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This subdivision you're visiting was developed and implemented in the 90's. It was set up with an HOA, or so we thought... Families built their dream homes on this street. Ali Long is your VRBO host. She has the only short term rental on our street. Her and her husband Kyle are the owners of 897 Annie Lang Dr. They live 30 minutes away, in another town, in another house, on Cass Lake (much nicer than the house you're visiting). We're sure she is a terrific person, outside of running her business, and probably does lots of wonderful things in her community. She bought the house you're staying in, November of 2022. Ali forced herself upon our neighborhood, destroyed our HOA on a technicality, and opened up their business on our street.
You see, back in the 90's, vacation rentals via the internet didn't exist. The original people who built their homes on this street never thought that someone would spend as much money as Ali and her husband did to put a full fledged hotel into our quiet neighborhood. So, naturally, the people who created our HOA didn't include any HOA bylaws that excluded short term rentals (STRs). How do you make rules against something that you don't know could exist in the future? Honestly, who even checks to see if the neighborhood prevents STRs before buying a new house anyway? Oh, and that space above the garage that is off limits to you, mentioned in your VRBO listing... she was regularly hosting yoga classes there (among other things).
We attempted to do what any HOA would do. We tried to amend our bylaws to exclude short term rentals and non-owner occupied homes from having businesses. Well, Ali hired an attorney, and that attorney went to work. The attorney did some digging and found out that our original HOA paperwork in the 90's was never filed properly with the county. Essentially that means our HOA is null and void, and Ali doesn't have to follow our rules. She really dropped the hammer on us all, and you can imagine how that makes us feel. This is the technicality that was mentioned earlier. (You can see the letter that the attorney wrote below, which explains in detail.)
We feel violated and slighted. Ali and Kyle Long didn't ask permission, or check to see if anyone in the neighborhood would have a problem with their plan prior to buying the home. In all honesty, she didn't have to ask permission. However, that's not a good foundation for friendly neighbors. She saw dollar signs and ran with it anyway, having no regard for how it might affect anyone else. The seller of 897 Annie Lang didn't even know Ali and Kyle planned on using the house as a short term rental/business, and is very sympathetic to all of us. Maybe Ali thinks it's not an issue. She's allowed to have her opinion. She claims that she cares about the neighbors, but it's all a show in an attempt to keep her business. Ali and her husband didn't even register the rental with Milford Township until we told the ordinance officer about the hotel/business in March of 2023, almost 5 months later. Now, we're left to deal with the aftermath of her decisions. Ali exposed a loophole in our established community, and is reaping the rewards handsomely.
Milford Township took Kyle and Ali to court, because she wanted to put a yoga studio above the garage and host weekly yoga lessons. She was actually hosting sessions already, without getting approval, until Milford shut her down (for now). She also plans to eventually see patients for her naturopathic business in the space, host cooking classes, and even wants to sell you merchandise. She claims she's building a ”brand” and that we don’t understand her “vision”. Cool. Do it somewhere else. How many single family zoned residences do you know that have names like “The Sunshine House”? How many of them have “branded identities”? She even attempted to host a yoga festival here this past May. A FESTIVAL! It was going to have vendors and everything, for over 30 people! This house is zoned single family residential. Does that fit the mold of single family residential zoned house in your eyes? Would you want this next door to your house?
We don't mind that she wants to build a brand, but we don't want it in our private neighborhood. Please continue reading below!
Please, take a look around the subdivision. Does this look like a vacation spot? Do you think a wellness center belongs here? We would have no problem with the space if it was used how Airbnb’s and VRBO’s we originally intended to be used. Originally, they were a way for homeowners to make some extra money when they went out of town, or to rent individual rooms in their homes. Now, the sole purpose of this home on our street is to make money from vacationers. That means almost EVERY FUCKING WEEKEND, there is a party or gathering in our quiet neighborhood.
So, you and your group aren't causing a ruckus, or so you think. Yes, maybe you aren't, but is the next group of guests going to be a disturbance? How about the ones before you?
There have been a number of parties at 897 Annie Lang Dr. Cars line the driveway, and park in the street. People are constantly turning around in our driveways at all hours of the night, looking for the house. Ali has advertised this space as a retreat/venue that can sleep 16+ people in the past, but there is no limit to how many people can come over and have a good time. At least she changed her listing to 12 guests, recently. You may still think it’s no big deal, but these issues would easily go away if they sold and gave us our lives back. Who benefits from this being here? Ali and Kyle.
Imagine, if you will, that you have worked hard your whole life. You saved up enough money to buy your dream home in this wonderful and peaceful subdivision. Yay, go you! Then, imagine someone comes and diminishes your calm and serenity, puts in new weekly/daily strangers next-door, and even lowers your home's value. 12 new people every 2 days (that's Ali's minimum stay duration), equates to 2,190 potential new faces/strangers next to our homes and in our backyard. We used to not worry about locking our doors. Did you have to do a background check to get a reservation at "The Sunshine House"? How many of those nearly 2,200 people per year are pedophiles? How many of of them are sex offenders? Are any of them violent? How many of them are thieves? Would you and your family buy a house next-door to a short term rental and pay top dollar for it? Would you maybe look elsewhere for a home first? Would you build your dream home next to one? Would you let your children play outside, without worry? I would assume the answer is no.
Look below at some of the videos and pictures we've collected that have been a nuisance to us from the start.
If you've made it this far into the website, we're guessing that you're probably willing to help us. Thank you! You can help us in a number of different ways. If you think that what Ali is doing is morally wrong, you can start by not rebooking here in the future. We are nice people, but, we the neighbors, are fed up.
You can also help us by warning other potential guests in the future by notifying them via your VRBO and Airbnb reviews. Ali doesn't care about you. Ali doesn't care about the neighbors either. She only wants your money, and hopes you'll return to give her more of it. Please don't. Please encourage others not to stay here.
You can help us by spreading awareness about the annoyance that short term rentals cause their "neighbors". You can even share this website with anyone that you think might get a laugh out of all this craziness!
We hope you agree, that this street is not the proper place to have a hotel/business. You're unknowingly misplacing a family that could really use the home as their residence. As we said earlier, you yourselves may not be disruptive, but others can and WILL be.
"Sometimes reasonable men must do unreasonable things." - Marvin Heemeyer
Page 1, letter from Kyle and Ali Long's attorney.
Page 2, letter from Kyle and Ali Long's attorney.
Page 3, letter from Kyle and Ali Long's attorney.
13+ cars. Holding a party. (Not all cars pictured or easily visible.)
Young people playing beer pong in the back.
We put up “Not Welcome” signs, and Ali put out a “Be Kind“ sign. Infer what you will, but does she think we are unkind? If she does, why is she allowing unsuspecting guests to keep booking? She’s even claimed that she’s scared to come around here. Would someone who’s scared put a sign contesting ours if she were truly scared? Probably not.
Ali claims she is vetting out her guests. Did she purposefully allow this bunch playing drinking games to grace our quiet neighborhood? Or, did they slip past her careful/considerate vetting process?
As you can see on the attachment, there is a section that includes our HOA information, even with our HOA secretary’s information. A few things can be assumed here.
First, the Long’s realtor did them and our HOA a huge disservice by failing to notify the Long’s of our standing HOA. If this is the case, shame on their realtor.
Second, regardless of whether the realtor notified them or not, shame on the Long’s for blindly looking over this.
Third, if they did know about the HOA, this assumes they intentionally didn’t care about the repercussions of putting their business/STR in the neighborhood.
Fourth, they knew about the HOA, but knew we didn’t have our paperwork filed correctly with the county, and took advantage of it.
You can read the whole thing here: https://canvasrebel.com/meet-alicia-long/
We didn't know "collaborative retreat" spaces were deemed single family residential, nor doctor's offices for that matter.
Below is an email that Ali sent to everyone in the subdivision. These are our thoughts about it:
- No one is targeting her. We have been making sure that she is following the law's, which she has violated several of. No one floor space is supposed to be occupied by more than 25% from a business. The "Yoga Studio" occupies 100% of the floor above the garage. She's also been over the daily traffic allowance of 16 vehicle trips (8 round trips).
- Several loud parties have occurred, and have been documented with the police.
- She mentions gathering with "friends" and getting reported. People on our street do gather with friends, but they do it once in a blue moon, not every weekend. The key difference is that we aren't charging friends and family to spend time with us. The gatherings are hosted by people who live here...
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