(KTLA) — With a heatwave scorching Southern California and many pools still closed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, homeowners are renting out their backyard pools on an hourly basis for some extra cash.
One Los Angeles couple, Cooky and Alain Bali, said they’ve made about $7,000 by opening their pool to strangers.
The couple used Swimply, a small start-up that lets people offer their backyard pool for rent by the hour for a 15% service fee.
The website had 165 pools listed in the L.A. area Sunday, with prices ranging from $30 to $75 per hour.
Some pools are touted for being “kid-friendly,” others as “resort-like,” and some listings say surfaces are disinfected between visits.
Fearing crowding at beaches and with many indoor settings such as theaters closed, homeowners say the private pools offer a safe way to cool off in the summer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said there’s no evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted to people through water in pools.