The homeowner’s association for a luxury Martinez neighborhood filed a lawsuit against an Augusta University dean for refusing to stop renting his home on AirBnB and using it for events.
Augusta University cyber college Associate Dean Gursimran Walia has been renting the $1.5 million property he bought last year for up to $1,400 for an overnight stay and up to $5,000 for events, according to the complaint filed in the Superior Court of Columbia County.
He’s been marketing it as a “private European Villa” with commercial kitchens, stately fountains, an outdoor pool with a swim lane and spa and a green glass conservatory that was shipped from England.
Included in the complaint is the list of the neighborhood’s covenants, which prohibit AirBnB and similar-type rentals (Masters-related rentals are allowed), as well as businesses that require customer or client traffic. Using the residence as an event facility also violates Columbia County’s zoning laws.
Walia’s attorney, Jeffrey Peil, didn’t immediately return a request for a statement. Previously, he told The Augusta Press that the accusations from the “well-connected” Barrington residents were “absurd.”
Prior to the lawsuit, the HOA sent Walia three separate notices on Feb 7, Feb 18 and March 7 that asked him to take corrective action within 10 days.
The first two notices came from the HOA while the third notice came from the HOA’s lawyer, Hammad Sheikh, who warned Walia of future legal action.
Using the home as a rental and event space “produces excessive vehicle traffic and parking” and has caused “irreparable injury” for residents, according to the complaint.
The HOA asked that the court order Walia to stop using his home as a short-term rental and event venue and require him to cover its litigation expenses, as well as provide “any other and further relief as this court may deem just and proper.”
The complaint included images of Walia’s AirBnB listing, which noted the neighborhood was “very quiet and friendly.”
One guest wrote in January 2023 that they were the first to rent the home and said it was a “great decision on our part.”
Records previously obtained by The Augusta Press showed that code enforcement issued Walia a citation for his use of a residential property as an event space. At a hearing on the citation in June, he pleaded not guilty. A trial will be held on July 25 on the matter.
