Residents near 74th Avenue North say the incident is the latest in months of drug use, noise and unchecked guests at nearby vacation rentals.
SEMINOLE, Fla. — Neighbors in this quiet Pinellas County community say a party at a short-term rental this past week, which ended with multiple arrests before it even started, may be the final straw in their long-running battle against problem vacation rentals nearby.
Residents near Poinsetta Avenue describe a close-knit neighborhood where everyone knows each other, not to mention their pets.
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“We see each other all the time, everybody knows everybody’s dogs’ names, kids’ names,” said Hannah Gleaton, who lives in the area.
But Gleaton said that sense of community has been disrupted by short-term rentals becoming hubs for excessive drug use, alcohol and noise.
The most recent incident took place on 74th Avenue North, where neighbors said multiple people were arrested Thursday. A large party was expected that night at a rental property. The gathering had been advertised on social media with a flyer, and neighbors said the arrests stemmed from outstanding warrants out of Chicago for guests staying there.
Gleaton said the episode reflects a broader problem: a lack of guest screening at rental properties that, she said, host massive gatherings almost every weekend.
“You can house 18 people here. As many cars as you want because they are not held accountable,” Gleaton said.
She said residents initially handled noise complaints themselves.
“We felt the most responsible thing to do, is to go next door and say: ‘hey, can you guys be quiet?'” Gleaton said. “As the parties escalated, it wasn’t the safest option for us anymore. We don’t know who they are. We don’t know what they’re capable of. We don’t know what they’re packing.”
Gleaton said the properties can draw roughly 60 strangers through the neighborhood each month, and she attributes the proliferation of short-term rentals to housing demand in Pinellas County, where she said corporations are purchasing larger homes and converting them into rental properties rather than leaving them available for families.
Neighbors said the criminal activity tied to the Thursday arrests has heightened concerns beyond noise and property values.
“There is a criminal element that has gotten everybody’s attention now and it’s terrifying,” Gleaton said. “Not to mention that it compromises the quality of life in our neighborhoods and our property values. You have all of your neighbors constantly on guard for what’s going to come this weekend. Who is going to be there? What kind of party? What kind of rager are they throwing?”
Neighbors said law enforcement has been responsive to their noise complaints but that they would like to see stronger consequences for repeat violations.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to 10 Tampa Bay News that Thursday’s incident remains part of an active investigation but did not provide further details.