How Short-Term Vacation Rentals Destroyed Our Community

“Bongu,” I called out in Maltese to my temporary new neighbor passing by our Airbnb apartment door in Malta.  To my surprise, she brushed past me with a scowl on her face.

“Wow,” I said to my husband, as I walked inside. “The people in Malta don’t seem very friendly.”

But it turns out, her response was not necessarily directed at me. It was to the constant rotation of short-term guests disrupting her family’s home.

Studies show that a sense of community is one of the key elements to a longer, healthier life.  In the early 2000’s, National Geographic researchers identified communities around the world that boast an unusually high number of centenarians – people who live beyond 100-years-old. They designated these 5 destinations as “Blue Zones.” Along with abundant sunshine, non-processed foods, naturally occurring minerals in the water, exercise, and faith, it was the aspect of close-knit community and friendships that caught my attention.

I have a love-hate with short term vacation rentals. I really do. I have stayed in many around the world over the years.   I respect the rules and leave everything in the same condition in which I found it. No loud parties, no hookers, no sneaking in pets, etc. Sometimes my contractor husband will fix small things that are broken or wonky. But not everyone vacations with the same level of respect.

Enter my community…

My husband and I bought a condo in a beach town in Costa Rica in 2013, serendipitously, near one of the original Blue Zones. The owner/developer would vacation with his family a couple of times each year at their penthouse in the building.  He also owned a majority of the other 16 units and rented them to long-term residents – people who contributed to our beach town. We purposely chose this building because it was known as a community, not a condo-hotel model.

We had neighbors young and old – some retired, others working full time. We were a melting pot with people from far-flung heritages on 4 continents.  One of them was a Latin American Grammy Award winner! If you had a medical emergency or needed a jump for your car battery or to borrow an egg for a recipe, there was a neighbor you could call or knock on their door just across your breezeway.

When the initial unknowns of the pandemic hit, we became an even tighter community.  With the world shut down outside, we would come together on the inside every evening in our pool’s courtyard for happy hour. Chatting and debating for hours past dark – helping one another find products and services still open during the shutdown. We respected one another and our common property. It was our home.

Enter the post-pandemic great money grab…

In an HOA meeting in 2021, our developer and president announced that he would be selling all his 9 units on the property.  The current owners begged him to help us legally add into the regulations that the building needed to be over 50% owner occupied. He said he would. He didn’t. He just sold them off at lightning speed – raking in his millions. The renters begged to negotiate that the new owners honor their leases.  That did not happen either.  They were forced to leave. Our village was torn apart.

All the newly sold units became vacation rentals. Suddenly we had suitcases rolling through our home’s common area like a raucous hotel lobby during Carnival.  A beach vacation means party time. Things get broken, residents have trouble sleeping, everything wears out quicker, trash is left in random places, and the use of precious resources escalates. You get the picture.

Most renters are respectful. Even if they don’t read the rules.  But if you get one trouble maker per week (there are now 11 Airbnb’s out of 16), that is a frustration level no one should endure in their home, their sanctuary.

All the owners, certainly, want a nice property and do not want their investment trashed. But some (especially the corporate owners) don’t want to take responsibility for their guests.  It is ultimately a business investment, not their home. And this, unfortunately, creates discord. Owner occupied vs. vacation rental host.

What happened to all the long-term renters here who were displaced? Most of them had to move further inland or to a smaller beach town. Why? Because the proliferation of vacation rentals has pushed out locals (including foreign residents) who can no longer afford to live in town. Owners believe they can make more money with Airbnb’s.  As a result, there are few affordable long-term rentals available in popular beach towns. This is a problem we are seeing worldwide – which is leading to grass-roots anti-tourism efforts and anti-gentrification sentiments in the local communities. Like my temporary Maltese neighbor.

I admire cities (Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, NYC, LA) who are putting stricter requirements in place for vacation rentals.  Unfortunately, that will never happen in Costa Rica since most beach town condos (and many homes) are only vacation rental businesses (some illegally). And forget adding an additional HOA fee (to cover more wear and tear they create) or forcing more owner occupation into our documentation.  Too late, majority rules.  So what is the solution for community harmony and affordability?

AI inspired: “Home is a sanctuary” means your living space offers peace, safety, and comfort, acting as a refuge from the outside world where you can recharge, be yourself, and connect with loved things, fostering well-being, joy, and personal growth rather than stress. It is about creating a personal haven that supports your spirit, offers security, and reflects your values, whether through thoughtful design, cherished people, or spiritual practice. 

There is no easy answer. I still love my home. Just not the transient people who temporarily, yet consistently, live around me.