The state stopped short-term rentals due to COVID-19. He rented to tourists, faces charges.
A special Key West police task force formed during the COVID-19 pandemic has made a fourth criminal case by citing a man they said rented a home to tourists while the Florida Keys is closed to short-term rentals and visitors.
Kevin P. McGinty, 59, on Monday was given a notice to appear on two misdemeanor counts of violating a county and a state order by renting to a couple during the coronavirus crisis, said police spokeswoman Alyson Crean.
McGinty rented a property handled by Key West Hideaways to a couple from New York, Crean said.
The deal was signed March 31 and the couple arrived on April 3, police said.
“The couple was placed under quarantine and could still be subject to arrest,” said Crean.
McGinty, a 15-year veteran of the vacation rental business who manages 110 vacation rentals, said he did nothing wrong because the lease, which is longer than 28 days, started in March before the government orders came down. The couple arrived March 14, he said, and have the airline ticket to prove it.
“It’s blown completely out of proportion,” he said. “There will be an affidavit written tomorrow and notarized that it’s her choice to go to the house when she wants. She paid for it. She can come and go as she pleases, that’s how she sees it.”
The New York couple is in town visiting their daughter who has a newborn baby, he said, but decided to rent a home for themselves.
McGinty said a neighbor complained, which led the police to show up at the rental on William Street on March 29, when the wife of the couple chose to move to the rental.
On March 20, Monroe County issued a directive ordering short-term rentals to stop.
On March 27, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an order suspending all new short-term vacation rentals.
This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 6:42 PM.
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