Apartment complex near Kissimmee to become Airbnb property

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A massive apartment complex that opened last year in Kissimmee is now transitioning into an Airbnb. It’s believed to be the first of its kind in the country. The Domain will change to Niido powered by Airbnb this summer.

The apartment community includes more than 300 luxury apartments, renting for more than $1,000 a month along Highway 192 near Margaritaville, which is under construction.

Tenants were notified by a letter sent by the Miami-based company in April, but by then, some had already signed a long-term lease and said they were never told the company planned to operate the community as an Airbnb.

Cecelia Sgro moved in two months ago out of desperation because she relocated from the north and bought a condo sight unseen.

"When I came down here, it was full of mold and we were looking for a place to rent," Sgro told 9 Investigates' Daralene Jones.

The apartment complex she now calls home is now slowly transitioning into hotel-style living. Miami-based developers, Niido Powered by Airbnb, hope to convince tenants to rent out their units through Airbnb when they're not home.

There's no mention of AirBnB on the apartment complex website and the Niido website only mentions an Orlando community coming soon.

Sgro told us she had no idea.

"I don't know how that would work. Is it like a resort?" she said.

Osceola County leaders told us the expansion of Airbnb-style rentals presents its own challenge. There are no official regulations specific to Airbnb, but like hotels, they are required to collect tourist development taxes and maintain their properties per county ordinance.

"It's a different product, so if folks don't know that they've got to register and pay the sales tax, we'll have someone remind them. And we usually try to do voluntary compliance," said Dave Tomek, the community development administrator.

This is the first of what is expected to be four apartment-style Airbnb properties for Niido throughout the country.

Tenants at The Domain said they hope the owners are more transparent about those plans so others aren't blindsided like them.

A spokesman for the company told Jones more information will be released later this summer.

Cox Media Group