Homeowners Urge Dallas Leaders To Push Back On Short-Term Rentals
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Frustrated homeowners in Dallas are begging the city to finally crack down on short-term rentals like Airbnb or VRBO.
The city has been considering regulations for more than a year and looked at new options this week.
Some Dallas neighborhoods call it a "homeowner's worst nightmare" when the place next door gets listed as a party home.
"They were renting the house for $1,000 a night and they were renting it to 22 people at a time, and their guests," said Mary Nagler, a mom of two who lives in Dallas' Lochwood neighborhood.
When a nearby home turned into a short-term rental, she says it brought noise, fights and trash.
"Nobody is on site and there's a hotel in the middle of a neighborhood, where it should be a residential family living there," she said.
Nagler says it puts a burden on taxpayers, too.
She used her business background to analyze data from the city, showing 3,713 service requests at just 41 short term rentals over a seven-month period.
Responding to each of those complaints costs the city.
"What I found did shock me a bit," Nagler said. "What I found was the cost of these hotels over that seven month period was just under $540,000 that taxpayers paid for."
There are thousands more listing in Dallas than the 41 she used in her sample set.
Nagler says it's further proof short-term rentals belong in commercial areas, like hotels.
Banning Airbnb or VRBO properties in certain neighborhoods is something the Dallas City Council is considering.
A committee heard eight different options this week, ranging from increasing regulations to keeping the status quo.
"Some are toying with the idea of issuing permits, even in residential areas, that can be revoked for bad behavior," said Arlington resident Dave Schwarte, who formed a coalition to fight short term rentals a few years ago. "It's a terrible idea."
Schwarte says getting them out of single-family, residential neighborhoods is the best option.
He urges Dallas to follow Arlington's lead.
In 2019, the city passed an ordinance limited short-term rentals to the entertainment district.
"If you do this the right way, and I think Arlington did and it's what we expect Dallas will do, the law is really on your favor," Schwarte said.
Currently, short-term rentals in Dallas are required to pay hotel occupancy taxes.
According to city staff, only about a third of the properties thought to be short term rentals actually do.
City staff say it would take at least a year to implement any of the changes.
A virtual public hearing is planned for April to get feedback on the options.