A home with alleged ties to baseball legend Babe Ruth is set to be converted into a bed and breakfast after violating St. Petersburg’s short-term rental ordinance with an $800-per-night listing.
Maria Lassak recently applied for a special permit from the building authorities to convert her historic single-family home in the Central Oak Park neighborhood into a bed and breakfast. Neighbors reported the apartment at 329 49th St. N. for short term rental in March.
The city’s Development Review Commission voted 6-1 to approve the construction on Aug. 7. Lassak’s representative, Marianne Hilyer, said the violation was due to a simple misunderstanding.
“Maria (Lassak) truly believed she was running a bed and breakfast, not an Airbnb,” Hilyer said. “She was simply using the platform to collect payments, pay taxes and verify her customers.”
City planner Katrina Lunan-Gordon said construction on the two-story, five-bedroom home was completed in 1926. It has five and a half bathrooms and eight parking spaces accessed via an adjacent alley and driveway.
Lunan-Gordon said Lassak bought the property in 2022, lives on site and rents four guest rooms, each with a kitchenette. The surrounding neighborhood consists primarily of single-family homes.
However, Lunan-Gordon pointed to the commercial use of the area and that the house is just a mile north of Central Avenue. “Use as a bed and breakfast will not have a significant adverse impact on the area, nor should it negatively impact surrounding properties,” she said.
The property owner undertook to obtain the necessary permits before hosting any further special events.
Heather Judd, assistant city attorney, said these establishments must obtain a state license and are subject to regular inspections. City officials could require an inspection if they receive complaints that “this was just an Airbnb.”
Commissioner Charles Flynt questioned the difference between an Airbnb and a bed and breakfast. The hearing came just a month after City Council members debated implementing “super fines” for violating short-term rental regulations.
Judd explained that the Airbnb platform promotes all types of vacation rentals, including traditional bed and breakfasts, while a similar website, VRBO, does not typically offer such facilities.
According to Flynt, the only difference is whether someone is living in a boarding house. Local ordinances are also different.
Homeowners and investors can rent an apartment in St. Petersburg for less than 30 days up to three times a year. Judd said Lassak could rent the house nightly with the commission’s approval if she meets special exemption conditions.
These include obtaining and maintaining appropriate permits, ensuring on-site management, limiting special functions, maintaining six parking spaces, submitting a stormwater management form, and various landscaping requirements.
Neighbors filed complaints through the city’s See Click Fix portal earlier this year about special events taking place at the home. Hilyar said Lassik offered the home for weddings, birthdays and bachelorette parties.
“At the moment, however, Mrs. Lassik would like to stay in a classic bed and breakfast accommodation…”
Hilyer also noted that a neighbor of her client had offered to use her property as overflow parking. Several commission members cited the layout and appearance of the home as a reason for approving the request.
Hilyar said the residence, called Hacienda Maryna, “was believed to have been built in 1926 by Babe Ruth for his mistress, who was the biological mother of his daughter Dorothy.” Ruth, arguably the most famous baseball player in history, frequently visited the area during spring training and the offseason.
Despite the previous complaints, Lassik’s proposal received six signatures from surrounding neighbors. Hilyar said the homeowner did not speak English when she immigrated to Chicago from Poland in 1978 and misunderstood state and local regulations.
Hilyar noted that Lassik was one of 117 people charged with violating short-term rental regulations on March 2. “Apparently, many people are having a hard time understanding the city ordinance,” Hilyar added.
A screenshot of the house’s Airbnb listing. It also received a property tax exemption.
A complainant also reported that Lassik received a property tax exemption when she listed her home on Airbnb. Hilyar said her client understands that she cannot claim the property tax deduction.
Commissioner Kevin Reali said a recent complaint mentioned extensive renovations and suspected the person was unaware the property was already being used as a short-term rental.
“We don’t like these situations when you find them after the fact, but we are definitely seeing more serious violations,” Reali continued. “And that has the added benefit of seeing the quality of the premises there.”
