![\"Partygoers](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/01ANIMAL20HOUSE20COLLAG_fitted.jpeg\" "\\"Partygoers")
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Partygoers stumble back to The Club at Brickell Bay after an evening of reveling. At The Club, 85% of condos are owned by investors who rent their units on vacation sites, violating the city\u2019s ban on short-term rentals in multi-family residential condos, a Miami Herald investigation found.<\/p>\n
Linda Robertson<\/p>\n
lrobertson@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
The nightmarish scene at a Brickell condo depicted in the Miami Herald\u2019s recent \u201cAnimal House\u201d investigation<\/a> \u2014 people passed out in the hallway, loud music at all hours, 14 visitors to a room, porn shoots, squatters, fights, guns and general mayhem \u2014 would be shocking even in a college dorm or frat house.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s happening in what used to be a swanky condominium in Miami\u2019s financial district, The Club at Brickell Bay. At this point, only 15% of owners actually live there \u2014 and they have become virtual prisoners in their homes as short-term vacation rental guests seemingly run wild in the 43-story, 643-unit condo.<\/p>\n Most of the units are controlled by five Homeowners Association board officers who are hosts in the Airbnb business and don\u2019t live in the building. The condo is a hotel in all but name \u2014 and a seedy one at that.<\/p>\n What can be done? The city can enforce its ban on short-term rentals in multifamily condos, but it doesn\u2019t seem to want to. Now that this information has been aired out by the Herald, Mayor Eileen Higgins and the City Commission must investigate why residents\u2019 complaints aren\u2019t being taken seriously.<\/p>\n While some vacation rental websites warn investors to avoid cities like San Francisco that track illegal rentals, Miami has been rated among the most \u201clenient\u201d on restrictions, according to the Herald. When homeowners pleaded for help from the city, they said Miami Commissioner Damian Pardo suggested they call \u201cHelp Me, Howard,\u201d a consumer assistance hotline on Channel 7. Absurd.<\/p>\n This is clearly not an issue of a lack of rules. The city\u2019s zoning code prohibits lodging stays shorter than 30 days in multifamily residential buildings like The Club unless the building has a special Certificate of Use designating it a condo-hotel. The building doesn\u2019t appear to have one; the Herald found only a \u201chodge-podge of records,\u201d some going back to 2007, and none that seemed to offer permission for widespread short-term stays.<\/p>\n So why did Miami allow the debauchery at The Club to reach this level?<\/p>\n We don\u2019t know. Herald investigative reporter Linda Robertson wrote in the story that, \u201cRequests to interview the city\u2019s zoning, code compliance and building department directors about the discrepancies were declined.\u201d<\/p>\n So you get the picture: a commissioner who suggests frustrated residents call a TV news channel for help; officials who don\u2019t want to answer questions; code inspectors who rarely issue citations \u2014 and when they do, the citations are usually dismissed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re screwed by our board and our city,\u201d resident Katherin Fernandez told the Herald.<\/p>\n To top it off, the condo board\u2019s election last month was tainted by forged ballots, a former board officer accuses The Club of submitting a forged permit application to the city and a former property manager is awaiting trial on charges of grand theft and running an organized scheme to defraud the condo.<\/p>\n Brickell might be known as a financial and entertainment district, but it is also home to thousands of year-round residents. In fact, Miami-Dade has incentivized people to live in the county\u2019s urban core, close to transit lines like the Metromover. The property rights of short-term rentals should not infringe on homeowners\u2019 rights to a peaceful existence.<\/p>\n Vacation rental pushback isn\u2019t contained to Miami. Across the world, residents have protested against this $135 billion industry. In Miami Beach, officials blame the industry for taking up housing supply<\/a> and pushing living costs up for residents.<\/p>\n Let The Club be an example to the rest of Florida of what can go wrong when short-term rentals are allowed to run amuck. The Legislature has preempted many local regulations on short-term rentals and for years lawmakers have tried to reach a consensus on how to regulate these de-facto commercial properties in residential neighborhoods. Pressure from the industry has often skewed legislation. In 2024, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have ended policies dozens of cities and counties enacted throughout the state after 2011. That was a good move<\/a> by DeSantis, but other preemptions still limit how local governments can regulate these rentals.<\/p>\n Vacation rentals are no longer mostly mom-and-pop operations \u2014 homeowners making extra money by renting space to tourists. As The Club\u2019s example shows, this has become a serious business, which requires a serious effort by the city of Miami and the state to ensure that bad players are held accountable.<\/p>\n BEHIND THE STORY MORE <\/a> What’s an editorial? <\/p>\n Editorials<\/a> are opinion pieces that reflect the views of the Miami Herald Editorial Board, a group of opinion journalists that operates separately from the Miami Herald newsroom. Miami Herald Editorial Board<\/a> members are: opinion editor Amy Driscoll and editorial writers Isadora Rangel and Mary Anna Mancuso. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.<\/p>\n What’s the difference between an op-ed and a column? <\/p>\n Op-Eds<\/a>, short for \u201copposite the editorial page,\u201d are opinion pieces written by contributors who are not affiliated with our Editorial Board. <\/p>\n Columns<\/a> are recurring opinion pieces that represent the views of staff columnists that regularly appear on the op-ed page. <\/p>\n How does the Miami Herald Editorial Board decide what to write about? <\/p>\n The Editorial Board, made up of experienced opinion journalists, primarily addresses local and state issues that affect South Florida residents. Each board member has an area of focus, such as education, COVID or local government policy. Board members meet daily and bring up an array of topics for discussion. Once a topic is fully discussed, board members will further report the issue, interviewing stakeholders and others involved and affected, so that the board can present the most informed opinion possible. We strive to provide our community with thought leadership that advocates for policies and priorities that strengthen our communities. Our editorials promote social justice, fairness in economic, educational and social opportunities and an end to systemic racism and inequality. The Editorial Board is separate from the reporters and editors of the Miami Herald newsroom.<\/p>\n How can I contribute to the Miami Herald Opinion section? <\/p>\n The Editorial Board accepts op-ed submissions of 650-700 words from community members who want to argue a specific viewpoint or idea that is relevant to our area. You can email an op-ed submission to oped@miamiherald.com. We also accept 150-word letters to the editor from readers who want to offer their points of view on current issues. For more information on how to submit a letter, go here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Partygoers stumble back to The Club at Brickell Bay after an evening of reveling. 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