Karyn Contino Takes Fight Over Short-Term Rental To Denver Court
DENVER (CBS4) - The City of Denver is taking its short-term rental rules seriously. One homeowner is fighting back and taking her case to court.
Breckenridge Real Estate Agent Karyn Contino has a duplex home in the heart of Denver's Cherry Creek North area.
She insists that Denver location is her primary residence, but the City of Denver ruled it is not. Eric Escudero of the Department of Excise and Licenses says they examined various documents.
"In this particular case the evidence overwhelmingly showed it's not her permanent residence," he told CBS4's Rick Sallinger.
In her lawsuit filed in Denver District Court, Contino says she lives in Breckenridge only during the summer months and has her voter's registration in Denver.
But the city says her mail is sent to Breckenridge, that's her driver's license address is there, and her application for the Denver short-term license gives a Breckenridge address.
Escudero says the city required a signed legal document guaranteeing that the Denver location was the primary home.
"In this case we asked the person to sign the affidavit and unfortunately they did not sign it."
The City of Denver has been cracking down on places put up for rental for less than 30 days. Three people were charged with felonies accused of lying on those affidavits.
In Cherry Creek North there is divided opinion. Larry Andersen lives, works and is developing here.
"Owners of homes should be able to do an Airbnb or rental in their home especially if they live somewhere else in the winter or summer to recoup some of the income for that," he told CBS4.
As for the owner of this home, we looked up Contino's page on Facebook. It lists her being in Breckenridge. She has been licensed by Denver in the past to rent out her home on a short term basis.
The city says she has now missed the deadline to appeal the decision, but she can reapply for a short-term rental license. For now she has chosen a courtroom to continue her fight.
