The Club at Brickell Bay used to be a
quiet residential condominium in Miami’s financial district.
But it’s taken on a new identity as the “Animal House” after
many of its condos were converted to vacation rentals.
Police reports describe a slew of illicit activities,
including drunk guests passed out in the lobby, porn shoots
on the balconies, sex in the jacuzzi and the ever-present
odor of weed, the Miami Herald reported. The few remaining
full-time homeowners and tenants are fed up with the
building’s management, which has run the 43-story, 643-unit
condo at 1200 Brickell Bay Drive like a hotel, the newspaper
said.
“Our quality of life has been destroyed,” one resident said.
“Save your condo before it’s too late.”
The building is one of Miami’s largest condos. It’s
controlled by five homeowner association board officers,
none of whom live in the building, which has been marked by
violations and misconduct. The newspaper found code
inspectors rarely issued citations, and those issued were
dismissed. It also found that the building violates Miami’s
ban on short-term rentals in multifamily residential units,
and units that had been subdivided for extra bedrooms failed
to obtain the proper building permits.
Last month, a board election was marred by forged ballots
and vote rigging allegations, the newspaper said. The former
property manager is currently awaiting trial on charges
related to grand theft and fraud.
When residents tried to complain, they were met with
cease-and-desist letters from their own HOA attorney.
“We’re prisoners in our own homes,” a resident who has owned
a unit in the complex since 2004 told the outlet.
But while residents fear the chaos outside their doors,
investors welcome it. Karl de Borbon, former president of
The Club, runs six Airbnbs at the condo. He said a single
unit can rake in as much as $50,000 per year. Short-term
rentals can be more lucrative than long-term rentals,
causing investors to see dollar signs where residents see
neighborhood decline.
“We are losing what’s left of our civil society,” Brickell
Homeowners Association President Ernesto Cuesta told the
outlet. “My greatest fear is that Brickell will become
another South Beach.”
Miami ranks among cities like Las Vegas, Orlando and
Honolulu as one of the most popular Airbnb destinations.
While some cities restrict short-term rentals, investor
websites rank Miami among the most lenient. Wealth
migration, rising housing prices and a surplus of short-term
rentals that contribute to an affordable housing shortage
are all part of what economists call the “Airbnb Effect.”
The effect can be seen worldwide. Protests in Barcelona, an
anti-Airbnb law in New York and previous fines in Miami
Beach are some of the actions being taken against the
industry. But in Brickell, residents warn that lax
enforcement and profit-driven investors have turned The Club
into a cautionary tale.