The Club at Brickell Bay used to be a quiet residential condominium in Miami’s financial district. But it’s taken on a new identity as the “Animal House” after many of its condos were converted to vacation rentals.
Police reports describe a slew of illicit activities, including drunk guests passed out in the lobby, porn shoots on the balconies, sex in the jacuzzi and the ever-present odor of weed, the Miami Herald reported. The few remaining full-time homeowners and tenants are fed up with the building’s management, which has run the 43-story, 643-unit condo at 1200 Brickell Bay Drive like a hotel, the newspaper said.
“Our quality of life has been destroyed,” one resident said. “Save your condo before it’s too late.”
The building is one of Miami’s largest condos. It’s controlled by five homeowner association board officers, none of whom live in the building, which has been marked by violations and misconduct. The newspaper found code inspectors rarely issued citations, and those issued were dismissed. It also found that the building violates Miami’s ban on short-term rentals in multifamily residential units, and units that had been subdivided for extra bedrooms failed to obtain the proper building permits.
Last month, a board election was marred by forged ballots and vote rigging allegations, the newspaper said. The former property manager is currently awaiting trial on charges related to grand theft and fraud.
When residents tried to complain, they were met with cease-and-desist letters from their own HOA attorney.
“We’re prisoners in our own homes,” a resident who has owned a unit in the complex since 2004 told the outlet.
But while residents fear the chaos outside their doors, investors welcome it. Karl de Borbon, former president of The Club, runs six Airbnbs at the condo. He said a single unit can rake in as much as $50,000 per year. Short-term rentals can be more lucrative than long-term rentals, causing investors to see dollar signs where residents see neighborhood decline.
“We are losing what’s left of our civil society,” Brickell Homeowners Association President Ernesto Cuesta told the outlet. “My greatest fear is that Brickell will become another South Beach.”
Miami ranks among cities like Las Vegas, Orlando and Honolulu as one of the most popular Airbnb destinations. While some cities restrict short-term rentals, investor websites rank Miami among the most lenient. Wealth migration, rising housing prices and a surplus of short-term rentals that contribute to an affordable housing shortage are all part of what economists call the “Airbnb Effect.”
The effect can be seen worldwide. Protests in Barcelona, an anti-Airbnb law in New York and previous fines in Miami Beach are some of the actions being taken against the industry. But in Brickell, residents warn that lax enforcement and profit-driven investors have turned The Club into a cautionary tale.
—Grace McClung
Read more
Miami Beach’s short-term rental fines challenged on constitutional grounds
Judge tosses condo owners’ suit against Fontainebleau Miami Beach over short-term rentals rules
Airbnb pleads with NYC to ease regulations, one year in
