🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Florida
After Tragedies in Vacation Homes, Florida Lawmaker Moves to Tighten STR Pool Safety Rules
Florida Pushes for Pool Safety: New Bill Targets Short-Term Rental Tragedies
Florida’s booming short-term rental market is under new scrutiny after a series of child drownings has prompted calls for reform. State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith says he’s preparing a bill that would mandate stronger pool safety standards for short-term rental homes statewide — a proposal inspired by investigative reporting and preventable loss.
A recent Scripps News investigation found at least 49 children have drowned or nearly drowned at Florida STRs since 2021, often in properties rented by families visiting Orlando or coastal areas. The report highlighted recurring issues: missing pool fences, faulty gates, and a lack of alarms — safety lapses that can turn a dream vacation into tragedy.
Smith, who previously sponsored a bill to apply the state’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act to all homes, said the focus this time will be narrower but urgent. “We’re seeing real problems in short-term rentals,” he said. “This is about saving kids’ lives, not politics.”
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The current law, passed in 2000, only covers newly built pools, requiring one of several safety features such as a barrier fence or exit alarm. Smith’s upcoming bill would extend those protections to all STR homes, many of which were built decades ago and now operate as commercial-style lodgings without commercial-grade safety oversight.
The emotional weight behind this legislation is clear in cases like Laylani Carpio’s, a 2-year-old who drowned at an Airbnb in 2022 after slipping through what her family says was a defective mesh fence. Her mother, Sugeiry Carpio, is suing both the host and Airbnb. “I miss her all the time,” she told Scripps News.
Experts like attorney Michael Haggard say companies like Airbnb and Vrbo can’t leave safety entirely to homeowners. “If they profit from these rentals, they should ensure they meet basic safety standards,” he said.
Airbnb responded that it expects all hosts to comply with local laws and noted new app features that educate guests about water safety. But for lawmakers and grieving families alike, education alone won’t cut it. The next session in Tallahassee could bring a long-overdue tightening of safety rules for Florida’s vacation homes — and, with luck, fewer preventable tragedies.
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