University Park May Address Short-Term Rentals
The last item on the agenda for this evening’s University Park City Council meeting is about short-term rentals of single-family homes. According to a report prepared by assistant city manager Robbie Corder, some residents have expressed concerns about houses being leased to people who are in town for a vacation, business trip, or special event. The city has no regulations in place that could limit such activity, hence tonight’s discussion.
What’s wrong with a short term lease?
@Maria, I suspect that they want to discuss Airbnb.
There is nothing wrong with a short term lease, like 3- to 6-months. But if short term is 2 days, and the owner is never there, then it becomes a come-and-go hotel with the key under the mat. Do you want that next door?
It’s a fair discussion to have.
@1st anon, That’s wild. Has this actually happened or simply a concern?
@1st anon – I think this is a bit of over reaction. The only time I have heard this happening was for the super bowl with A list celebrities renting a house for less than a week. How often has a super bowl been in Dallas? 1 time. And even with that, it is not an average person off the street but someone with stature, whether it be money and/or fame.
Also, do you really want a town government tell you what you can and can’t do with your own property more than they already have?
Go to http://www.airbnb.com, and enter 75205. There are two listings in the GWB Library area. It is a big issue in places like New York City, where it has become a de facto unregulated hotel industry. On one side, neighbors are upset, and the city loses hotel tax dollars. On the other hand, people see it in a similar light as the most recent local discussion of “Uber vs. Yellow Cab”. Or regulation vs. deregulation.
Of course, I don’t know that Airbnb is the issue. I’m not privy to the inner sanctum of UP City Hall. I’m just guessing. It’s probably a pretty good guess though.
@1st anon: Somebody has to say it: there will never be any danger of Dallas & New York being anything alike. 75205 is hardly a hotbed of short term renting.
Dear Your Property, I’m agnostic on the issue with respect to UP and HP. I don’t have an opinion. I was only adding context to @Maria’s question.
I do think that it is fair to at least have the discussion and come to a 2013-based conclusion on what sort of regulation (if any) that we as a community want to have.
I’m Todd Jorgenson, the new senior editor at Park Cities People. I was at the meeting last night, and can tell you the matter has been referred to the UP Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee for further consideration, so no action is pending yet on any potential regulations.
If you don’t think air bnb happens in the Park Cities, it does. And whether it’s widespread or not, it’s not safe or ok for the neighbors of these properties to open up their properties to one night renters.
Look at this listing on Abbott in HP which has 93 guest reviews!!
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/173753?s=42cd
Or this one on Daniel by Snider Plaza. Jeff is aparently a fantastic host! Wonder if his landlord knows he’s subletting to randos on a regular basis….
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/692336?s=42cd
Or this one on South Versailles in HPW.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1763936?s=38e7
Pingback:Is AirBnB About to Get Banned From The Park Cities? UP to Discuss Limiting Short Term Rentals | Candy's Dirt | Dallas Real Estate News and Blog by Former Dallas Dirt Editor Candy Evans
If I were a neighbor of some of these people (especially the ones living in condos or apartments) I would be livid if a different group of people were coming and going next door every day. As others have noted, it has nothing to do with property rights or keeping gubmit’ out of our lives, it has to do with zoning and what is and isn’t authorized use.
Before someone can rent an apartment they usually have to go through background checks/credit checks/etc. The people that are coming and going don’t go through any kind of checks other than having a working cell phone.
UP- Creating solutions to problems they don’t have. Fix the streets & alleys!