Raucous short-term renters wreak havoc in Scottsdale

Dec. 3—In Scottsdale, it's not the weather that fits an old saying that everyone is talking about it, but no one is doing anything about.

"It" is short-term rentals.

Though their hands generally are tied by state law, Scottsdale's elected officials again pondered in a recent work-study session how they can help residents who complain about noisy, rude, obnoxious short-term renters.

The city often uses the abbreviation STR, which sounds like a disease — appropriate, many residents complain, because the Airbnb/VRBO crowd is a growing bacteria wrecking their neighborhoods' health.

The presentation by Brent Stockwell, an assistant city manager, was filled with facts and figures, bar graphs and pie charts.

The hidden pain below the numbers is illustrated by a few residents who shared their stories with the Progress — under the agreement that their names would not be used for fear of retribution.

One Old Town local walked up and down her narrow, residential street, pointing out STR after STR.

She said she has called police at least 20 times when rowdy partiers raised the sound level to "unbearable."

All her calls resulted in warnings with no citations.

'Bars and STRs'

One resident of South Scottsdale — home to 70% of the city's STRs — recently complained to the city that his neighborhood is being dragged to hell.

"I've had to call the police many times in the past few months for a very loud STR (near McDowell and Scottsdale roads). The problem doesn't seem to be going away and the property is still hosting loud parties," he said.

"I would like to know, are the police enforcing any of the new penalties on this property? I also emailed code enforcement about their online listing stating 'Sleeps 16.' Code enforcement closed the call but I wasn't able to see the resolution or comments."

The longtime resident complained in an email to the city that STRs are destroying his once-peaceful neighborhood.

"This property and other nearby STRs have caused me and my longtime neighbors, which include retirees and families, to seriously consider moving away from the area," he wrote. "As these STR/party pads persist, I assume that 10 to 15 years from now, South Scottsdale will just be bars and STRs. Hopefully you can keep this from happening."

He later told the Progress he fears "Mr. Stockwell is acting as an apologist for STR(s) — or maybe the police?

"Maybe I'm being overly critical," he allowed, "because the situation angers me."

When the resident complained, Stockwell responded by explaining a city ordinance defines a nuisance party as "a social activity or special occasion conducted in a manner that causes substantial neighborhood disturbance.

"This includes excessive noise and traffic, obstruction of public streets, public drunkenness, underage drinking, fights, disturbances of the peace and litter."

Stockwell explained "excessive noise" is generally "an activity or gathering that disturbs the peace or quiet of a residence or neighborhood from the perspective of a reasonable person of normal sensibilities.

"Examples of noise that could be considered excessive are sound levels so loud it wakes you from sleep or prevents you from watching television inside your home."

The South Scottsdale homeowner who frequently called the city's non-emergency line questioned why "the police never deemed the calls worthy enough to enforce.

"That gives me the impression that the 'reasonable person' they mention isn't me, but the officer that responds and/or the city. Which is frustrating."

He also was critical of the city's policy: "They want me to work through the emergency contact of the property."

The resident said he feared calling the owner and/or emergency contact "would just degrade into an argument ... Also, makes me feel like somehow I'm aiding and facilitating in their sleazy and disruptive business model by running interference between them and the authorities."

Following the city's advice, he said, "Makes me and my wife feel like we are unpaid employees of the STR — playing lookout for their party pad.

Nightmare on Cypress Street

Another South Scottsdale resident said a Cypress Street STR near Hayden and Thomas roads "became a nightmare in 2021."

She said the neighborhood was great until a certain house was sold to "out-of-state investors" two years ago.

After a renovation that added a pool and hot tub, the house was listed on Airbnb and VRBO two Decembers ago.

The woman, who shared her story with the Progress, said she spent the next two years calling police and the home's property manager numerous times to complain of loud parties.

The longtime resident had some hope when the party house was listed for sale three months ago. But dreams of a quiet family buying the home that looks into her backyard were dashed when another out-of-state party bought the property.

She researched the sale documents, which listed the loan under the conditions of "owner-occupant" as "primary residence."

But when the new owner quickly expanded the backyard with a huge outdoor TV and life-size chess board, the neighbor knew she was doomed to more STR raucous renters.

Old Town frowns

It's not just South Scottsdale.

In Old Town, some say STRs are "flipping" their neighborhoods from quiet streets into piercing playgrounds for partiers.

The Nov. 20 City Council agenda on short-term rentals included a fierce email from an Old Town resident.

"My street is now nearly half rental and short-term rental properties. I have one next door to me that is a nightmare, to say the least," Dorothy Pratt complained.

"I am constantly having to call the police for rowdy pool parties and late-night drunks staggering back to the rentals yelling and carrying on."

Even her white-noise machine is no help from the party crowd with their "bullhorn mouths."

Pratt said after complaining to the owner, she was told if her complaints lead to his STR being shut down "he will retaliate and rent the house out to a bunch of college guys.

"He is only interested in making lots of money and does not care how many people are crammed into this home or how they act."

Police response only leads to temporary relief, she said, explaining:

"Then the revolving door opens for the next group of young party animals to come in, and once again I am having to call the police to get them to stop with their abhorrent behavior."

As night was falling the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the noise was rising at two "party houses" across Pratt's narrow street.

On this night, she gritted her teeth and endured the noise.

Though she estimates she has called police about STRs 20 times, she says she only does so when "the noise is unbearable."

Pratt said she grew up in the neighborhood known as Peaceful Valley.

"It should now be renamed and called 'Dreadful Valley.'"

Another Old Towner, Thomas Kalafut, sent a far more succinct email to the city:

"Does the city have an 'end game' strategy for banning Short Term Rentals, like NYC was able to do? Or are we prepared to slowly turn into Disney World? It is getting less and less desirable to live here."

What can the city do?

STRs are a top-priority pet peeve for Mayor David Ortega and many council members.

They listened patiently to Stockwell's presentation, which summarized efforts by a new police STR squad, as well as suggestions for changes to the nuisance party ordinance, such as "After police declare a party to be a nuisance, make it unlawful for attendees to stay on the property."

And the presentation reminded the elected officials the city is lobbying state legislators to make changes in the STR laws.

A memory refresher, from the presentation: "In 2017, the Arizona Legislature pre-empted local authority over short-term rental properties, wiping away many municipal ordinances like the one in Scottsdale that banned property rentals of fewer than 30 days."

Stockwell turned the presentation over to Officers Jeromie O'Meara and George Gollihar of the Scottsdale Police Department.

They told the council that nuisance party complaints have exploded, growing from 552 in 2022 to 736 so far this year.

O'Meara stressed the department is giving greater priority to STR and party complaints, leading to faster response times.

But the huge majority of complaints result in warnings, with only 30 citations in 2023, up slightly from 24 in 2022.

While November data was still being processed, the city was the busiest month for complaints/warnings, with October 2023 up 40% over October 2022.

After first requiring short-term renters to be licensed with the city at the end of 2022, the city now has 3,572 registered STRs, with about 500 more applications to be processed.

As previously noted, 70% are in South Scottsdale, with about 20% in the central part of the city and 10% in North Scottsdale.

Though Stockwell earlier this year said the police department's short-term rental squad would be formed soon, O'Meara told the council the sergeant and four officer team will be "fully staffed" in 2024.

A code enforcement team also is tasked with making sure STRs are licensed with the city.

Bottom line

While Stockwell and others presented ideas like setting "occupancy load limits," a la bars, Council took no action.

So, remaining unanswered is the looming question: What can — and will — the city do about STRs?

Pratt, the born-and-raised Old Town resident, is not very optimistic, based on responses to her complaints.

"I have reached out to Ms. Whitehead the vice mayor in the past, and she said she would pass on my grievances and evidence I sent to her to the chief of police and he would contact me, and he never did," Pratt said.

"I have not had any luck with members of the police force. I have received their 'heartfelt sympathies' but basically was told the renters had just as much rights as we the owners of our properties. So that was hitting a brick wall for me."

Pratt said she now feels trapped in the home she once loved.

"I have three short-term rentals all around me. I feel like I am in the middle of a tornado," she said.

"It is absolutely revolting and if I had the money to get out of here ... I would in a New York minute."

Unlike New York City, Scottsdale is extremely unlikely to attempt to ban short-term rentals, with a major difference being in state New York vs. Arizona laws regulating the Airbnb/VRBO crowd.

Hopeful of a major change, Pratt watched the recent council study session on STRs.

She came away with a one-word reaction: Really?

"Scottsdale is a mess and only getting worse," Pratt said.

"Only a handful of officers to patrol over 4,500 short-term rentals? What a joke. My neighbor and I rolled our eyes when we heard this."

Pratt and others who have repeatedly complained about raucous renters to no avail may have been surprised by Councilwoman Tammy Caputi's summary on the city's STR response:

"We're now the gold standard in the Valley."

Pratt's comment, with a grimace: "More like lead standard."

Scottsdale's STR website is scottsdaleaz.gov/codes/vacation-short-term-rentals. The page includes resources, ordinance information and a hotline, 480-312-7368.