Dallas landlords are concerned about short-term rentals in neighborhoods and want the city to take action

The city of Dallas requires STRs to register, but officials say not all do. Since last month, 1,055 STRs have been registered with the city. Opponents of the STR say it is only about a fifth of the total in Dallas. STRs are also expected to pay a hotel resort tax.

Opponents of STRs want them out of their neighborhoods.

Carl Hays has lived in the Oak Park Estates neighborhood for 31 years. A house in front of Hays’ house began to be used as a short-term rental late last year.

“When I bought this house, there was an implied mandate of quiet enjoyment. But the problem is, I can’t have quiet enjoyment when I wake up at 3 a.m. and hear gunshots. outside my door,” Hays said.

The attorney said the STRs were destroying his neighborhood and he wanted the city to restrict where they can operate.

“I just think it’s an incubator for crime,” he said.

A long STR battle

For years, owners have complained about security issues, parking congestion, trash, and noise. At a recent Dallas Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee meeting, more than 100 people spoke on the issue. And things got a little heated.

“I worked for two years to solve the nightmares of STR in my neighborhood and I am appalled by the lack of integrity in this process and how the city has shut down many of us,” said Olive Talley. , who lives in the Edgemont Park Conservation District. .

There was passion on both sides.

“During the pandemic, we provided accommodation for essential workers. We were working to keep our communities and neighborhoods safe,” said Vera Elkins. She owns a short term rental.

Supporters and owners said the STRS brings visitors to Dallas and boosts the city’s economy.

Council members recognized that there was a problem. A working group was created in 2020 to propose solutions.

The task force recently recommended that the city require all short-term rentals to register, limit the number of people staying in an STR to 10, ban outdoor parties between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., and require landlords from STR to give house guests and neighbors within 100 feet an emergency number.

The committee voted to move forward with some, but not all, of the recommendations. For example, members did not agree on outside assemblies and instead voted to limit occupancy to three adults per room, which is in line with state code.

Council member Paul Ridley said more needs to be done.

“The whole STR regulatory process so far has been flawed,” Ridley said.

He fears that STR supporters are overrepresented in the task force. Some residents share this view.

Edgemont Park Conservation District resident Norma Minnis is part of the task force and said she was “deeply disappointed” in who was on it.

“When the members of the task force were announced, I was shocked to see that the members were dominated by people who derive income from STRs or are former owners of STRs,” she wrote in a letter sent to the city last month.

Ridley said the imbalance was reflected in his recommendations.

“To me, this is a fatal flaw that invalidates the recommendations of this task force,” Ridley said.

A different approach

Dave Schwarte, member of the TX Neighborhood Coalitionhelped push the city of Arlington to pass a zoning ordinance limiting where STRs can operate.

“All rentals of less than 30 days are strictly prohibited in residential areas except those in the entertainment district,” he said. “Our prescriptions are working. Don’t fall into the trap of allowing them to operate without first determining where they can legally do business.

Opponents of Dallas’ short-term rental want this zoning to also keep STRs away from residential neighborhoods. Council member Paul Ridley calls for new zoning rules.

“The smart, targeted solution is to allow STR hotels only in areas where traditional hotels, which STR hotels compete with, are allowed,” Ridley said. written in a letter in responsee to an article suggesting that DOS could help fund the arts.

The short-term rental discussion will continue at a meeting of the Dallas Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee on Feb. 22. Board members on the committee will discuss the task force recommendations and vote to move to a full board vote.

Luis Briones, Texas director of public policy and government affairs at Airbnb, said part of his company’s efforts “to prevent and defer community disruption” is a new policy who banned parties in the short-term rentals they operate.

“They [City Council] really seek to manage, not banish, STRs in the city,” Briones said. “And we think that’s the right approach. Identify bad actors and, in partnership with us, take action against people they are not allowed to and therefore have no place on our platform.

Do you have any advice? Alejandra Martinez is a Report for America body member for KERA News. Email Alejandra at [email protected]. You can follow Alejandra on Twitter @alereports.

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