The internet has long been a place to share the love (think Grindr and Tinder) and to share your home (Airbnb and VRBO are two of many examples). Now it has become a place to share your pool.
Swimply.com is a website launched last year with a companion app. One of its co-founders tells Bisnow.com that the site is an “Airbnb for pools.”
Bisnow reports that Swimply got its start in Florida, where the website shows pools available for the use of one person for $32 per hour in Boca Raton and $150 in Miami Beach. Owners of pools also can make them available for all-day pool parties. Swimply hires pool inspectors to check out potential listings before they go
A search of the Swimply.com site turns up numerous pools in Los Angeles although none, yet, in West Hollywood. However one of the listings is WeHo-adjacent. It offers the use of a 30-by-10 foot pool behind a house just north of Beverly Boulevard between Orlando and Croft avenues for $50 an hour. A cheaper swim ($25 an hour) is available at a house on Martel south of Beverly Boulevard. It also offers access to a sauna, a changing room and a bathroom in an adjacent guesthouse.
The City of West Hollywood has struggled to deal with the “sharing economy,” which has grown to include apps for renting out your driveway parking space (Pavemint), your car to other drivers (Turo and Getaround ) your bicycle (Spinlister), and your WiFi network (Fon) to name a few.
After many months of debate, the City Council in February voted to let only homeowners (who are on the property at the time) rent out a room to a traveler. That decision came in a 3-to-2 vote, with Mayor John D’Amico and Councilmember John Duran, consistent supporters of the sharing economy, opposing the ban. Those homeowners must register with the city and pay a tax. Thus far only 11 have registered and illegal short-term rentals continue. The Council also has voted to ban companies from making dockless electric scooters and dockless electric bicycles available to rent in West Hollywood, although they can be ridden into the city if rented outside its limits. The city does plan to launch a test of dockless electric bikes with a vendor yet to be chosen.
If Swimply has an impact on West Hollywood, it’s likely to be in the West Hollywood West and Norma Triangle neighborhoods, where most residents live in single-family homes.
However, Contrary to basic manners, rules, cleanliness (trash pick up) in our world, instead of taking care of other’s stuff/property is more like a not caring because it’s not their pool & gross leftovers will be gone long before I come back.
A flaw of our charicture in far too many.
24 hour fitness HAS A DAY RATE and they have a large lap pool, sauna, steamroom, bathroom & showers & I think if you go upstairs, there are levels of physically painful torture equipment they “call” exercise & workout equipment. lol
It seems to me that if someone is renting his/her pool out, they just might be living beyond their means. Not to mention the liability issue of strangers in your pool. I’m not sure insurance companies would cover paid swimmers. A slip and fall or a drowning is a multi million dollar lawsuit. Plus strangers have access to case your house for a future burglaries. And who doesn’t want a smelly porta potty in his/her backyard? however, homeowners should have the right to do what they want as long as it’s not a nuisance to the neighbors. The City should… Read more »
I agree that the city shouldn’t get involved. All of those other issues are something the homeowner needs to deal with.
I’m not an insurance agent, but I doubt any injury of anybody on APT, Condo, home & hotel bldings DO COVER any broad range of injuries anywhere.
It’s considered an “umbrella coverage” ie: very broad.
But a claim or more by non residents at pool WOULD RAISE PREMIUMS.
So that is maybe the business decision is made, triggering residents irration excess anger.
Once again, I don’t think this applies to anything but single family residences. I looked at the site, and can’t see anything other than that listed. I don’t think NIMBYs need to worry about people renting their apartment pool, their condo pool, etc.. There is a reason why there are property managers and Homeowner Associations. If I lived in an apartment building and started renting out common areas for parties (pool, or not), I’m sure that would be shut down in a hot second. If a condo building’s association voted to allow their co-owners to do this, and everyone in… Read more »
Funny how you defend people who think it’s their god-given right to live in West Hollywood but cry about market-value rent, yet someone who wants to make money off their pool is “living beyond their means.”
What other reason would anyone want to rent their pool out other than needing the money? I have a pool at my house in Las Vegas, but I would never want strangers using it. If money was so tight that I needed to do that, I would find other ways to cut spending.
Amazing. Another waste of money on something you never thought you needed. Maybe this is why the HOA at one prestigious condo building in West Hollywood is insisting that the unit owner must be present while his “guests” are using the pool.
I do not believe this affects condos. Most HOA’s would prohibit this, anyways. It is for single family residences only, which are a very small fraction of West Hollywood residences, and of those, how many have a pool? If I had one, I think it would be my business who I have in my pool, under what terms, as long as I’m not violating any noise ordinances, just like if I were to host a friend’s birthday party at my own pool. I’m sure all the NIMBYs will chime in, and the city will make it their business, so you… Read more »
You high end condos and pool use by non residents was the kindest fact about the raging anger if owners let friends use common era pool. I’ve seen ugly at such a situation.
I guess they know water will splash and who is going to refill that water.
Assuming not a pool often crowded, and HOA fee paying residents allow guests & friends to use their own part monthly paying pool expenses.
HOWEVER the knowledge I am unwanted and residents are in anger and rage of a person swimming in a pool, I’d rather not even try.
Jonathan, not sure I understand your comment.
Most CC&Rs (the legal regulations for condos) prohibit and/or specifically define conducting a business on site. Renting a common area pool would be a business. It wouldn’t be allowed, and probably not covered by the Association’s insurance policy.