Scottsdale mayoral candidates offers insights to effectiveness of STR regulations
By Terrance Thornton | Digital Free Press
Scottsdale voters will take the polls this summer to decide from a field of three candidates who will be elected as the next mayor of Scottsdale meanwhile residents will also decide from a field of nine candidates for three open positions at Scottsdale City Council.
Scottsdale is hosting a primary election Tuesday, July 30, to elect a mayor and three members of Scottsdale City Council whereas for a candidate to win outright in the July primary election they would have to receive the majority of ballots cast, election officials tell the Digital Free Press.
For races still in contention, a general election will be held to decide those races, election officials say.
In the race for mayor of Scottsdale, there are three candidates: Lisa Borowsky, David Ortega (incumbent) and Linda Milhaven.
The Digital Free Press reached out to each Scottsdale mayoral candidate to offer readers a better understanding of what they think about the current state of affairs revolving around short-term rental regulations, what challenges are emerging to executing that regulation at the Arizona Legislature — and that what they would do about those challenges if elected mayor.
Of Note: Scottsdale City Council Tuesday, May 6, is considering new measures to add teeth to existing local ordinances to hold unruly STR operations within municipal bounds more accountable.
This is what candidates for Scottsdale mayor have to say:
David Ortega
*If you are elected mayor, how will you protect neighborhoods from unruly short-term rentals?
During my entire tenure as mayor, I have spearheaded efforts to protect homeowners from the proliferation of short-term rentals (STR). In 2021, I testified at the Arizona Legislature and worked diligently to finally regain some local control in 2022. We enacted ordinances which require registration, safety measures, mandate background checks to deter rental to sex offenders, set penalty and fines, and in 2023 we funded the police STR enforcement team.
No question, short-term rentals are both a nuisance and a hazard. Scottsdale neighborhoods have consistently expressed frustration with STR properties that market themselves as party pads and host loud, late-night gatherings.
I strongly support the STR ordinance changes, which are on the council agenda May 6. Changes will strengthen our ability to hold party promoters accountable. Under my leadership, the Scottsdale Council will continue to implement every possible tool allowable under state law and we will continue to fight to get the legislature to restore city control for peace and tranquility in our neighborhoods.
*How has the proliferation of short-term rentals within Scottsdale changed the dynamic of local neighborhoods?
Today in Scottsdale, nearly 5,000 STRs have ghosted many blocks and made life miserable for Scottsdale residents who invested their life savings in their homes. Complaints number 2,622 and staff filed 176 citations between January 2022 and February 2024, resulting in fines of $76,700. The legislature specified the maximum fine of $1,000. Far short of the cost to pursue violators.
Direct harm to residents who are constantly bombarded by strangers on weekends is not measured in dollars. STR houses — once homes with neighborhood kids and hometown, after-school friendships — sit vacant between unknown renters.
What we can calculate is that the population of Scottsdale has been reduced by 5,000 STR dwelling units multiplied by 2.2 residents per dwelling: or approximately 10,000 people. Scottsdale generates a great deal of tax revenue which is redistributed by the state of Arizona according to population. STRs have reduced shared revenue by approximately $6 million dollars per year.
During the current legislative session, Scottsdale led a coalition of 90-plus Arizona municipalities which presented reasonable regulatory reforms to the Arizona Legislature, but the legislature did nothing. STRs have damaged the fabric of our family-friendly neighborhoods, and they erode our revenues needed to provide core city services. The legislature caused the STR debacle, and we must get them to fix the problem!
*What do you see as the largest challenge to Scottsdale’s ability to regulate STR operators within municipal limits?
We must restore local control which was stripped away by the Arizona Legislature in 2016. Essentially, short-term rentals ran wild without registration or accountability until 2023. Council is pushing for additional measures such as imposing distance between STRs, limiting the total number, and prohibiting accessory dwelling unit STRs.
*What do you think the city can do better when it comes to managing the STR marketplace here in Scottsdale?
Scottsdale zoning ordinances have always prohibited residential short-term rentals offered less than 30 days. And our building codes require fire sprinklers, occupancy limits and life safety measures. As mayor, I will continue to enact strict enforcement of the Scottsdale licensing program, fund equipment for the Short-Term Rental Unit in the Scottsdale Police Department and pressure the Arizona Legislature. Most importantly, we rely on the vigilance of residents so that code inspectors can cite problem properties and bring them to justice.
Lisa Borowsky
*If you are elected mayor, how will you protect neighborhoods from unruly short-term rentals?
First, once elected mayor, I will be instrumental in advocating for the city’s right to govern STRs in our community. Until the Arizona Legislature abandons immunity for STRs (the biggest hurdle), the city can and should crack down hard on the public nuisance and disturbances of the peace caused by STRs in neighborhoods. Law-abiding residents should not be traumatized by having the next big party move in next door for the night.
*What do you think the city can do better when it comes to managing the STR marketplace here in Scottsdale?
As an attorney representing homeowners throughout my 25-plus year career in Scottsdale, I am persistent when it comes to identifying solutions which advance my client’s goals or, in this case, the goals of the citizens of Scottsdale. I will work with the affected neighborhoods, and the Arizona legislature, in order to find the most effective solution to this long standing problem.
*If you are elected mayor, how will you protect neighborhoods from unruly short-term rentals?
We must continue to strengthen our ordinances and demand that they be good neighbors. We must be diligent enforcing our ordinances and hold bad actors accountable for the damage they are doing. We must continue to lobby our legislative delegation to help pass legislation that will return more local control to cities.
During my time on City Council, I was frustrated being told that there wasn’t anything we could do given the constraints the legislature put on the cities’ ability to regulate short term rentals. In response, I recommended and convened a task force of stakeholders, including residents, HOA leaders and good short term rental operators. They recommended, and we implemented, changes to city ordinances that help us crack down on the bad actors.
We strengthened requirements, increased fines and penalties, made repeat offenses a criminal offense, added officers to improve response times and made owners responsible for their tenants.
As mayor, I will continue to find ways to toughen up our local ordinances to hold bad actors accountable and work with our elected delegation to return local control to cities and towns.
*How has the proliferation of short-term rentals within Scottsdale changed the dynamic of local neighborhoods?
They are disturbing the peace and safety of our neighborhoods. Neighbors suffer with excessive noise and illegal activities.
Short-term rentals also erode our sense of community. When blocks are filled with short term rentals, the full-time residents lose a sense of community. They don’t know their neighbors because they don’t have any.
*What do you see as the largest challenge to Scottsdale’s ability to regulate STR operators within municipal limits?
The state legislature has constrained our ability to control short term rentals. In the last session, the legislature made some concessions, like allowing us to license these businesses, but they need to return more local control to cities.
*What do you think the city can do better when it comes to managing the STR marketplace here in Scottsdale?
The city continues to do all it can to strengthen the regulations and improve the enforcement of the regulations, within the constraints given to us by the legislature. My colleagues adopted the recommendations of the Short-Term Rental Task Force that I convened and continue to update our ordinances to demand that short-term rentals be better neighbors.
