According to the Miami Herald, Miami Beach commissioners have given their initial approval for homeowners to rent out accessory dwellings for more than six months at a time. The practice was illegal prior to the ruling. “This is right on so many levels. If we’re talking about affordable, work-force housing this is one way of addressing it,” said Commissioner Ricky Arriola, who sponsored the proposal. “If we want to help create some economic vitality in these older homes, particularly for the older couples that may be living in them who don’t have the economic means anymore.”
The proposed law would allow homeowners to rent existing accessory dwellings in all single-family neighborhoods and to build new ones as long as they meet certain size requirements. The dwellings can be attached or detached from the main house, but they have to be on the same property. The city’s planning department defines the units as “small living units” with their own kitchen and bathroom.
Miami Beach currently has approximately 320 single-family lots with either two units or additional living quarters, according to information from the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser’s geographic information system, which was shared by a city spokeswoman.
Silvia Winitzky, a Bayshore homeowner with a two-story guest house in her backyard, told the Miami Herald that the proposal would be a win-win for the city. Winitzky, who is in her early 60s, said that being able to rent out her guest house would provide helpful supplemental income now that she’s nearing retirement. She said she’s seen neighbors sell their homes and move away from Miami Beach because of the island’s high cost of living.
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