Northwest Dallas neighborhood frustrated with short-term rentals

DALLAS - Another Dallas neighborhood is frustrated after a short-term rental brought dozens of people the smell of drugs and trash to their usually quiet neighborhood last weekend. 

A city councilwoman says the Dallas Police Department and code enforcement are investigating exactly what went on inside the home. 

After the short-term rental brought hordes of people and the smell of drugs to their normally quiet Northwest Dallas neighborhood, people who live there have put up signs calling for the Dallas City Council to act. 

One neighbor captured images of an armed security guard with a bulletproof vest walking outside the short-term rental Saturday. 

"Why do you need a security guard with an armed vest at the front door?" said neighbor Alan Shlensky. "Something was not right. It is alarming."

Neighbor Mike Long says the atmosphere was not appropriate for the many young children in the otherwise quiet neighborhood. 

"It was more out of a massage parlor than family atmosphere party," he said.

Long says he is speaking out so people know how quickly short-term rentals can bring havoc to a neighborhood. 

"I never imagined this was an issue this is a huge issue. I guarantee no city commissioner wants this in their neighborhood or anyone who lives in Dallas," he said.

The owner of the home leased it to a company that manages short-term rentals.  He says that the company then put the listing on Airbnb.

Airbnb recently issued a permanent ban on house parties, although neighbors say it's not exactly clear what kind of activity was going on in this case. 

"I wish Airbnb's rep could have been here Saturday night, and they could have gone to the non-party," Long said.

Ted Reemstma is the owner of the short-term rental home in the neighborhood. He says he doesn’t have an agreement anymore with the management company.

"They were here at the beginning a lot. Then, they left to expand their business," he said. "I’m not going to fault them for that. It is a free country."

Reemtsma, who grew up in the neighborhood, said he called police to ask the short-term tenants to leave the property Saturday. He says there were a number of lease violations, from smoking and drug use to too many vehicles parked outside.

He said it was not what he was expecting when he signed on with the management company.

Reemtsma is meeting with a new short-term rental management company now.

A spokeswoman for Airbnb said the company is looking into the situation. 

The Dallas City Council has directed its zoning panels to review defining short-term rentals as lodging, which would in turn restrict them from residential neighborhoods. 

The city council will have the final say in a vote expected this fall.