UPDATE: On Sept. 1, 2020, the Denver DA’s office confirmed the case against the Neirs has been dismissed.
ORIGINAL STORY:
DENVER — A Denver couple is accused of illegally running a short-term rental scheme through Airbnb.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday that Alexander Neir, 45, and Stacy Neir, 43, claimed two homes as their primary residences. However, prosecutors allege the couple was not living in either home and had been using the properties for short-term rentals.
Denver Municipal Code requires the owner or leaser of a short-term rental to live at the home being rented as their primary residence.
The DA’s office said that following an investigation led by Denver police and the city’s Department of Excise and Licenses, authorities learned the couple lives in Stapleton. However, the couple listed Alexander’s primary residence as a home in Jefferson Park and Stacy’s primary residence as a home in Berkeley.
The DA’s offices said the Jefferson Park home had been operated as a short-term rental since 2013. The Berkeley home had been operated as a short-term rental since 2016.
The couple turned themselves in to investigators. Both are charged with one count of attempting to influence a public servant.
The Neirs will next appear in court for a bond hearing on June 21.