Dallas encouraging short-term rental owners to register with the city
DALLAS - The city of Dallas started a campaign to encourage owners of short term rentals to register with the city.
Short term rentals have come under scrutiny after a shooting at a Plano rental killed an Allen High School football player.
Two weeks before that, five people died in a shooting at an Airbnb rental Halloween night near Oakland, California.
Dallas homeowners who have been wanting Dallas to ban short term rentals feel like a new registration drive is more like a slap in the face.
For nearly 30 years, Emil Lippe says his family enjoyed a peaceful life at their home on Gaston Avenue. But then two years ago, the home next door was sold and turned into a short term rental, or STR.
On Airbnb, the home next door is advertised as an amazing 4,800 square-foot home that sleeps 16 people for $477 dollars a night.
Lippe says many people pull up to their home mistaking it for the rental.
“One morning around 7:30, two guys walked unannounced into our front door,” Lippe said. “They didn't knock. They just showed ups like, ‘Here. I am at the hotel.’”
A new memo issued by the city says they have launched a new online portal for STR owners to register with the goal of collecting hotel occupancy taxes.
Lippe was shocked when she saw the memo.
“I thought we'd been dealing with both city attorney and members of the city council to get input into this process,” she said. “Now, it seems obvious they've made the economic decision that they want to promote short term rentals in residential neighborhoods, which violates the zoning ordinance and inconsiderate of the character of neighborhoods.”
The memo makes no mention of any consequences if one fails to register. It says letters are being mailed to "encourage registration."
Other cities have taken a different approach.
In April, the Arlington City Council voted to ban short term rentals across the city, except for a specially-zoned area around AT&T Stadium.
Lippe believes Dallas should enforce the zoning that's already in place in Dallas.
“I think they're ignoring the zoning laws, ignoring neighbors and trying to be very pro-business,” she said.
After the deadly shooting at an Airbnb rental in Oakland, California, the company issued a statement that it will crack down on unauthorized parties and remove hosts and guests engaged in abusive conduct.
The city of Dallas says it is working on a response to FOX 4’s questions about what consequences there are if someone does not register their rental with the city and if they have any plans to regulate where STRs can operate in the city.