ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A group of Florida vacation rental owners are suing Gov. Ron DeSantis over his Executive Order dictating that vacation rentals remain closed while other businesses deemed "essential" are allowed to resume operations, claiming the exceptions made in the order make no sense.

Galen Alsop spent two years of renovating a 2,800 square-foot house in Destin, Florida and was looking forward to renting it out.

“This year was set to be a year where we could start pulling profits off of it with regard to the risk that we had taken,” Alsop said.

But Alsop is unable to do that because of an executive order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March that forced owners of short-term rentals to close in response to the pandemic. That order has since been extended.

“Things started opening up and I’ve got essential businesses that don’t make any sense and hotels that are allowed to open,” Alsop said.

In response, Alsop joined a group who filed a federal lawsuit against the governor over his executive order.

“A lot of them have been hurt really bad,” said Pat LeDuc, an attorney for the plaintiffs. “A lot of them live like the rest of us. They’re working joes.”

In his court filing, LeDuc writes that the executive order “provides exceptions for other activity and conduct that is similar in its impact and effects.”  He referenced major hotels that are allowed to operate while his clients’ properties  remain closed.

“They don’t have the resources these major companies have,” LeDuc said. “There’s really no basis to treat them differently.”

We reached out to Gov. DeSantis' office regarding the lawsuit. A spokesman said he doesn’t comment on pending litigation.