LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) -The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department received 4,867 calls and complaints to 911 and 311 about short-term rentals in the days leading up to and during the Super Bowl.
On our weekly “Behind the Badge” segment with Metro Police, LVMPD announced they would crack down on violence at short-term rentals, many of which operate illegally across Clark County. They urged citizens to report violence to call 911, report noise or disturbances to non-emergency 311, or visit local area command and submit a “service request” for chronic problems.
FOX5 requested the numbers: according to the records unit, from January 31 to February 11 (Super Bowl Sunday), 4,867 different calls came into dispatch through 911, 311, or from a person or neighbor flagging down an officer for help.
Records officials could not determine the number of arrests made among all those calls.
FOX5 also asked Clark County officials for their enforcement numbers. From February 7 to 10, code enforcement officers inspected 293 homes, issued 24 citations (which start at $500 for the first violation, and $1,000 for subsequent violations) and received 80 new complaints.
With spring break around the corner, FOX5 asked if Metro Police would plan to pay “spot check” visits to short-term rentals, as FOX5 reported they had done last year.
FOX5 heard from a spokesperson for LVMPD:
The LVMPD proactively contacts several short-term rental locations where we have encountered problems in the past. Officers remind occupants of noise ordinances of which short-term renters may not be aware of and to be mindful of their neighbors. Our goal is to provide awareness and education while keeping our community safe.
If residents are having issues within their neighborhood regarding disturbances, large gatherings, or noise complaints, we encourage them to contact the police. If the issues are persistent and within LVMPD’s jurisdiction, we ask that people contact their local area command and speak to the Community Oriented Policing (COP) section. Crime Prevention Request | Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (lvmpd.com).
The Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association has previously criticized Metro’s enforcement efforts as heavy-handed in some cases, calling for police investigations to be directed to other public safety concerns.
The GLVSTRA has also criticized Clark County, calling its licensure process slow. Some families have resorted to listing rentals illegally to pay the bills, Jackie Flores said.
A Clark County spokesperson provided this update:
At this time, we are in the process of reviewing the over 800 applications for completeness and eligibility to ensure applications are evaluated in a consistent and fair manner. Applications that are incomplete or ineligible will be issued denials. After this portion of the application review process is completed, CCBL will identify applicants that may move on to safety inspections based on the order of priority established by the random number generator selection process.
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