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short-term rentals

    RENTAL HEALTH

    Wellfleet Proposes New Rental Regulations

    Requirements would be toughest on Outer Cape

    By

    WELLFLEET — Short- and long-term rentals might look very different next summer, and it has nothing to do with Covid-19.

    The town’s health and conservation dept. has drafted regulations that would require all properties to be certified by the board of health before they can be rented out.

    Currently, Wellfleet is the only town on the Outer Cape that does not require short-term rental certification at the town level.

    The department’s proposal, which would not take effect until next summer’s season at the earliest, would require rental properties to have a Title 5 septic system and a board of health on-site inspection to determine the dwelling’s maximum legal occupancy. Each certification would be valid for three years and cost $300 per inspection.

    The board held a public hearing on June 10 to discuss the draft regulation, which was met with mixed reactions.

    Resident Jeff Vecchio said that he and his wife “would like to express our extreme displeasure and opposition to the proposed restrictions on short-term rentals in Wellfleet. Has there not been enough economic damage to the state and local municipalities already? Why would anyone insist on further economic pain and suffering that so many small business owners have already endured?”

    Besides checking on cleanliness and up-to-date fire alarms, a mandatory inspection would allow the board of health to ensure that excessive house capacity doesn’t overload septic systems.

    Overworked or overused septic systems are more likely to need repair or replacement, which is why the Wellfleet Board of Health wants to regulate how many people are using one septic system at a time, according to health agent Hillary Greenberg-Lemos.

    The draft calls for rental property owners to submit a Title 5 septic inspection report within one year of obtaining a rental certificate. Using the septic report, and the on-site measurement of square footage, the board would decide the maximum safe occupancy of the house.

    A septic inspection costs about $400 to $600, on top of the $300 board of health certification fee.

    According to Wellfleet resident John Wolf, the board’s concern with septic systems is “imaginary,” and nothing more than an excuse to conform to other short-term regulations in surrounding towns. Fellow resident Erica Wagner agreed.

    “I concur with my colleagues who are opposed to this — if the water is a real concern, why isn’t this considered for all residents?” she said.

    Wellfleet’s proposed registration process is similar to Eastham’s, which requires an inspection by the health department every three years. Eastham charges only $75 for an inspection, though, compared to Wellfleet’s proposed $300.

    Truro requires a one-off on-site certification for short-term rentals only, which costs $200.

    In Provincetown, rental owners can self-certify by submitting an application with house square footage and septic system details. An on-site inspection is not required. Each self-certification application is valid for three years and comes with a $300 fee.

    With its combined cost, three-year renewals, and requirement for on-site inspections, Wellfleet’s proposed rental registration process would be the strictest of the four Outer Cape towns. It would be the only one to require a Title 5 septic system for rental properties.

    On top of the primary purpose of regulating septic systems, Greenberg-Lemos said, the new registration requirement would give the town a better understanding of how many houses are being rented out. It would also give the board of health more ability to enforce occupancy rules, thanks to the proposed draft requiring contact information for registered properties.

    “We get complaints all the time about rentals — by the time we would write you a letter about a complaint, it’s water under the bridge,” Greenberg-Lemos said.

    She said the board of health would discuss the feedback from the public hearing and adjust the draft accordingly.

    RENTAL RULES

    24-Hour Changeover Pause Is Only ‘Suggested’

    But other sanitation procedures are required

    By

    With the statewide ban on short-term property rentals lifted on June 8, Outer Cape vacationers and property owners must adjust to new safety guidelines. Massachusetts requires proprietors of lodgings — including unstaffed, short-term home and apartment rentals — to practice enhanced sanitation procedures.

    One of the more controversial guidelines, that rental changeovers include a 24-hour vacancy period before new tenants move in, is not mandatory but only suggested.

    Cleaners must disinfect all hard surfaces and launder all linens at a high temperature between guest stays. They must pay special care to “high-touch” surfaces, including doorknobs, bathroom facilities, light switches, and remote controls. They are also required to document their work in logs that include date, time, and scope of cleaning.

    The state requires operators to “consider leaving guest rooms vacant for 24 hours as part of cleaning protocol.” Though Covid-19 has been proved to remain viable on surfaces like steel and plastic for up to 72 hours, the Centers for Disease Control says that touching a contaminated surface and then touching one’s face (so-called fomite transmission) is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

    According to the Mass. safety standards, the suggested waiting period is meant to “allow for deep cleaning, disinfectant and cleaners to dry, and reasonable air exchange.” Though a 24-hour vacancy does not guarantee the complete expiration of viable virus particles, the New York Times reports that they decrease in amount “sharply” over a 72-hour period.

    Housekeepers should enter guest lodgings only when the spaces are vacant, “except at the guest’s specific request.” Quality Cleaning Service, which provides changeover services from North Eastham to Provincetown, asks that tenants be absent even during mid-stay cleanings. The company also asks that guests’ personal belongings be removed from surfaces in need of disinfecting.

    Jim Reese, COO of the vacation rental site WeNeedaVacation.com, told the Independent that changeover waiting periods are best set on a case-by-case basis. As the state has mandated no strict waiting period, he says these determinations should be made through clear communication between property owners and vacationers.

    WeNeedaVacation.com and Quality Cleaning Service both suggest that home owners provide extra linens and sanitation products for tenants. They also recommend decluttering properties by removing unnecessary knick-knacks and reading materials.

    The Cape Cod & Islands Association of Realtors has launched the website safesummer2020.com to provide comprehensive guidance for vacationers and property owners. To visitors, the site says that “It’s safe to come in,” and emphasizes the importance of seasonal travel to the local economy. Additional info from the Cape Cod Reopening Task Force can be found at reopeningcapecod.org.

    currents

    This Week in Wellfleet

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Go to wellfleet-ma.gov and click on the meeting you are interested in for instructions on how to participate.

    Thursday, June 11

    • Cape Cod Commission, 3 p.m.
    • Nauset Regional School Committee, 6 p.m.
    • Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.

    Tuesday, June 16

    • Select Board Meeting with Emergency Management Team, 10 a.m.

    Wednesday, June 17

    • Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates, 4 p.m.
    • Conservation Commission, 5 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of June 8, Wellfleet had two active cases of Covid-19, four cleared cases, and one death as a result of the coronavirus.

    Visitor Sticker Sales

    The select board voted unanimously on Tuesday to move the start date for visitor beach sticker sales up seven days, from June 20 to June 13. The three-day, one-week, two-week, and seasonal stickers will still be sold online only, and one-day passes remain banned for the rest of 2020.

    No Short-Term Rental Minimum

    Wellfleet will not adopt a minimum stay rule for short-term rentals. The select board decided Tuesday that such a restriction is not practical for the town’s economy and that a discrepancy in such restrictions from town to town would cause difficulty for visitors. “If people have to stay in Eastham instead of Wellfleet, they will stay in Eastham, and all we will do is hurt our own businesses and rental market,” board member Michael DeVasto said.

    A Listening Ear

    An independent group in Wellfleet and the police are hoping to set up a mental health phone line for residents. “We see it not as a clinical model but as a listening ear,” said Dennis Cunningham, who spoke at Tuesday’s Covid Task Force meeting to introduce his program. The phone line, which is in the process of being set up and staffed by volunteers, aims to provide a place for people to call if they are feeling anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed with isolation or any other mental health issues.

    In the meantime, residents who need someone to talk to are encouraged to contact Wellfleet Police Chief Mike Hurley at [email protected], who will pass the message to the phone line team.

    Virtual Mayo Concert

    The Wellfleet Recreation Dept.’s Mayo Beach Concerts will take place virtually during phase two of Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening plan. The department will live stream performances from the Mayo Beach tent over Google Meet and Facebook Live.

    “This is a way to support our talented local musicians,” said Health Dept. Director Hillary Greenberg-Lemos. —Devin Sean Martin

    THE REOPENING

    Memorial Day Presages a Long, Complicated Summer

    Provincetown officials are getting 10 to 15 calls a day about rental violations

    By

    PROVINCETOWN — This week and next, town governments on the Outer Cape will be rolling out changes to traffic flow, restaurant rules, bathroom arrangements, and dozens of other adjustments to accommodate a smaller-than-normal flow of tourists safely.

    Nor'east Beer Garden
    Nor’east Beer Garden’s new contactless takeout window.

    Memorial Day weekend provided a dry run of what a lower-volume summer might feel like. There were certainly tourists here, despite the fact that the state is only in phase one of Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening scheme. How the limited traffic flowed, where there was compliance, and where there was not, are all potential indicators of the summer to come.

    Who and How Many?

    Leisure accommodations are still officially closed in phase one, including hotels, guest houses, and short-term (fewer than 32 days) home rentals. Property owners can still enjoy their homes, of course, and they can let their friends and family enjoy them, too. But accepting paid customers looking for a vacation is expressly forbidden under the governor’s current order.

    “We’re receiving about 10 or 15 calls a day about Airbnb and short-term-rental violations — more on weekends,” said Steve Katsurinis, chair of Provincetown’s board of health. “If the complaint passes initial muster, then Aaron Hobart, the code enforcement officer, contacts the owner by phone or email. He starts with an education piece: this is the governor’s order, this is why it’s in place. Our main purpose is to get people to comply going forward.”

    Takeout window at Cafe Heaven
    Picking up food at Cafe Heaven’s new takeout window on Commercial Street. (Photos Paul Benson)

    If it becomes clear there was a commercial transaction involved, Hobart can assess a $300 fine, which goes to the commonwealth’s general fund, said Katsurinis. Repeat offenders could be required to appear before the board of health to explain themselves. A hotel or guest house breaking the rules could face punitive action by both the board of health and the licensing board.

    “Most people, when they’re asked these questions, do one of two things,” said Katsurinis. “They apologize and say they won’t do it again. And then they immediately point out other people that they think are doing it also. We have a very engaged town.”

    Partial Occupancy

    The market-research website AirDNA.co aggregates information from Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway, showing both upcoming bookings and historical data. For the night of Sunday, May 24, there were 189 properties booked in Provincetown, 80 in Truro, 85 in Wellfleet, and 112 in Eastham. Using the maximum number of properties listed last summer as a reference, those numbers indicate that between 11 and 17 percent of each town’s short-term-rental capacity was commercially booked on Sunday night.

    With campgrounds and hotels closed, but with many home owners inviting family and friends to town, the net effect was a relatively low level of overall occupancy. So how did mask-wearing and social distancing play out?

    Shalom's Gift Shop
    Shalom’s Gift Shop offers curbside shopping.

    “Mask compliance seems to be very good,” said Katsurinis. “I heard a WBUR report that said we had the highest compliance rate they found in the commonwealth, like 98 percent.” Scott Kirsner of the Boston Globe conducted the informal survey in Provincetown, and found only two people out of 100 not wearing masks — and theirs were around their necks.

    The “wait outside” model of retail and take-out dining may have some kinks to work out, though. Curaleaf experienced a surge of marijuana customers when it was allowed to open on Monday. The lines of authority and responsibility on Commercial Street, it seems, aren’t always clear.

    “It’s the board of health’s responsibility to enforce the mask order,” said Katsurinis. “If something ends up in an altercation, that’s when the police are involved. The police are not going to walk around with a gun on their hip and tell people to put a mask on. That’s not their role. From the board of health’s perspective, it’s also not the business owner’s responsibility to police mask-wearing off their property.”

    Spiritus Pizza
    Spiritus Pizza slides pizza boxes through its new takeout door.

    How and where people gather is more complicated, though. “If people want to come onto a property, and they’re blocking a right of way, that’s always been a problem for a business,” Katsurinis said. “People can’t stand in the middle of the street while they wait for a table.”

    In a world where everyone has to wait outside and six feet apart, however, finding enough room for everyone isn’t easy. The logistics of where people can sit and stand still needs some attention — before the resumption of phase two tourism means there really are fights to break up.

     

    CURRENTS

    This Week in Truro

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    Meetings are held remotely. To watch live, go to truro-ma.gov and find meetings on the lower right of the home page. Click on the agenda of the meeting you are interested in and follow directions within each agenda. To view meetings after they have occurred, go to the town home page, scroll down under News & Announcements, click on “Remote Meeting Information,” and follow directions there.

    Thursday, May 28

    • Select Board, 2 p.m.

    Monday, June 1

    • Conservation Commission, 2 p.m.

    Wednesday June 3

    • Board of Health, 2 p.m.
    • Planning Board, 6 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Coronavirus Update

    As of May 22, there were zero active cases of Covid-19 in Truro, and 10 resolved cases.

    Agreement on Short-term Rentals?

    On May 28 at 2 p.m. the Truro Select Board will consider two questions about short-term rentals posed by Eastham Select Board Chair Aimée Eckman. She seeks input from select board members from Brewster, Chatham, Provincetown, Truro, Orleans, and Wellfleet, according to the May 28 meeting agenda.

    Eckman is asking if each board would like to see a minimum stay for short-term rentals this year. And if boards can agree on that, what would the minimum number of days be: 7, 14, or 28 days?

    The results of this survey will be forwarded to state Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Sarah Peake, to guide policy as part of the county’s reopening plans. Cyr and Peake have advocated for consistent policies throughout the region.

    Farmers’ Market Time?

    Sustainable CAPE founder Francie Randolph is seeking permission to use town property to begin the Truro Educational Farmers’ Market on June 8. The select board will discuss the request on May 28.

    The market usually draws about 400 people and is held from 8 a.m. to noon on Mondays through Aug. 31, according to the application. A delay of the June 8 opening will affect farmers’ incomes as well as SNAP (food stamps) card holders wishing to access fresh food locally at a discount, according to the application. The farmers’ market is the only SNAP-eligible food provider in Truro.

    Town Meeting Date

    Town staff will ask the select board at its  2 p.m. meeting Thursday to delay the town meeting from June 23 to Sept. 15, according to the agenda for that meeting.

    After reviewing the idea of holding town meeting outside or using technology to allow for “satellite meeting spaces,” Town Manager Rae Ann Palmer stated there doesn’t appear to be a safe and effective way to hold town meeting in June. She also ruled out limiting the warrant articles to financial matters. In the end, she will recommend on May 28 that the town meeting be postponed.

    Under the emergency regulations imposed by Gov. Charlie Baker, towns can spend one twelfth of their 2020 fiscal budget each month until a new fiscal year 2021 budget can be approved by voters.

    All other Outer Cape towns have already delayed town meeting until the fall: Provincetown’s is Sept. 21, Wellfleet’s is Oct. 5, and Eastham’s will be either Sept. 21 or Sept. 28. —K.C. Myers

    SEASONAL PROSPECTS

    Tourist Economy Can’t Open Till Mid-June

    Lodging, dining, and retail get three weeks to prepare

    By

    PROVINCETOWN — Phase one of the governor’s reopening plan began on Monday, but for the Outer Cape’s hospitality-driven economy, the big changes will come with phase two.

    That’s when renting to vacationers, eating in restaurants, and browsing through stores all become possible again. There will be new rules for these activities, and whether consumers will be ready to partake is another matter. But the timeline for opening has been laid out, and the key transition is likely to come mid-June.

    Factories, construction sites, and houses of worship reopened May 18; on May 25, retail stores can begin delivery and curbside pickup, and offices, laboratories, drive-in movies, hair salons and barbers (by appointment), pet grooming, some boats (with limits on passengers), and some athletic fields and courts may reopen.

    In phase two will come the necessary ingredients for a stay on the Cape. Many purely recreational activities are reserved for phase three: bars, whale watching, gyms, museums, and movie theaters.

    The transition between these phases is supposed to be controlled by six statewide health indicators, which measure the severity of coronavirus infections and the health care system’s capacity to handle them. The state’s “health dashboard” is to be updated weekly. Each phase will take a minimum of three weeks, so phase two can begin, at the earliest, on Monday, June 8.

    “Phase one is pretty limited,” state Sen. Julian Cyr told the Provincetown Select Board Monday night. “We have to get morbidity and mortality down to get to phase two. It will take at least three weeks, and potentially longer.”

    For many businesses, mid-June might just barely be soon enough. In a recent survey, 58 percent of Provincetown business owners said they needed to open by June 15 to have a viable season. Forty-two percent said that if they couldn’t open by July 1, they might not open at all.

    Many business owners said they would stay open later in the season to recoup lost income. Summer is not easily replaced, though. The earliest that phase-three businesses can reopen is June 29. Provincetown’s whale watch fleet, bars, gyms, and yoga studios may be forced to face a year without a July.

    Provincetown’s health agent, Morgan Clark, told the select board Monday that, in addition to the state’s metrics, she is keeping track of Provincetown’s supply of ambulances and rescue crews, Outer Cape Health Service’s supply of clinicians, and the staff of various town departments, including police and the dept. of public works.

    “We are looking at the percent of these critical personnel who could be exposed and quarantined,” said Clark, “to be sure we’re not overwhelmed.”

    Town Manager Robin Craver said she’ll deliver a comprehensive report next week with policy recommendations. She said she anticipates changes to Commercial Street to make more space for pedestrians, as well as new uses of town property, such as the addition of picnic tables or handwashing stations.

    “My hope is to have these things ready for implementation by mid-June,” said Craver, “so we are prepared.”

    Many business owners were aggravated that the state did not provide more detailed guidance. On Monday, “sector-specific protocols” were released only for phase-one businesses, leaving hotels, restaurants, and others to wonder what rules would apply to their newly opened businesses in only three short weeks.

    For the time being, residents arriving from out of state are still “urged” or “instructed” (the state government uses both words) to self-quarantine for 14 days. A coalition of legislators from the Cape and Islands, chambers of commerce, and hospitals had advised a strong quarantine, including bringing 14 days of food and other supplies with you to the Cape. A new version of that advisory was still being developed at press time.

    “We’re working to get clarity from the state on the rules for people from out of state, especially in phase two and beyond,” said Sen. Cyr. The governor’s out-of-state quarantine advisory dates back to March 27, when Massachusetts was at the very beginning of its outbreak.

     

    ECONOMY

    Short-term Rental Ban Is Extended

    But longer vacation rentals could salvage summer

    By

    Gov. Charlie Baker’s extension of the ban on short-term rentals until at least June 8 takes a bite out of one of the biggest pieces of the Outer Cape’s economic pie, affecting home owners, visitors, and business owners and their employees.

    Vacation rental property
    Short-term rentals generate far more income on the Outer Cape than hotels and guest houses. (Photo Nancy Bloom)

    The governor’s announcement on May 18 held out a possible reopening of all types of lodgings, including hotels and home rentals, in the second phase of his four-phase outline. Safety restrictions would kick in at that point, but were undecided as of Tuesday.

    There is some hope, however, of “salvaging the summer,” as rental agent Joan Talmadge of Brewster put it, because of an uptick in rentals of more than 31 days.

    Baker’s phase 1 began May 18. Each phase will last at least three weeks, and could be extended depending on the data on new cases of Covid-19. The governor’s order also extended the recommended 14-day quarantine for out-of-state visitors.

    The early reaction from real estate agents and home owners was resignation, with some hope.

    Most short-term renters with reservations in June and much of July had already canceled them before Baker’s announcement, mostly out of concern for their own health, said Robert O’Malley, owner of Beachfront Realty in Provincetown. Gone are most renters for the biggest weeks of the year, the Fourth of July and mid-July’s Bear Week, though many are still holding onto reservations in August, he said.

    “I had to refund a lot of deposits,” O’Malley said. “You finally just accept it, and say how am I going come up with this money?”

    Baker imposed the short-term rental ban on March 31, restricting such lodging to all but health care and other essential workers and to “members of vulnerable populations” such as the homeless. “Short-term” was defined as 31 days or fewer.

    Not every landlord complied, and at least one local health agent has acted to prevent violations of the rule.

    Truro Health Agent Emily Beebe said she has issued two cease-and-desist orders to the owners of houses where neighbors observed rotating out-of-state license plates in the driveways and called Beebe to report them.

    Beebe said she will continue to enforce the ban.

    Driving the Economy

    One week is by far the most common length of vacation rentals on the Cape, said Wendy Northcross, executive director of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.

    Renting out one’s home to vacationers exploded with the rise of the internet, said Talmadge, co-owner of the short-term rental service We Need a Vacation.

    Short-term rentals now far surpass hotels and guest houses as generators of income on the Outer Cape.

    According to the website AirDNA.co, which aggregates online rental data from Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO, the four Outer Cape towns generated more than $92 million from those three rental platforms alone. Hotels, motels, and guest houses on the Outer Cape took in a total of $49.6 million in revenue in 2018, the last year for which figures were available.

    Even in Provincetown, with its many hotels and guest houses, their total take in 2018 was $36.9 million, compared with $40 million in 2019 earnings from 1,148 Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway short-term rental properties alone.

    Truro had 519 short-term accommodations on those sites in 2019, generating $16 million in rental income, according to AirDNA. Wellfleet had 739 properties advertised, generating $20 million, and Eastham had 666 such properties, earning $16.6 million.

    Short-term rental taxes, which were instituted last year, have been lucrative for local town governments, with Provincetown collecting $512,563, Truro $121,376, Wellfleet $167,269, and Eastham $191,738 last year, according to the state Dept. of Revenue.

    Brian Allen, of Allen Realty Associates in Eastham, said almost everyone who buys a home on the Outer Cape is looking for a second home, not a primary residence. And every home shopper asks if it’s possible to rent out the property; they always ask about rental history.

    As for salvaging the summer, Talmadge said there has been a 128-percent increase in the number of inquiries for longer-term rentals compared to this time last year. Schools are closed, and a lot of people are working from home. That home can be on Cape Cod.

    “That’s great news,” Talmadge said. “I’m talking to more and more owners who are saying they’ll have one family for a month. It doesn’t take many of those to get through the summer.”

    Staff reporter Paul Benson contributed to this article.

    currents

    This Week in Wellfleet

    By

    Meetings Ahead

    All meetings are held online. Go to Wellfleet’s town website wellfleet-ma.gov and click on the individual meetings for instructions.

    Thursday, May 14

    • Nauset Regional School Committee, 6 p.m.

    Friday, May 15

    • Wellfleet Covid-19 Needs Response Task Force Community Calls, 10 a.m.

    Monday, May 18

    • Energy and Climate Action Committee, 7 p.m.

    Tuesday, May 19

    • Select Board, 10 a.m.
    • Open Space Committee, 4 p.m.

    Conversation Starters

    Covid-19 Update

    As of May 11, Wellfleet had two active cases of Covid-19, four cleared cases, and one death as a result of the coronavirus.

    Longer Ban on Short Term Rentals?

    Select board member Michael DeVasto said he doesn’t want an “unrestricted situation to lead to an unmitigated disaster,” so the select board voted to send a letter to Gov. Charlie Baker urging him to extend the statewide ban on short-term rentals until June 15.

    The governor’s order currently goes to May 18. Select board members Justina Carlson, Janet Reinhart, and DeVasto voted on Tuesday to ask the governor to extend it so that towns on the Outer Cape can be prepared.

    Board members Helen Miranda Wilson and Kathleen Bacon voted against sending the letter, arguing it’s better to wait and see what the governor announces on May 18.

    Short-term rentals bring 125,000 people to the four Outer Cape towns each week; with that kind of turnover contact tracing is impossible, DeVasto said. Carlson said Wellfleet’s population grows by 18,000 people in summer. The manager of a large grocery store told DeVasto he already cannot hire anyone and the current staff is maxed out.

    Arguing against the extension, Wes Chapman, a resident, said he’s never seen such panic.

    “It’s time to say, we need to get on with our lives,” Chapman said. —K.C. Myers

    PPE Tan Lines

    Wellfleet is developing new protocols and training for lifeguards this summer, including requiring them to wear surgical masks and gloves on the job. Lifeguards will be trained to place a mask or face shield onto a person being helped by the lifeguard on the beach in order to protect both the beachgoer and the lifeguard.

    Speeders Beware

    Wellfleet’s open roads of quarantine won’t be so open going forward. After receiving multiple reports of aggressive driving and excessive speeds in the past month, Wellfleet Police Chief Mike Hurley will be upping police presence on the roads. “Motor vehicle enforcement hasn’t been on our radar as much these past few weeks,” Hurley said. “We will be getting back to that.”

    Select Board to Meet Weekly

    The Wellfleet Select Board will now meet on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m., in addition to their usual bi-weekly evening meetings. The idea is to allow the board to more quickly address issues that are arising due to Covid-19, said Town Administrator Dan Hoort. The Wellfleet Covid-19 Task Force meetings, which have been taking place every Tuesday at 10 a.m. will now take place every other Tuesday (on the off weeks of the morning select board meetings). —Devin Sean Martin

    LODGING

    Health Board: Short-term Rentals Should Stop

    Hotels are mostly closed; only ‘essential travel’ is permitted

    By

    PROVINCETOWN — The board of health is directing short-term rental property owners in Provincetown to refrain from renting their properties, at least through the end of April. Hotels and guest houses have been directed to serve only people who are traveling for essential business, such as those caring for loved ones or offering medical aid.

    “This is not a time for visitors to come to Provincetown to stay in hotels and Airbnbs,” said Steve Katsurinis, chair of the health board. “The governor’s shelter-in-place order lists specific essential activities. None of those include vacationing, respite, recreational getaways.”

    Provincetown issued a shelter-in-place order with specific rules on Sunday, March 22, a day before Gov. Baker did. Four days later, Provincetown suspended its order to avoid confusion.

    Provincetown had directed hotels, motels, and leased residences to serve only customers who were traveling for specific crisis-related reasons. The governor’s order is less specific about lodging. For that reason, the board of health, following legal advice, came up with its current interpretation.

    “The governor’s order doesn’t close certain classes of lodging,” said Katsurinis. “It says hotels are essential businesses, and it’s silent on short-term rentals. However, it does describe essential activities.” Weighing the narrow band of legitimate reasons to travel to Provincetown short-term against the vast amount of lodging available led the board to conclude that most lodging ought to be closed.

    Late update: On Tuesday, March 31, Gov. Baker restricted all lodging types to accommodate only COVID-related essential activity. This order applies statewide.

    Hotels Already Closed

    Most of Provincetown’s 70 hotels, guest houses, and other licensed lodgings have already closed voluntarily, although one or two of the motel-style properties, where each room has a separate outdoor entrance, are likely to stay open, according to Katsurinis.

    There are valid reasons to need a room. A member of a household might be exposed or returning from travel and need to self-quarantine. Other household members might want to move out for two weeks. Many college students on the Cape have stayed in hotels before moving back into their parents’ homes. Someone might travel here to provide support for an elderly relative but not want to stay in that person’s home.

    And there are new risks to renting rooms. Hotel owners have been warned that if one of their guests were to become sick from coronavirus, the health dept. could close the facility and quarantine everyone on-site, obligating owners to put them up for weeks beyond their original reservations.

    Getting the Word Out

    “Right now, we are asking people to follow the guidelines,” said Select Board Chair Dave Abramson. “Enforcement is not the easy issue right now.”

    “Our experience is that when people are asked to comply and explained the reasons why, people are very compliant,” said Katsurinis.

    The town is not asking people who may already be in short-term rentals to leave. “From a public health standpoint, kicking people out of a place where they may be self-quarantined is not smart,” said Katsurinis. “But if your property is vacant, it needs to remain vacant.”

    Provincetown’s health director, Morgan Clark, emailed a formal message to 68 licensed lodgings and 566 short-term rental owners on Monday, March 30. But reaching all of the those who rent short-term is a challenge. Such rentals were untaxed until very recently, and the health dept. is still establishing lines of communication.

    There are a few acceptable reasons to travel to Provincetown. “If [owners] have an actual, legitimate situation where a person is doing essential work and they reach out to you, and you want to put them up in your property — reach out to the board of health, and we’ll work with you,” said Katsurinis.

     

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