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Town finds roughly 400 short-term rentals; code sample flags life-safety issues
Summary
Planning staff reported about 394 short-term rentals in town under a one-year Deckard Technologies contract; a 30-property random sample by code enforcement found 10 properties with life-safety concerns and two with substantial violations requiring immediate attention.
The York Select Board on July 13 received preliminary short-term rental (STR) data from the planning department and a compliance briefing from code enforcement.
Planning Director Dylan Smith said the town signed a one-year contract with Deckard Technologies for $15,500 to identify and map STRs. "So far, these preliminary findings suggest there's around 394 individual short term residential rentals right now," Smith said, noting the platform remains in setup and the figure could shift slightly.
Code Enforcement Director Harry Dornan described a 30-property random sample conducted by staff. "Ten of the 30 appear to have life safety issues," Dornan said, listing problems that included blocked egress, basement dwellings with inadequate ceiling height and properties advertised with beds that exceeded the town's bedroom records. Dornan said two properties showed "substantial violations" that would be addressed immediately.
Why it matters: Smith said the platform can provide addresses, bedroom counts, occupancy histories and links to emergency response data, helping the town test whether STRs generate more dispatch calls or safety risks. Dornan said his office will send warning letters, follow up on immediate hazards and pursue enforcement for serious violations.
Board direction and next steps: Staff said the platform should be fully operational by August 7 and offered to return with visuals and a fuller report. Select Board members asked that code enforcement use a measured approach — giving homeowners a chance to correct problems while acting quickly on hazards.
Ending: The board requested a fuller presentation when the platform exits beta and asked staff to link STR lists with dispatch records for comparative analysis.
