Judge delays decision in Fort Worth short-term rental lawsuit
FORT WORTH – The fight over short-term rental regulations in Fort Worth has now made its way to the courtroom.
A hearing was held Thursday to have the civil court agree with either the city or the 114 property owners who are suing the city over its short-term rental regulations.
The judge postponed his decision and asked for more time to review the case.
The legal fight has been nearly two years in the making. In February 2023, the City of Fort Worth changed its short-term rental regulations, essentially banning short-term rentals from operating in residential areas and imposing stricter rules for operating in commercial or mixed-use areas.
In June 2023, 114 short-term rental owners across Tarrant County sued the city over this ordinance. The plaintiffs argue that they have a constitutional right to own and use their property as they choose under state law. However, the city says short-term rentals have been banned in residential areas since 2018 when it first passed another ordinance.
CBS News Texas spoke to several rental owners who are part of the lawsuit and were present at the hearing. They claim their constitutional rights are being violated and admit it's affecting their main source of income and retirement.
"I know that a lot of people who have been targeted have been forced to take their rental off the public websites for marketing purposes. And so, of course, that has inhibited their cash flow," said Tracey Amaya, a short-term rental owner in Fort Worth.
"We're scared to death of losing our homes and not being able to afford them," said rental owner Margaret Bunton. "You have people that are retired that need the income. You've got people that are disabled, like me, who need the income. So as long as we're following the rules, I think we should be able to operate."
The city said it will not comment on the case until a decision has been made. It's also important to note that the city increased its budget this past November to $450,000 to pay its lawyers for the duration of this lawsuit.
