Fire at Indio rental home raises questions about short-term renter rules
Officials continue to investigate a fire that burned a short-term rental in Indio to the ground. It's raising new questions about whether the people staying there were breaking county orders.
The rental home, which is within the Montage East community near Madison Street, boasts a pool, fire pit, jacuzzi, and six bedrooms.
The only issue: that short term vacation rentals are not permitted under Riverside County's stay-at-home orders.
So when that property went up in flames Wednesday morning, new concerns were raised by neighbors about who exactly was staying there.
"There were five cars here before this fire broke out," said Mary, a neighbor who lives up the street that didn't wish to give her last name. "They're clearly people who have come here to party."
She's worried that with more than half of her community made up of vacation rentals, she and her neighbors are more likely to be exposed to coronavirus by the people coming and going.
"They feel that none of the restrictions apply to them, and so those of us that are permanent residents here are put at risk constantly," Mary said.
Another nearby resident said, "They tell us they're coming from LA and San Diego and San Francisco area, because they want to get away... So it puts us at locals in jeopardy."
The county makes exceptions to the short-term rental ban for lodging homeless people, essential workers, and those displaced due to quarantine.
The property's website instructs potential renters not to inquire unless they meet those criteria and can provide documented proof.
But at the same time, the website advertised "Shelter-in-Place Specials."
While News Channel 3's Jake Ingrassia was shooting the story, the renters showed up on the property. Ignoring the fire department's red tag order not to enter, they retrieved their belongings inside.
When asked if they were aware of the countywide ban on short-term rentals, one man said he was not renting short-term.
He declined to answer a question about whether he was putting the community at risk.
"It's unfair, it's kind of selfish in a lot of respects," said a neighbor. "They are potentially causing harm to local residents."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Police are also investigating whether the renters meet the criteria to have been staying in a rental home.
News Channel 3 reached out to the company that manages the property. They declined to comment for this story.
You can reach Jake on Twitter, Facebook or email him at jake.ingrassia@kesq.com.
