The battle over short-term rental homes in single-family neighborhoods is raging in North Texas. It warmed up in Plano on Monday with a 6 p.m. public meeting at City Hall for feedback from residents and briefings from attorneys on possible regulatory options.
The September raid on a short-term rental house used as a brothel added additional ammunition to naysayers.
“These transients coming and going from a house, we don’t know who they are, which provides great cover for criminal activity,” opponent Greg Pattillo said.
On September 23, Dallas police said they executed a search warrant with the help of Plano police at a short-term rental home on Las Palmas Lane after discovering that a sex trafficking ring operating in the north of Dallas had moved to Plano.
Two women were arrested. Several other people who might have been held there against their will were questioned and released.
Neighbors of the house said they saw an increase in vehicular traffic at the scene in the days leading up to the raid, but only found out the reason for all the traffic from police after the raid.
Bill France, a leader in opposition to Plano’s short-term rentals, said such situations are not what landlords in single-family neighborhoods want.
“Without intent, we can house criminals and that’s not what we signed up for when we moved here 25 years ago,” he said.
The Plano home used for prostitution was listed on Airbnb, but the company said the site was not used to book the illegal activity.
In response to a request for comment on the Plano short-term rental issue, the company provided an emailed statement Monday from public policy officer Luis Briones.
“The overwhelming majority of hosts on Airbnb are responsible neighbors who rely on home sharing to supplement their incomes in the face of rising costs of living and to accommodate travelers who support small local businesses. Airbnb supports reasonable regulations that address community concerns, protect property rights, and preserve the benefits that short-term rentals provide to residents and the broader state economy,” the statement read.
Airbnb also announced new policies on Monday to help combat Halloween party homes.
Plano critics oppose the regulations and licensing options because they preclude a later ban on short-term rentals.
“The courts have said that once you give someone a license, you can’t take it back,” France said.
Many opponents want short-term rentals banned in single-family neighborhoods as an improper commercial use.
Some cities collect hotel taxes on homes, but Pattillo said communities end up losing money from families with school-going children who would have lived in those homes.
Pattillo said Plano has more than 500 short-term rental homes.
“And you look at the base allocation calculation, you’re looking at just over $1.5 million just in lost school funding,” Pattillo said. He said cities also had other expenses related to short-term rentals.
Plano attorneys were invited to discuss legal matters Monday evening, and residents were expected to have the opportunity to comment to help city officials decide on possible future regulations.
Dallas and Fort Worth are also considering new short-term rental regulations.
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