LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The short-term rental application process continues to move forward in Clark County.
On Monday, county officials said they've started sending out notices to those who submitted a pre-application during the "random number generator process." County officials said 1,169 pre-applications were identified as eligible and may submit an application to be licensed as a short-term rental.
However, county officials added 137 pre-applications were ruled as ineligible. According to county officials, that was due to several reasons including being located within 2,500 feet of a resort hotel, being located in a jurisdiction other than unincorporated Clark County, being located in an ineligible township, and being located within a building that is a timeshare or vacation home.
Several people have told Channel 13 that the short-term lottery process has been confusing. The Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association has also voiced concerns about the process even though the county made amendments to the original proposal.
"These aren't just simple things the County has to "clean up language" on. These are major and serious attempts by our County officials to violate people's Constitutional protections," association officials said at the time.
The association is appealing to the Nevada Supreme Court to try to stop the licensing process. On Monday, Channel 13 reached out to the association for an update on the case and received the following statement.
"The Greater Las Vegas Short-Term Rental Association is currently working with our legal representatives to prepare for the appeal phase of our ongoing court battle. Additionally, we are closely monitoring the alleged ongoing violations committed by the Clark County Commissioners in disregard of the District Court's Preliminary Injunction, which explicitly prohibited the County from imposing fines and penalties.
Disturbingly, we have discovered that Las Vegas homeowners are being unfairly subjected to fines and penalties through a deceitful scheme orchestrated by the County to circumvent the court's order. This situation starkly highlights our claim that the County has not only exceeded its authority but also continues to operate with a sense of impunity, believing they are above the law and showing no regard for a judge's order. The blatant disregard of a court's mandate by our elected officials raises concerns about the protections available to citizens when our own government representatives violate the law without facing consequences. We are committed to taking all necessary actions to address this.
Furthermore, we will thoroughly examine the specific justifications provided by the County for deeming the 137 property owners ineligible. It is crucial to note that some of the general reasons cited by the County are ones we intend to dispute in court. Specifically, we will challenge the imposition of a 2,500-foot distance restriction between a private home and a resort hotel, which arbitrarily denies homeowners the ability to obtain a business license for renting out their properties to tourists based solely on their proximity to a resort hotel. This restriction serves as a clear example of collusion between our government officials and large corporate entities, revealing the favoritism and cronyism prevalent in Las Vegas. We firmly believe that such bias is both unjust and unlawful, and we will take legal action to address this issue."
