MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — The heat is starting to rise in the DMV, and we're expecting a warmer-than-average summer this year. It may have you thinking about hitting the pool. While many may be looking to the public pool for relief, some are pulling out their smart phones to find a rental instead.
The app acts as an Airbnb for pools, and it's getting some attention in Montgomery County. Not all of it is positive.
Using the Swimply app, you can rent a private pool by the hour. Some neighbors are not a fan of the app.
Marylin Schwartz is one of a couple of dozen neighbors across Montgomery County with concerns. She tells us one of her neighbors has started sing the app, bringing what she calls "loud parties" to her Chevy Chase neighborhood.
She's unhappy about the racket the app is bringing to her typically quiet neighborhood, along with an increased amount of traffic.
We spoke to the homeowner who has been using the app. She told us that when COVID hit, her husband had to shut down his business. So they turned to these pool rentals for some added money.
Last year, the homeowner said the rentals came to an abrupt stop. The county issued a fine since there is no legal framework for the rentals through the app.
That's where Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando. He's proposed a bill to formally regulate pool rentals.
"Require an inspection, levy a tax, make sure that if there are bad actors, there's a process for fines and eliminating their right to do this activity, which again is already happening," Jawando said.
The bill would also limit how often these rentals can be used to the 120 days a year, and allow just six adult guests per rental.
But Schwartz, along with 35 of her neighbors, wrote a letter to Council, urging members to reject the regulations.
"The neighborhood will no longer be a residential neighborhood. It will be a commercial neighborhood," Schwartz said.
Jawando believes nixing the app completely is not the right move.
"The wrong way to go would be prohibit this activity. There's a lot of benefits for residents who need to earn a little income," he said.
It's not just pools. The bill would also regulate other apps that provide shared services. For example, SniffSpot lets people rent out their backyards so dogs have a place to run around off leash. That too would be regulated if the bill passes.
We reached out to Swimply for comment. A spokesperson tells us that 70% of their bookings are made by parents for family visits, and only 5% of their hosts even allow parties.
Swimply says they have a neighbor portal on their website and app that allows people to file complaints and report noisy neighbors.