at rental properties creates public nuisance in the R1 Single Family Development and the Mobile Home Residential District.

“They’re not hotels. Is that what they want for our neighborhoods? Is that what you want from your neighborhoods,” Gehrig said.

Councilmember Carol Proctor disagreed.

“Since I’ve been on the council, in the last 2.5 years, I have yet to see an email come across to us asking us, ‘What’re are you doing about short-term rentals in R1 and MH?’ Nobody that is living here is complaining,” Proctor said.

With peak season around the corner, Tucker is calling for a compromise.

“You really should listen to us,” Tucker said. “You’re taking advantage of people who have second homes here.”

“We’re the ones who eventually want to live here one day, but we just can’t afford to do it right now. We pay all the taxes, we just don’t get a voting right,” Tucker added.