SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – There’s a new, faster, more efficient way to apply, pay and monitor short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) all in a one-stop shop that’s within residents’ reach.
This takes the form of a website called “Rentalscape,” which first received city approval in July 2023. It was created by the city at the request of city staff and residents who wanted to ensure a more streamlined application process and enforcement of permits.
“For many years, we’ve realized that simply accepting paper applications is no longer enough. We needed to move to a more tech-savvy platform and put in place enforcement mechanisms that could keep up with changes in technology,” said Bridget Liddy, director of city planning and urban design for the City of Savannah.
The online platform eliminates the need for a paper STVR application process, plus you can apply for permits and renewals, pay STVRs, and file enforcement complaints, all through Rentalscape.
If you notice anything unusual on your neighborhood STVR, you can upload photos, videos and audio tracks or call the 24-hour hotline at (912) 226-0320.
Cynthia Knight with Savannah Code Compliance said the main concerns she hears are about noise and permits.
“Before we had this software, we were only able to respond reactively because we relied solely on complaints,” Knight said. “Now we can respond proactively because the software can actually identify unauthorized locations and we can go out and investigate.”
Bob Rosenwald lives in the historic district and told News 3 he’s wanted a better way to monitor unauthorized STVRs for some time.
He says he has used Rentalscape but remains skeptical of its effectiveness.
“Even if it worked perfectly, it’s not a panacea, because Savannah has to enforce its current ordinance and has a really poor track record of doing so,” Rosenwald said. “For example, I think they misinterpret the ordinance when it comes to owner-occupied short-term vacation rentals.”
Rosenwald said the platform lacks specific information that would be more useful in monitoring STVRs.
“For example, when I click on a license, I want to see when the license was issued, how many bedrooms it has, how many parking spaces it has, how many violations it has, and none of that information is there,” he said.
Overall, Rosenwald said he thinks the city is off to a good start.
“I think there’s a lot of room for improvement, but I’m glad the city is at least trying to do something different,” he said.
Rentalscape had a soft launch on May 15, but a City of Savannah spokesperson told News 3 they are still working through technical issues but will be ready soon. Rentalscape’s map showing the locations of all STVRs is not completely accurate at this time and will take a few more weeks to be fixed and made available to the public.
