(WSVN) - South Florida nightclubs and bars are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. People drinking are a lot less likely to socially distance, but now, massive parties are moving into neighborhoods and causing problems. 7’s Brian Entin investigates.
A beautiful waterfront neighborhood — normally peaceful and quiet.
Neighbor: “Sometimes it’s frustrating.”
We arrived thinking we were going to meet with a couple of upset neighbors, but a dozen showed up. All fed up with what they call a pandemic party house.
Neighbor (in cellphone video): “Hey! Turn the music down.”
Neighbor: “This is unacceptable.”
Police officer: “That’s why we’re clearing up and closing down the party, sir.”
Edward Carrillo, neighbor: “They turned this house into a nightclub!”
Oscar Longa, neighbor: “The amount of people that are in the backyard — it’s like being on South Beach.”
Benny Diaz, neighbor: “Last weekend, there were over 150 people. I sent you the videos.”
Neighbor (in cellphone video): “This is not South Beach!”
Neighbors say since the pandemic started, there have been parties at this mansion on 89th Street in Northeast Miami-Dade County.
Rebeca Shapiro, neighbor: “This house had buses two weeks ago coming in.”
Brian Entin: “Buses?”
Rebeca Shapiro: “Buses, at 10 to 1 in the morning. I called the police.”
Benny Diaz: “There is a bouncer that stands at the door sometimes at parties, and he has to charge them.”
Alvin Combs, neighbor: “Then, about 2 o’clock in the morning, they start up the Lamborghinis, which there are usually six or seven of them here, and they race them.”
The wild parties spill out into the street, but neighbors say what they have seen behind the walls is especially scandalous.
Oscar Longa: “My bedroom doors open to just almost above their pool. I have seen porno shot there. I have seen just regular parties where, you know, no one wears anything.”
There is something very interesting about this $2 million house. According to property records, it’s owned by an LLC, but we dug deeper and found that the LLC is owned by a Miami-Dade Police officer and a retired Miami-Dade officer.
Laurence Barbara: “Come on in.”
The owners had their property manager meet us at the house.
Laurence Barbara, property manager: “The owner right now is all about the law, as you can imagine, so for him, everything has to be respected.”
Property manager Laurence Barbara says the house has a bad rap because of the previous owners who sold the house last year.
The current Airbnb listing specifically says “no parties or events.”
Laurence Barbara: “We are 100% clear, no parties. Please, come with me. I am going to show you something.”
Barbara showed us signs on the walls and in the guest book.
Laurence Barbara: “No music outside. No loud noise outside. Please respect the neighbors!”
Brian: “The neighbors said there were two buses of people that showed up, like 100 people a few weeks ago.”
Laurence Barbara: “No, no, that’s just not possible. We would have been aware of it because, if it happened, then the police would have shown up.”
According to police records, cops were called to the house for disturbance calls on four consecutive nights just last month, but reports were not written, so there is not specific information.
Barbara insists one neighbor is exaggerating the situation.
Brian Entin: “So, when we came to talk with the neighbor, there were twelve neighbors that showed up.”
Laurence Barbara: “Wow!”
Brian Entin: “I mean, it’s hard to imagine that all 12 of them would be lying.”
Laurence Barbara: “I agree with you. It’s hard to imagine. However, I think that one neighbor going to see all his friends and being like, ‘We have to stop this because it bothers me.'”
As for those scandalous parties the neighbors told us about…
Laurence Barbara: “If they want to be naked in the pool, they can because it’s a private property, and they’re not doing anything wrong. News flash: if it bothers him, then don’t look.”
Miami-Dade Police tell 7News they are aware that an officer and former officer own the house.
They say they have stepped up patrols to stop parties before they get out of hand and say they have gotten no complaints since they increased patrols.
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