[Quality of Life Committee]
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COUNCIL CHAMBERS, MY NAME IS JULIAN RAMIREZ.I AM COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE AT LARGE ONE POSITION AND CHAIR OF THIS QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
IT IS TWO 12 IN THE AFTERNOON, MONDAY, DECEMBER THE NINTH, 2024.
WITH US THIS AFTERNOON ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABBY CAYMAN FROM DISTRICT CM ANN HUFFMAN FROM DISTRICT G, TIFFANY THOMAS FROM DISTRICT F AMY PECK, DISTRICT A JOAQUIN MARTINEZ DISTRICT I AT LARGE POSITION FIVE, SALLY ALCORN AT LARGE POSITION THREE, TWILA CARTER.
WE ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM THE OFFICES OF DISTRICT B COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON'S OFFICE, DISTRICT D COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ'S, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER H UH, A COUNCIL MEMBER, DISTRICT H, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, DISTRICT J, UM, SORRY, DISTRICT K, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTEX TATUM.
SO WE DO OFFICIALLY HAVE A QUORUM, ALTHOUGH I'LL STRESS WE'RE NOT GONNA ACTUALLY BE VOTING ON ANYTHING THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS MEETING IS INFORMATIONAL.
WE'LL HEAR SOME TESTIMONY FROM, UM, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DI THE, UH, DEPARTMENT AND THEN HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE, OUT AT THE OUTSET.
I WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT A TOPIC WE HAD PLANNED TO MEET ON LAST WEEK, AMENDMENTS TO THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE.
ANOTHER EASY, NON-COMPLICATED ISSUE, HAHA.
UH, BUT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS ADDITIONAL WORK TO DO ON THAT, AND THEY ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF COMING UP WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE ORDINANCE THAT THEY CAN.
SO WE HAVE AGREED TO, UH, HOLD OFF ON THAT, AND I WELCOME THOSE EFFORTS TO COME UP WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE ORDINANCE ON, UH, SIDEWALKS AS WELL.
SO WE HOPE TO HEAR FROM THEM NEXT MONTH.
OUR TOPIC FOR THIS AFTERNOON IS SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME WE'VE TAKEN UP SHORT-TERM RENTALS THIS YEAR.
BACK ON JULY THE 31ST, WE HAD, WE HEARD PRESENTATIONS FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND OUR ADMINISTRATION AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AT, WELL, AT THAT TIME, WE HEARD A BROAD OUTLINE OF A PLAN TO REQUIRE SHORT TERM RENTALS TO REGISTER WITH THE CITY AND COMPLY WITH A HOST OF CONDITIONS BEFORE LISTING THEIR PROPERTY FOR RENTAL.
AND WE HEARD A PRESENTATION ON THE LEGALITIES OF THE OPTIONS BEFORE US.
TODAY WE HAVE WITH US, UH, AGAIN, REPRESENTATIVES FROM A RA HERE TO PRESENT A MORE DETAILED PLAN IN THE FORM OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
IT IS THE RESULT OF MANY HOURS OF WORK AND RESEARCH BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM A RA AND CITY LEGAL.
WE WILL NOT TAKE A VOTE THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS IS A PROPOSAL, ALTHOUGH ONE THAT IS FAR ALONG IN THE PROCESS, WE ARE STILL TECHNICALLY IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PHASE, AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN TO THE PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON TO READ THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AND WEIGH IN WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL TAKES THE VOTES WITHIN A FEW WEEKS.
TWO, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
REALISTICALLY, THIS IS A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE WITH COMPELLING INTEREST AND ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES.
THE FINAL PRODUCT THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVES IN A FEW WEEKS WILL REPRESENT THE BEST COMPROMISE WE CAN COME UP WITH.
NO ONE WILL GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT.
THOSE EXPECTING CITY COUNCIL TO BAN STR ARE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED.
A NUMBER OF CITIES HAVE TRIED THIS AND FAILED OTHER CITIES, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA LEARN FROM THOSE EXPERIENCES.
THOSE WHO WANT US TO LEAVE STR ALONE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED AS WELL.
WE SIMPLY CAN'T IGNORE THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY BAD ACTORS, EVEN THOUGH THEY REPRESENT A MINORITY OF STR OWNERS.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WANT TO ASK DIRECTOR TINA PAEZ AND CATHERINE BRUNICK FROM A RA TO COME UP AND BEGIN THEIR PRESENTATION.
DIRECTOR, YOU MAY PROCEED, COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND LET ME ALSO NOTE WE HAVE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER EVAN SHABAZZ, UH, FROM DISTRICT D, UH, TUNING IN ONLINE AS WELL.
UM, CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THERE'S NOTHING ON THE SCREEN.
ARE YOU GUYS, ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING ON YOUR SCREENS? SO YOU CAN'T SEE IT EITHER? I DON'T, I DON'T SEE IT ON THE SCREEN EITHER.
I'M JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE DATA SLIDES DO
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HAVE ABSOLUTELY.LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT WORKED OUT HERE.
I UNDERSTAND HTV IS WORKING ON THIS AS WELL, AND AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
AS, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT A FOLLOW-UP TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE BROUGHT YOU IN JULY.
ON NOVEMBER 13TH, WE RELEASED A DRAFT OF THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEY WERE POSTED IN AN ONLINE PORTAL.
EACH OF YOUR OFFICES RECEIVED A COPY OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS A LINK TO THE PORTAL SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE SEND THAT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND HAVE THEM SUBMIT PUBLIC FEEDBACK AS WELL.
THIS IS A DRAFT ORDINANCE, AS THE CHAIR SAID.
WE DO EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE SOME CHANGES AFTER THIS BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TODAY, AS WELL AS THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR.
UM, WHEN WE SUBMITTED THIS, WE ONLY HAD 108.
AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE 204 58% OF THOSE WANT SOME SORT OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGULATIONS.
42% DO NOT SUPPORT IT, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE RESPONSES IN HERE.
SO THE ORDINANCE DEFINES A SHORT TERM RENTAL AS A DWELLING UNIT OR ANY PORTION OF A DWELLING UNIT THAT'S RENTED OR OFFERED TO BE RENTED FOR A PERIOD OF LESS THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
BOARDING HOMES, HOTELS, BED, AND BREAKFAST, AND OTHER TYPES OF HOUSING FACILITIES ARE EXCLUDED FROM THIS ORDINANCE.
BY THE WAY, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME REFER TO STR.
THAT'S JUST THE ABBREVIATION THAT WE'RE USING FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
ONCE THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WILL APPROVE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, IT'LL BE UNLAWFUL FOR ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO OPERATE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL WITHOUT A REGISTRATION.
SEVERAL STAKEHOLDERS HAVE ASKED US WHAT THE FEES MIGHT BE.
THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A COST OF SERVICE STUDY, AND THEY DETERMINED BASED ON THAT COST OF SERVICE, THAT AN APPROPRIATE FEE WOULD BE ABOUT $273 PER YEAR.
A RULE OF THUMB IN THE INDUSTRY IS THAT THE FEE THAT THE CITY WOULD WOULD PROPOSE WOULD BE TWICE THE AVERAGE NIGHTLY RENTAL RATE FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS WITHIN THE CITY.
FOR HOUSTON, THE AVERAGE NIGHTLY RENTAL RATE IS $125.
SO BY THAT RULE OF THUMB, THAT WOULD BE A FEE OF $250.
SO WE EXPECT THAT BASED ON THESE METRICS, THE FEE WILL BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $250 AND $275 A YEAR.
THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS NEW REGISTRATION ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MOST CITY PERMITS.
WE WANT YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND THAT SORT OF INFORMATION.
BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ASKING FOR A LIST OF ALL OF THE ONLINE PLATFORMS WHERE THIS PROPERTY IS LISTED, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE LISTED ON MORE THAN ONE, A ROUGH FLOOR PLAN OF THE PROPERTY.
AND THAT CAN BE HAND DRAWN, A ROUGH SITE PLAN THAT SHOWS WHERE TENANT CAN PARK AND WHAT THE SITE GENERALLY LOOKS LIKE.
AGAIN, THAT CAN BE HAND DRAWN.
THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ENGINEERING
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SURVEY, ASSIGNED DECLARATION STATING THAT THE USE IS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.DOESN'T VIOLATE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
HOA RULES OR COVENANTS, PROOF OF PAYMENT OR REGISTRATION TO PAY HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES FOR HOUSTON, THE NAME OF A PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EMERGENCY CONTACT AND PROOF OF SHORT TERM RENTAL INSURANCE COVERAGE WITH A MILLION DOLLAR LIMIT.
AN STR REGISTRATION CAN BE DENIED IF IT'S CONTAINS INCOMPLETE OR FALSE INFORMATION IF PROOF OF INSURANCE IS NOT PROVIDED, IF PROOF OF REMITTANCE OF HOT TAXES IS NOT PROVIDED, OR IF THE CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION HAS BEEN REVOKED.
WHAT RULES MUST AN SDR OWNER FOLLOW? THEY HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE CITY'S NOISE REGULATIONS, OUR BUILDING AND NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS, TRASH AND LITTER CONTROL REQUIREMENTS, RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE CODES AND OOC OCCUPANCY CODES.
THEY MUST HAVE A ONE HOUR RESPONSE TO AN EMERGENCY SITUATION ON SITE, A $1 MILLION LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY AND THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE.
MOST SHORT TERM RENTAL HOSTS, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE GONE TO THEM KNOW THIS, THEY USUALLY DISPLAY SOME FORM OF INFORMATION.
SO THIS REQUIREMENT ISN'T NEW.
WHAT THE CITY IS REQUIRING THAT THEY DISPLAY IN A PROMINENT LOCATION IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO STAY IN THAT RESIDENCE.
EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY INFORMATION FOR POLICE FIRE, EMS, WHERE TO GET YOUR STORM ALERTS AND THE LOCATION OF THE NEAREST HOSPITAL.
THE HOST IS ALSO GOING TO HAVE TO DISPLAY AGAIN, A RAW FLOOR PLAN, SHOWING WHERE THE SMOKE DETECTORS ARE, WHERE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE, AND THAT CAN BE HAND DRAWN.
AND AGAIN, THE NAME OF THE 24 HOUR CONTACT.
THERE'S ALSO INFORMATION THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE KEPT ON THE PREMISES, BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE DISPLAYED.
AND AGAIN, YOU USUALLY SEE THIS IF YOU RENT ONE, THERE'LL BE A BINDER OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT'LL HAVE IN THERE.
WHAT ARE THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS PROPERTY? WHAT ARE THE NOISE LIMITS FOR THIS PROPERTY? UM, GENERALLY THERE'S A CALLED HOUSE RULES.
SOMETIMES THEY EVEN HAVE INFORMATION THAN THEM LIKE THE NEAREST RESTAURANTS IN CASE YOU'RE INTERESTED IN POPULAR HOUSE HOTSPOTS.
JUST LIKE A CERTIFICATE OF OF APPLICATION FOR A REGISTRATION CAN BE DENIED.
A REGISTRATION CAN BE REVOKED IF IT WAS ISSUED AN ERROR OR IT CONTAINED FALSE INFORMATION WHEN YOU APPLIED, OR IF THE OWNER OR OPERATOR DOESN'T CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE RIGHT LEVEL OF INSURANCE.
IF THE HOT TAXES ARE NOT PAID.
IF THERE ARE TWO OR MORE NOISE CITATIONS ISSUED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS THAT RESULT IN TWO OR MORE CONVICTIONS OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD, OR IF THE OWNER OPERATOR OR ANY OCCUPANT OF THE PROPERTY IS CONVICTED OF ANY OF THE VERY SERIOUS OFFENSES THAT ARE LISTED HERE, KIDNAPPING, UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT, AND SO ON.
OBVIOUSLY AN OWNER OR OPERATOR CAN APPEAL THE REVOCATION OF THE REGISTRATION AS YOU CAN WITH ANY PERMIT THAT THE CITY ISSUES.
THERE IS A FULL ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCESS THAT'S DONE THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL COURTS DEPARTMENT BEFORE A A REGISTRATION CAN BE REVOKED.
THE PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE OF THIS ORDINANCE ARE VERY TYPICAL FOR MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES, A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND NOT MORE THAN $500.
WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE IS THAT EACH DAY THAT A VIOLATION CONTINUES IS PUNISHABLE AS A SEPARATE VIOLATION AND AN OWNER CAN BE LIABLE FOR BOTH CRIMINAL AND CIVIL PENALTIES.
AND SUBJECT TO REVOCATION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION, THE CITY WILL BE ASKING PLATFORMS TO DE-LIST SHORT-TERM RENTALS IF THEY DON'T REGISTER WITH THE CITY, IF THEY ALLOW THEIR REGISTRATION TO LAPSE OR IF THEIR REGISTRATION IS REVOKED.
THE DRAFT ORDINANCE WAS PUBLISHED, AS I SAID, ON NOVEMBER 13TH, SO IT'S BEEN UP FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE PUBLIC FEEDBACK FROM THAT.
NILA ALSO SENT EACH OF YOUR OFFICES A COPY OF THAT ORDINANCE AND A LINK.
IN THIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR.
IT WAS ALSO SHARED WITH 20 PLATFORMS TO COMMENT AND FURTHER SHARED WITH THE HOSTS AND THE LANDLORDS.
AND SO YOU SEE HERE IT WAS SHARED WITH PLATFORMS, EXPEDIA GROUP, AIRBNB, WHO'VE ALREADY GIVEN US COMMENTS, THE VARIOUS LANDLORDS AND HOSTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO IS RESPONDING EITHER THROUGH THE FEEDBACK PORTAL OR THROUGH YOUR OFFICES.
AS I HAD SAID BEFORE, AS OF DECEMBER 4TH, 188 RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED, 58% SUPPORTING 42% OPPOSED.
THIS SLIDE AS WELL AS THE NEXT ONE SUMMARIZES THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE HOSTS, THE LANDLORDS, THE MAJOR PLATFORMS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
I KNOW SOME OF YOU MET WITH AIRBNB THIS WEEK AND THEY HAD QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE THEIR ORAL FEEDBACK TO US FROM OUR ONE FROM OUR FACE-TO-FACE MEETING IN HERE.
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LINE TOO LATE FOR THIS.SO WE WILL BE CONSIDERING THAT AS WELL AS ALL OF THE OTHER FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THROUGH THE PORTAL AND EVERYWHERE ELSE AS WE MEET OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO DETERMINE WHAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO THE ORDINANCE.
NEXT SLIDE 17, 18, AND 19 HAVE THE MORE NOTABLE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THROUGH THE ONLINE PORTAL THAT'S BEING USED FOR PUBLIC PUBLIC FEEDBACK.
THIS ONE HAS THE COMMENTS THAT ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE DRAFT REGULATIONS AND THE, THESE ARE ACTUAL QUOTES FROM THE FEEDBACK WE THOUGHT YOU'D FIND THEM INTERESTING.
THE NEXT SLIDE HAS THE PUBLIC COMMENTS OPPOSING EITHER A PART OF THE ORDINANCE OR THE WHOLE ORDINANCE.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL OR DIFFERENT PROVISIONS IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, AGAIN, FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND SOME OF YOU ALSO FORWARDED YOUR CONSTITUENT COMMENTS TO US.
THEY MADE THIS ON, THEY MADE THAT ONTO THIS SLIDE AS WELL.
AS WE DID IN JULY, WE ENLISTED THE HELP OF BOTH GRANICUS AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO UPDATE SHORT-TERM RENTAL DATA CITYWIDE.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK SONA SUNNY AND KYLE LLOYD IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHO HAVE LITERALLY DEVOTED SEVERAL WEEKS OF A VERY MANUAL AND LABOR INTENSIVE PROCESS TO UPDATING THIS DATA FOR US.
MUCH OF THEIR WORK WAS VERY, VERY LABOR INTENSIVE IN THIS PROJECT.
COULDN'T HAVE GONE FORWARD WITHOUT THEM.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT IN JULY, GRANICUS IDENTIFIED 10,545 STR IN HOUSTON.
THAT'S BECAUSE THEY TOOK ALL THE PROPERTIES IN HOUSTON THAT WERE LISTED ON ANY OF THE PLATFORMS THAT SHORT-TERM RENTAL USE, AIRBNB, VRBO, THE VARIOUS PLATFORMS. THEY, THEY IDENTIFIED ABOUT 70 PLATFORMS THAT HAD SHORT-TERM RENTALS LISTED.
BUT WHAT THAT INCLUDED, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, HOTELS, MOTELS, AND B AND BS ALSO ADVERTISE ON THOSE PLATFORMS. SO THEY CAPTURED A GROUP OF PROPERTIES THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
SO WHAT WE'RE BRINGING YOU TODAY IS 2000 FEWER SHORT-TERM RENTALS BECAUSE THOSE WERE HOTELS, MOTELS, ET CETERA.
BUT THEY HAPPEN TO BE LISTED ON THE PLATFORMS. WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY IS A MORE ACCURATE POLL.
WE NOW HAVE ABOUT 8,500 ACTUAL SHORT-TERM RENTALS THAT ARE DOING BUSINESS IN HOUSTON AND ADVERTISING AS OF NOW.
SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE IS A MAP OF WHERE THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL DIS ARE DISTRIBUTED.
NOW YOU'LL NOTICE THOUGH THE PATTERN IS THE SAME, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S FEWER OF THEM.
THEY'RE LOCATED IN ABOUT THE SAME PLACES AS THEY WERE BEFORE.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE 8,500 ADVERTISED CITYWIDE, 79% HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO AN ACTUAL STREET ADDRESS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE PRECISION THERE.
55%, OR ROUGHLY 4,670 HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED TO AN ACTUAL UNIT NUMBER.
SO WHERE YOU MAY HAVE A MULTIFAMILY COMPLEX THAT HAS SEVERAL UNITS THAT ARE BEING USED AS STR BEFORE, ALL WE COULD TELL YOU WAS 1000 MAIN.
NOW WE CAN TELL YOU 1000 MAY UNIT A, UNIT B, UNIT C UNIT DEEP BUT NOT UNIT E.
ONE OF OUR PRIMARY QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN, IS THIS SHORT TERM RENTAL MORE LIKELY OR DOES IT HAVE MORE PROPENSITY TO BE A PROBLEM PROPERTY THAN A NON SHORT-TERM, NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY USE? AND TO ARRIVE AT THAT, WE USE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO PULL DATA FROM HPD AND THREE ONE FOR THE 4,670 PRECISELY IDENTIFIED PROPERTIES.
LET'S LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THOSE COMPARISONS.
OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 11TH, 2023 TO NOVEMBER 10TH, 2024, HPD RECEIVED CALLS TO RESPOND TO OR ABOUT 27% OF THE VERY PRECISELY IDENTIFIED SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES.
THAT'S ABOUT 0.59 OF A CALL PER PROPERTY LESS THAN ONE PRESS, DR PROPERTY FOR NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL HOMES.
HPD RECEIVED CALLS TO ABOUT 17% OF THEM.
SO IF YOU COMPARE THAT HPD RECEIVED CALLS ON 27% OF S STR AND 17% OF NON SDR RESIDENTIAL USES, THE STATISTICS FOR 3 1 1 CALLS ARE LESS THAN ONE.
SO ARE THE STATISTICS FOR HPD CALLS.
WE WANNA FOCUS ON HPD CALLS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE MOST OF OUR LIFE SAFETY OR NOISE ISSUES ARE REPORTED.
AS WE SAID ON THE LAST SLIDE, 27% OF THE PRECISELY IDENTIFIED SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES RECEIVED A CALL TO HPD 2,756 CALLS.
WE'VE LISTED HERE THE HPD CALL PRIORITY BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THOSE 2,756 PROPERTIES, I MEAN 2,756 CALLS WAS ASSIGNED A PRIORITY OF ZERO TO NINE BY HPD.
ZERO TO TWO IS LIFE-THREATENING IN PROGRESS.
ANYTHING BELOW TWO, THREE OR BELOW IS EITHER A NON-EMERGENCY OR WAS A LIFE-THREATENING INCIDENT THAT WAS REPORTED THE NEXT DAY SIGNIFICANTLY.
81% OF THE CALLS TO HPD ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS WERE PRIORITY THREE OR BELOW, MEANING IT WAS A NON-EMERGENCY INCIDENT IN
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PROGRESS.LET ME, LEMME REPEAT THAT AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BECOME IMPORTANT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
81% OF THE CALLS TO HPD ABOUT THE PRECISELY IDENTIFIED SHORT-TERM RENTALS WERE CODED AS PRIORITY THREE BELOW.
HERE, WE COMPARE HPD CALLS ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS VERSUS HPD CALLS ABOUT NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
AND WHAT SURPRISED ME ABOUT THIS COMPARISON WAS THAT THE RESULTS WERE EXACTLY THE SAME FOR BOTH SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESIDENCES AND NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESIDENCES.
IN HOUSTON, 81% OF THE CALLS TO HPD WERE PRIORITY THREE OR BELOW, MEANING THAT THE CHANCES FOR A LIFE-THREATENING CALL TO A RESIDENCE FOR HPD ARE ROUGHLY THE SAME, WHETHER THAT PROPERTY IS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL OR A NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESIDENTIAL USE.
AND THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE OF THE HPD AND 3 1 1 CALLS BY COUNCIL DISTRICT DISTRICT THAT WE SHOWED YOU IN JULY.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR THE 4,670 PRECISELY IDENTIFIED STR.
BUT HERE'S THE SIGNIFICANT TAKEAWAY FROM THIS SLIDE.
WHEN WE SHOWED YOU THE 10,545 SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED, AND AGAIN, REMEMBER THAT WAS BASED ON GRANICUS SURVEY OF ANYTHING THAT WAS ON A PLATFORM THAT WAS ADVERTISED IN HOUSTON THAT INCLUDED ALL OF THOSE HOTELS, MOTELS, AND OTHER NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT WERE THERE.
SO BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE ONLY HAD PRECISION AT THAT TIME FOR ABOUT 2,900 ACTUAL ADDRESSES, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT CAST A VERY WIDE NET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE HPD ACTIVITY AROUND THOSE PROPERTIES.
SO AT THAT TIME WHEN WE CAME IN, WE WERE REPORTING WITHIN A 300 FOOT RADIUS OF WHERE AN STR ADDRESS HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.
SO WITHIN A 300 FOOT RADIUS, YOU'RE GOING TO CAPTURE A LOT MORE CALLS BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA CAPTURE WHAT'S ACROSS THE STREET, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STREET, WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT DOOR.
SO THERE WERE 60,000 CALLS REPORTED IN JULY THAT WERE WITHIN THAT 300 FOOT RADIUS OF A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
BUT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AT THE BAR NIGHTCLUB ACROSS THE STREET, IT COULD HAVE BEEN AT THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR.
THERE WERE NOT 60 CALL THOUSAND CALLS SPECIFICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH AN STR.
NOW WE HAVE MORE PRECISION TO THIS DATA.
AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHIPPED BACK WITH THE 4,670 PRECISELY IDENTIFIED ADDRESSES AND RAN THE 3 1 1 INFORMATION IN THE HPD INFORMATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE, 2,756 CALLS TO THOSE PRECISELY IDENTIFIED ADDRESSES, SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE ONE ONE CALLS, WHICH MEANS THAT OF THOSE 55% OF THE TRUE SHORT TRUE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ADDRESSES THAT HAVE BEEN PRECISELY IDENTIFIED, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ROUGHLY 2,700 CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR HPD VERSUS 60,000.
WE INCLUDED THIS MAP BECAUSE THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT HPD CALLS ITS HOTSPOTS, MEANING THIS IS THE HIGHEST VOLUMES OF CALLS THAT THEY HAVE IN THE CITY.
INTERESTINGLY, 77% OF ALL SHORT-TERM RENTALS, 77% OF THE 8,500 POPULATION ARE LOCATED WITHIN A HOTSPOT COMPARED TO JUST 45% OF NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESIDENTIAL USES IN HOUSTON.
AND THAT MAKES SENSE SINCE WE WOULD ASSUME THAT SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES WOULD BE LOCATED IN ACTIVITY CENTERS, STADIUMS AROUND THE MEDICAL CENTER AROUND WHERE THERE ARE RESTAURANTS AND AND NIGHTTIME VENUES.
AND THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS YOU AN OVERLAY OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THEIR CLUSTERS WITHIN THE HPD HOTSPOTS.
AGAIN, THESE AREN'T HOTSPOTS BECAUSE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE LOCATED THERE.
THEY'RE HOTSPOTS BECAUSE THESE ARE THE CENTERS OF ACTIVITY WHERE HPD RECEIVES THE MAJORITY OF THEIR CALLS.
AND THIS SLIDE JUST SUMMARIZES WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU OVER THE LAST SEVERAL SLIDES.
I WANTED YOU TO HAVE ALL THE BULLETS IN ONE PLACE.
WE INCLUDED THIS SLIDE BECAUSE IT'S VERY HELPFUL IF ANY OF YOU OR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WANTS TO RENT AN SDR WANTS TO BUY A NEW HOUSE, OR THIS MAY BE FOR YOUR OWN HOUSE.
YOU CAN JUST TYPE IN AN ADDRESS AND IT SHOWS YOU ALL OF THE CRIME ACTIVITY THAT'S BEEN REPORTED AROUND IT.
SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? NEXT WEEK YOU'LL BE SEEING ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA AN ITEM FOR CARESOFT, THE CONTRACT THAT CARESOFT IS GRANICUS AS PARENT COMPANY.
AND IT'S A CONTRACT THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO HAVE GRANICUS CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY MORE STR IN HOUSTON.
THEY'LL ALSO BE OPERATING THE HOTLINE FOR STR COMPLAINTS IN HOUSTON AND REPORTING THOSE TO US.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE LOOKING AT STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK TO SEE WHAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS.
AND THEN ONCE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES A FINAL ORDINANCE, WHICH YOU'LL BE RECEIVING HOPEFULLY AROUND THE END OF JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY, THEN WE'LL BEGIN A 180 DAY IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD.
DURING THAT PERIOD, THERE WILL BE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED.
THE HEARING PROCESS WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR IT.
ALL OF THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED, WILL BE PUBLISHING WHAT THE APPLICATION LOOKS LIKE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT.
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OF THE PUBLIC WHO OWN THESE HOMES ARE NOT LAWYERS.IT'S YOU AND ME HAVE WHO HAS A HOME TO RENT.
IT'S GONNA BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO HAVE AN APPLICATION THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET SO CONFUSED BY THE PROCESS THAT THEY DON'T COMPLY.
THE GOAL HERE IS TO HAVE MAXIMUM COMPLIANCE.
SO WE ARE GONNA BE PUBLISHING EVERYTHING, PUTTING IT ON THE ONLINE PORTAL, GETTING FEEDBACK ON IT.
IF IT'S TOO COMPLICATED, WE'LL GO BACK AND REVISIT THE VERBIAGE THAT WE'RE USING.
WE HAVE FAQS IN THE BACK, IN THE APPENDIX.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THOSE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE DISTRICT COUNCIL MAPS THAT SHOW THE STR IN EACH ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS, JUST AS WE DID IN JULY.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, DIRECTOR PAEZ.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
IF WE LOOK AT SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, PROPOSED REGULATIONS, UM, WHAT ARE THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY? NUMBER EIGHT IS PROOF OF INSURANCE.
AND YOU LISTED, UH, INSURANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, POLICY AND THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION.
CAN, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT TYPE OF INSURANCE THAT IS? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT, WHAT RISKS WILL IT PROTECT AGAINST OR, I'M GOING TO ASK ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO SPEAK TO THAT.
HEY, COUNCIL MEMBER, IT'S RASHAD GIBRO WITH THE CITY HOUSTON LEGAL DEPARTMENT, RASHAD, THAT LANGUAGE WAS PROVIDED TO US BY A, A RISK MANAGEMENT.
UM, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN WITH THE POLICY COVERAGE AMOUNT.
UM, THEY WENT BACK TO THE INSURANCE BROKER THAT THE CITY WORKS WITH AND THEY ASSURED THAT THAT INFORMATION OR THAT POLICY AMOUNT WAS READILY AVAILABLE AND THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY QUITE CHEAP.
SO, BUT WHAT, UH, WHO, WHO WOULD, WHO WOULD BENEFIT UNDER THAT POLICY FOR WHOSE BENEFIT IS, IS THE POLICY REQUIRED? UM, I, I THINK IT WOULD COVER ANY, YOU KNOW, TYPE OF LOSS THAT WOULD OCCUR AT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE I'M FOLLOWING OR ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION APPROPRIATELY.
THE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY WOULD, WOULD BENEFIT, UH, NO, FROM, FROM FILING A CLAIM OR NO, IT WOULD COVER INJURY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE STAYING AT THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT WITH A RA RISK MANAGEMENT INJURIES TO TENANTS Y YES.
INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE RENTED THE PROPERTY.
DIRECTOR PI IS LOOKING AT NUMBER PAGE NUMBER SIX.
SO WHAT RULES MUST AN STR OWNER FOLLOW UNDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE? WAY DOWN NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE? BULLET POINT.
EMERGENCY CONTACT MUST BE ON SITE WITHIN ONE HOUR OF NOTIFICATION.
UM, IS THAT, IS THAT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY? YES.
'CAUSE THERE THERE IS A DEFINITION IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR EMERGENCY CONDITION.
DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE THE, UH, PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF YOU? GO AHEAD.
AN EMERGENCY, YES, THERE IS A DEFINITION FOR EMERGENCY CONDITION.
AND THAT WOULD COVER WHAT WE WERE SAYING WE WANT.
THE TWO FOUR HOUR CONTACT TO DO IS JUST RESPOND TO THESE.
SO EMERGENCY CONDITION MEANS ANY FIRE, NATURAL DISASTER, POWER OUTAGE, GAS LEAK, NOISE VIOLATION, OR MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
AND THEN IT GOES ON TO DEFINE A LAUNDRY LIST OF CRIMES AS WELL THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN NOISE VIOLATION.
SO WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN WITH RESPECT TO NOISE VIOLATIONS? UM, AND THIS BULLET POINT, DOES THIS MEAN THAT WITHIN AN HOUR OF NOTIFICATION OF A NOISE VIOLATION, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD HAVE TO RESPOND AND COME OUT TO THE PROPERTY? OR, OR WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN? IT COULD BE AN OWNER, IT COULD BE AN OPERATOR.
IT COULD BE IF THE, IF THE OWNER ON HIS REGISTRATION FORM LISTED THAT IT WOULD BE THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR WOULD SHOW UP ON SITE TO RESPOND TO IT.
I KNOW YOU CAN, YOU CAN LIST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE ON THE APPLICATION AND YOU CAN CHANGE THAT OUT.
IF THAT PERSON GOES ON VACATION, YOU CAN JUST DESIGNATE SOMEONE ELSE TO RESPOND.
AND SOME OF THESE MATTERS WILL ACTUALLY BE, WE TALKED, WE HAD A LONG TALK WITH THE CITY OF ARLINGTON ABOUT HOW THIS WORKED AND THEY SAID, IN SOME INSTANCES YOU'LL GET THE CALL FROM GRANEX THAT SAYS THERE'S BEEN A COMPLAINT ABOUT NOISE AT THAT PROPERTY.
HPD HAS BEEN CALLED AND THEY'RE COMING ON SITE.
THE OWNER AT THAT POINT CAN CALL THE TENANT AND SAID, TURN IT DOWN.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE HANDLED BY A PHONE CALL AND THEY MAY NOT HAVE TO SHOW UP.
THE ORDINANCE DOES HAVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR THEM TO SHOW UP, BUT THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE RULES, THAT
[00:30:01]
CAN BE MORE FLEXIBLE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE HANDLED THROUGH THAT TYPE OF RESPONSE.SO THE OWNER WOULD EITHER HAVE TO SHOW UP OR DESIGNATE SOMEONE ELSE TO SHOW UP WITHIN AN HOUR.
SO THERE ARE A COUPLE LINKS ON THIS PAGE.
ONE IS, UH, THE LANGUAGE IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.
AND, UH, THE SECOND IS A PLACE WHERE, UH, RESIDENTS OR ANYONE CAN LOG ON AND OFFER COMMENT MM-HMM
ON THESE, UH, PROPOSED ORDINANCES.
UM, SO IF, IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PRESENTATION, WHERE CAN, WHERE CAN FOLKS GO ONLINE TO LEAVE A COMMENT REGARDING THE ORDINANCE? THROUGH THAT LINK.
AND CAN THE LINK EASILY BE FOUND ON THE A RA WEBSITE? AND IT CAN ALSO, IT'S ALSO LINKED FROM THE MAIN CITY WEBPAGE.
WE HAVE A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE.
FIRST WE'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER TAMMY THOMAS.
UH, THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
CAN WE GO TO SLIDE FOUR, PLEASE? OKAY.
SO NUMBER NINE REALLY ELEVATES MY ATTENTION.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE, THIS ISSUE CONTINUALLY, CONTINUOUSLY COMES UP WITH DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? AND WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I HAVE FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT, UH, HOAS.
UH, WE HAVE SOME THAT HAVE EXPIRED DEEDS.
WE HAVE SOME THAT DON'T HAVE CIVIC CLUBS.
AND OFTENTIMES THAT SELF, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN, UH, THAT AFFIDAVIT THAT THEY PRESENT, A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S NOT COMMUNICATED WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED WITH.
SO WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME TO COUNCIL AND THEY SAY, WE NEVER KNEW THIS DEVELOPMENT, ALTHOUGH THERE'S AN AFFIDAVIT SIGN, NONE OF THIS WAS COMMUNICATED.
SO IN THE SAME PRACTICE, WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DO NOT HAVE AN HOA OR THE DEED RESTRICTIONS? DO NOT, THEY'RE ABSENT FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL RENTALS.
UH, OR THEY DON'T HAVE CIVIC CLUBS, UM, TO HAVE THAT.
UM, IS THERE AN EXPECTATION, UM, WHETHER THEY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD OR SOME TYPE OF, UH, AGREEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC TO SAY, UH, THE, THE RESIDENTS RATHER THAT THEY ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS? I'M GONNA ASK MY COLLEAGUE FROM LEGAL TO COME UP.
THEY LIKE WHO GOING, WHO GONNA DO IT?
UM, I THINK YOUR QUESTION GOES TO WHETHER OR NOT, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE AN HOA OR VALID DEED RESTRICTIONS, HOW DO THEY HANDLE AN AIRBNB IN THEIR COMMUNITY? AM I RIGHT? BUT IF, IF I'M A, IF I'M AN OWNER AND I WANT TO DO THIS AND I HAVE TO FOLLOW THESE 12 STEPS AND NUMBER NINE, IT'S ABSENT, THEN WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE FOR THAT? 'CAUSE I HAVE, JUST ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE DISTRICT ALONE, UH, TANGO WILD DOESN'T HAVE, UH, HOA WESTMONT DOESN'T.
AND ON THE EAST SIDE, THEY HAVE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
SO THERE'S NO RECOURSE FOR THEM TO, UH, BE AWARE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
SEPARATE OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER NOTING THAT, YEAH, I'M TURNING MY HOME INTO AN STR.
SO THE DEED DECLARATION, I MEAN, THEY WOULD OBVIOUSLY SIGN THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY THAT WANTS TO HAVE THE STR WOULD SIGN THE DEED DECLARATION SAYING, UM, THERE ARE NO DEED RESTRICTIONS.
I'M NOT VIOLATING ANY HOA RULES OR DEED RESTRICTIONS, BUT IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC, IF I RECALL A ARAS GONNA HAVE, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER A DASHBOARD WE'LL HAVE, JUST LIKE WE DO WITH THE NOISE PERMITS, WE'LL POST ALL THE REGISTRATIONS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH AND BEEN APPROVED.
UM, IN THAT SITUATION, IF WE HAVE A-A-H-O-A COME BACK TO US AND SAY, HEY, THIS ISN'T IN OUR COVENANTS, AND THEY CAN PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTATION SAYING IT ISN'T, WE CAN GO BACK AND REVOKE A REGISTRATION.
WELL, MOST JUST ON THE WEST SIDE, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, MOST OF THE, THE COS DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
IT WASN'T A THING OF INDUSTRY.
AND THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS, UM, THAT ARE ABSENT IN THEIR DEEP RESTRICTIONS.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO SCALE THEM UP SO THEY CAN HAVE BETTER IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE CASE BECAUSE IT'S NOT, THEY ARE ABSENT THAT SOMEONE WHO CHOOSES TO TURN THEIR HOME INTO A SHORT TERM RENTAL, THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE WHERE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF THE HOMEOWNERS WITHIN THAT FOOTPRINT, AT LEAST KNOW SOMETHING'S HAPPENING.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ATTEMPTING, AND, AND AS YOU KNOW THIS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE DEED RESTRICTIONS ARE UP TO DATE, UM,
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AND ALIGNED WITH CITY ORIGIN SO THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY ALSO HELP THE, THE HOMEOWNER THAT'S INTERESTED IN DOING THIS.SO IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AROUND THAT, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IF YOU COULD SHARE THAT WITH THE CHAIRMAN AND HE'LL SHARE THAT OUT.
WE NOW HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN UP.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST TO EVERYONE, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE WORK ON THIS.
UM, I RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS TO DISTRICT C.
UH, WE NOT ONLY HAVE, I THINK THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF CALLS, BUT I THINK IT SHOWED THE MOST SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UH, I RECOGNIZE WE HAVE MANY RESIDENTS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH BAD ACTOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND NEED RELIEF.
UM, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE STRAIN THAT IT IS CONTINUING TO PUT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO THESE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE WE HAVE AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF GOOD SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROVIDERS.
AND THE IMPORTANT BALANCE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT BEING UNDULY BURDENSOME WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS SAFE.
SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STRIKING THAT BALANCE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
AND I APPRECIATE US LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES OF THIS COIN AS WE DO THAT.
TO THAT END, THIS, SORRY, LEGAL, YOU'RE GONNA GET A FEW QUESTIONS ON THIS.
UM, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO WHY CAN'T WE USE THE HOTEL ORDINANCE FOR THESE BAD ACTORS.
COULD SOMEBODY LAY OUT FOR ME WHY WE ARE NOT ABLE TO USE SOLELY THE HOTEL ORDINANCE AND WHY THIS IS NECESSARY? AND LEGAL MAY CHAIR WANNA JUST, I THINK THEY'RE GONNA GET A FEW QUESTIONS IF THEY, IF THEY WANNA SIT AT THE TABLE AS WELL.
RASHAD, I'LL GIVE YOU THE OPTION TO SIT, UH, OVER IN THE CITY ATTORNEY SPOT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND FORTH AND MAKE THE DIRECTOR KEEP GETTING UP.
KEEPING EVERYONE ON THEIR TOES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE, WE KIND OF TRIED TO ADDRESS THAT IN THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION ABOUT THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE.
AND LONG, THE SHORT OF IT IS THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT HAS COME BACK AND SAID, BUT FOR SOME TYPE OF DEED RESTRICTION THAT HAS SOME TYPE OF DURATIONAL REQUIREMENT THAT IS INCLUDED IN IT, IT WASN'T GONNA GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT A SHORT-TERM RENTAL WAS SYNONYMOUS WITH A HOTEL.
SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE CASE LAW JUST ISN'T THERE TO SUPPORT A DETERMINATION THAT A SHORT-TERM RENTAL IS IN FACT A HOTEL AND VICE VERSA.
AND RELATED SIMILARLY TO THAT, UM, I RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS AGAIN FROM THE PROBLEM AREAS WITHIN DISTRICT C, THE PROBLEM LOCATIONS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT ABUSE, POTENTIAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT HOUSTON IS THE UNFORTUNATELY HUMAN TRAFFICKING CORRIDOR FOR THE UNITED STATES.
UM, HOTELS EARLY ON IN OUR FIRST TERM ON COUNCIL FOR SOME OF US STEPPED UP AND WE PASSED A HUMAN TRAFFICKING ORDINANCE ASSOCIATED WITH HOTELS THAT REQUIRED TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, IS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY I DON'T SEE LANGUAGE AS IT RELATES TO THIS? AGAIN, WE DON'T WANNA UNDULY BURDEN, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROVIDERS, BUT FOR THOSE THAT THIS IS THEIR, UH, NOT A SECONDARY SOURCE OF INCOME OR THEY'RE STAYING IN THE HOUSE, IF IT'S BEING USED SIMILAR TO A HOTEL, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHY ARE WE NOT REQUIRING THAT AWARENESS TRAINING AGAIN, EVEN IF IT'S AS SIMPLE AS A TWO HOUR ONLINE COURSE.
I'M NOT SAYING SOMEBODY SITS IN FOR A DAY, BUT WE DO REQUIRE THAT OF OUR HOTELS AND MOTELS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE TREATING THIS AS A SIMILAR STYLE OF REVENUE, AGAIN, NOT OUR HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME.
WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES LIKE THAT.
CAN WE NOT INCLUDE SOMETHING RELATED TO, UM, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SEX TRAFFICKING EDUCATION AND AWARENESS? I'LL TO DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUE.
UM, CANDIDLY, I THINK WE LOOKED AT ALL THE DATA THAT A RA PROVIDED AND FRANKLY COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT THAT JUST WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE CONSIDERED.
UM, I THINK WE TOOK A, A BROAD APPROACH TO THE DATA WAS THAT WAS PROVIDED.
WE'RE WELL AWARE THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS, UM, FRANKLY PROBABLY WENT OVERBOARD WITH THEIR ORIGINAL SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCES.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE INFORMATION AND DATA TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE REGULATIONS.
SO I THINK WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF RUBRIC THAT MAKES SENSE IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AND ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
AND I BELIEVE WE MO MODELED, REMIND ME AGAIN, OUR ORDINANCE OFF OF WHAT CITY? ARLINGTON.
ARLINGTON, I COULD BE MISTAKEN.
I DO BELIEVE THAT ARLINGTON HAS A SIMILAR REQUIREMENT.
[00:40:01]
SENSITIVE TO OVERBURDENING OUR ST BUT I, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, BECAUSE THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING PERTAINS TO PUBLIC SAFETY RIGHT NOW, UM, THIS IS A CORE COMPONENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY HERE IN HOUSTON.SO THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THAT.
IF I, IF I COULD FOLLOW UP RASHAD, UM, UM, WE, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT APPLYING THE HOTEL ORDINANCE TO STR AND IF MEMORY SERVES, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF HOTEL THAT DIDN'T FIT ST.
AND SO THAT'S WHY ADDITIONAL, UH, RIGHT, THE, THE, THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF HOTEL AND THE HOTEL ORDINANCE CLEARLY STATES THAT IT EXCLUDES PROPERTIES THAT ARE RESIDENTIAL IN CHARACTER.
AND SO THAT REALLY DOESN'T LEND ITSELF TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS LIKE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UM, AND, AND TOWN HOME TOWN HOMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT OPERATE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
SO IT, IT, IT REALLY IS NOT A NATURAL FIT, NOTWITHSTANDING WHAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL IS, WELL, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A HOTEL WITH A LOT OF TRANSIENT TRAFFIC COMING THROUGH IT, BUT IT, IT'S SIMPLY NOT THE SAME.
WE DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE SUPPORTED, UM, BY THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT EITHER.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
IF SOMEONE DOESN'T GET A PERMIT, I MEAN THE GOOD ACTORS ARE GONNA GO GET THE PERMIT.
THE BAD ACTORS AREN'T GONNA GET THE PERMIT PROBABLY.
AND WE FIND OUT, WE GET CALLS OR WHATEVER AND WE FIND OUT ABOUT ONE THAT HASN'T, DOESN'T HAVE A PERMIT.
SO LIKE REVOKING A PERMIT ISN'T AN OPTION, I'M ASSUMING WE JUST GIVE THEM A FINE FOR NOT HAVING THE PERMIT.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO, WE, WE WON'T HAVE THE POWER TO SAY YOU CAN'T RENT THIS.
WHO'S THE OWNER? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE FIND OUT A BAD ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE PERMIT? I KNOW THEY CAN BE FINED EVERY DAY UP TO $500 A DAY.
WHAT ELSE? RASHAD? THAT IS TRUE.
I MEAN, THEY COULD BE ISSUED A FINE EVERY DAY.
AND ALSO THERE IS THE NOTION THAT THE CITY COULD ACTUALLY GO OUT AND SEEK AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE INDIVIDUAL.
IN OTHER WORDS, HAVE A COURT OF LAW SAY YOU ARE ENJOINED FROM OPERATING YOUR PROPERTY LIKE THIS UNTIL YOU COMPLY WITH THE LAW, WHICH IN THIS INSTANCE WOULD REQUIRE A, UH, A CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION FROM THE CITY.
SO THERE IS THAT LEGAL REMEDY, IS IT LIKELY? WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT.
I'LL CERTAINLY VISIT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT IT.
AND WE KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS TO GET A CONVICTION WITHIN A YEAR AND ALL OF THAT.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY WE CAN, UM, COME AFTER THE ONES THAT GET NUMEROUS NOISE VIOLATIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT FOR THE CONVICTIONS? KIND OF LIKE WE DO A NOISE WITH DOING AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OR I MEAN, I KNOW, OR IS THAT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN REVOKE THE PERMIT? THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE TWO CONVICTIONS, I BELIEVE SO I THINK THAT, UM, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M, IF I'M MISSTATING HERE, BUT I THINK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT LOOKED VERY SERIOUSLY AT TRYING TO BASE IT ON CITATIONS OR SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT AFTER THE PENDING LITIGATION, UM, IT WENT BEFORE THE JUDGE AND THE JUDGE QUESTIONED THE USE OF CITATIONS.
UH, WE ARE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT COULD BE PUT IN THERE, WHICH IS I BELIEVE WHY IT HAD TO BE CONVICTIONS.
AND ON THE, THE HOTEL QUESTIONS, I MEAN, SOME OF THE ONES, THE MOST EGREGIOUS ONES THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH A LONG TIME THAT ARE JUST THESE, UH, CO UH, APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT SOMEBODY'S BUYING AND JUST TURNING INTO, UH, DID WE LOOK AT MAYBE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF, UH, UNITS THAT COULD BE RENTED AS SHORT TERM? I KNOW SOME CITIES LIMIT THE NUMBER WITHIN A SPECIFIC, UH, COMPLEX THAT CAN BE SHORT-TERM REN RENTALS? NO COUNCIL MEMBER.
WE DIDN'T TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND I THINK PART OF THE DATA THAT IT, IT SHOWS IS THAT THE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN PROPERTIES THAT ARE OPERATED JUST AS A NORMAL RESIDENCE VERSUS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY WANTS TO GO THAT FAR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, THE RELEVANT DATA TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.
WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT AGAIN, BUT I, I THINK WE WANNA BE VERY CAUTIOUS, UM, HERE, AT LEAST IN THIS INITIAL PHASE TO SEE WHAT THE FORM AND, YOU KNOW, THE EXTENT OF THE REGULATIONS HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, FOLLOWING UP ON, UM, THE NOISE VIOLATIONS AND CONVICTIONS AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN POINTED OUT, AND THIS IS ON SLIDE NUMBER NINE, SLIDE NINE, TWO CONVICTIONS FOR NOISE VIOLATIONS CAN RESULT IN REVOCATION OF THE REGISTRATION, BUT ALSO IF THE BULLET POINT UNDERNEATH THAT ONE OR MORE CONVICTIONS OF THE OWNER OPERATOR OR OCCUPANT OF THE PROPERTY FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING RECKLESS DISCHARGE OF, OF A GUN.
SO WE'VE HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS ASSOCIATED WITH STR
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PROSTITUTION.WE'VE HAD THOSE COMPLAINTS, UM, TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS AND SO FORTH.
SO THE, UM, VIOLATION BY AN OCCUPANT, NOT JUST THE OWNER, BUT BY AN OCCUPANT AND A CONVICTION CAN, CAN RESULT IN HAVING THE REGISTRATION PULLED AS WELL.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE ALSO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IN THE QUEUE.
UM, SO I'M LOOKING AT THE, UH, STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK AND ENGAGEMENT.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT STILL HAVE NOT ENGAGED.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE JUST A MONTH OR RIGHT UNDER A MONTH.
UH, WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT BEING? I THINK YOU'LL HAVE ABOUT 188 RESPONSES.
UM, WHAT'S, WHAT'S GONNA BE A GOOD TARGET NUMBER FOR THAT? WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THE PORTAL OPEN FOR FEEDBACK FOR AS LONG AS THIS IS UNDER CONSIDERATION, RIGHT? UNTIL THE FINAL ORDINANCE COMES TO COUNCIL.
WHAT WE DID FIND IS, IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER VERY AGGRIEVED BY SHORT-TERM RENTALS OR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHORT TERM RENTALS TO RENT ARE THE ONES WHO ARE MOST INTERESTED IN THIS.
AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE THE THE BIGGEST STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO THIS.
AND, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A SPECIFIC NUMBER.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CRITICAL MASS OF WHAT TYPE OF RESPONSE ARE WE GETTING ON EACH OF THOSE ISSUES.
WHAT'S THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN, UH, THOSE THAT ARE PROVIDING SHORT TERM RENTAL AND THEN RESIDENTIAL? I KNOW YOU HAVE A MIXTURE, UM, PLATFORMS, LANDLORDS, NEIGHBORS.
DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THAT AT 180 8? OH, NOPE.
WHAT'S, UH, UH, A NEIGHBOR'S, A LANDLORD? OH, I DON'T HAVE THAT.
I THINK IT'D BE GOOD, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT YEAH.
UM, IN THE CONVERSATION AS ONE OF YOUR, UM, ONE OF THE RESPONSES WAS LIKE THE TURNAROUND FOR THE APPLICATION WITH THAT DELAY.
UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AS WELL? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THE PROCESS WILL BE.
WE ALREADY GO INTO BACKLOGS WITH PERMITTING AND SO ON AND YOU KNOW, SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING A, A ANOTHER BURDEN FOR FOLKS THAT ARE WANTING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND WE WILL NOT BE CREATING A BACKLOG.
UH, THE REASON FOR THE 180 DAYS, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL APPROVES THE ORDINANCE.
GRANICUS WILL THEN, UH, WORK TO IMPLEMENT THEIR SYSTEM AND TIE IT INTO ALL OF OUR OTHER SYSTEMS, SAP.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT IT HAS TO TIE INTO, WE WILL START SENDING APPLICATIONS TO ALL OF THOSE KNOWN ADDRESSES AND SAYING, HEY, THIS NEW ORDINANCE IS HERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE HERE WHEN WE DID THE BOARDING HOME ORDINANCE.
AND, AND REMEMBER WE HAD SIX MONTHS TO IMPLEMENT IT AND WE FOUND THAT THERE WERE STILL ABOUT 25 OUT THERE THAT HAD NOT COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
SO WE ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION TO GIVE US ANOTHER A HUNDRED DAYS TO BRING THEM INTO COMPLIANCE UNTIL WE KNEW THE WHOLE POPULATION.
WE DON'T EXPECT TO GET A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
I THINK THE HIGHEST WE'VE HEARD ANY CITY SAY IS 50% COMPLIANCE.
UM, LA IMPLEMENTED THEIR ORDINANCE IN 2019 AND THEY, THEY'RE STILL ONLY AT 40%, EVEN WITH AN INCREDIBLE MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
'CAUSE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO RENT FOR 20 DAYS A YEAR AREN'T GONNA FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO GET A REGISTRATION.
WE NOW HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ HAD ASKED PART OF THE QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK.
UM, ON SLIDE FOUR, NUMBER SIX, UH, FLOOR PLAN AND NUMBER SEVEN, LOT SITE PLAN.
UM, I CAN IMAGINE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOAS AND DEED RESTRICTION AND ALL THAT KIND OF COMBINED, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT KIND OF LOOSEY GOOSEY.
HOW, HOW WOULD A PROPERTY FLOOR PLAN AND A LOT SITE PLAN, IS THAT A HANDWRITTEN OR IS THAT AN ACTUAL CAD? YOU KNOW, LIKE A WITH THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY ON FILE SOMEWHERE.
I I, IT SEEMS A LITTLE CUMBERSOME.
I MEAN, IT, IT CAN BE A STICK FIGURE DRAWING.
THE WHOLE IDEA IS, ESPECIALLY WITH NUMBER FOUR IS, IS JUST NOW ON PAGE FOUR.
THE, THE PROPERTY FLOOR PLAN IS JUST AS SUPPOSED TO SHOW WHERE ARE ALL OF THE EXITS? IS THERE ENOUGH INGRESS AND EGRESS? SO, OKAY.
IT WOULD JUST BE A VERY BASIC DRAWING.
UM, LET'S, WE, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM STAFF, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CASTEX TATUM, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR PIUS, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WILL BE ACCEPTING FEEDBACK.
UM, ON THE FORM FOR AS LONG AS UNTIL IT, THE ORDINANCE COMES TO COUNCIL.
IS THAT OKAY? UM, AND THANK YOU FOR EXTENDING THAT.
UM, WILL THE FEEDBACK FORM BE UPDATED? 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S DATED TO DECEMBER 13TH.
AND, AND WE CAN SEND YOU COUN WE CAN SEND YOU UPDATED COMMENTS, BUT WE'VE ALSO GIVEN EACH OF YOUR CHIEFS OF STAFF ACCESS SO THEY CAN GO IN AND LOOK AT THE RESPONSES.
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YOU.UM, JUST TO GO BACK REALLY QUICKLY, 'CAUSE ON SLIDE NINE, NOT TO UM, REITERATE IT, BUT I DID.
BECAUSE WE DO INCLUDE, AFTER YOU HAD REVIEWED IT, DIRECTOR, IT JOGGED MY MEMORY BECAUSE WE DO INCLUDE IN SOME OF THESE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION.
UM, THINGS LIKE SMUGGLING OF PERSONS, ET CETERA.
I DO WANNA JUST REITERATE EVEN A 30 MINUTE TRAINING BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO SIGN UP AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING WITHOUT NECESSARILY HAVING THE EDUCATION TO DO IT.
I DO KNOW THERE ARE EVEN 30 MINUTE TRAININGS AVAILABLE.
ONE QUESTION CAME IN FROM CONSTITUENTS, UH, THAT I WANTED TO ASK, WHICH PERTAINS TO CLARIFICATION ON MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY LEVELS.
UM, WHILE THE CODE REFERS TO ALL APPLICABLE CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE CODE PROVISIONS, IT DOES NOT SAY HOW THAT'S DETERMINED.
UM, SO WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A, THERE'S LANGUAGE THAT SAYS THAT A STR UNIT IS NOT TO EXCEED X NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS BY THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE OR BUILDING CODE.
ARE THERE LIMITATIONS ON THAT AND IS THERE NEEDED CLARIFICATION ON THAT? I, I THINK WE JUST HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
I THINK, I THINK WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT PROVISIONS OF THE BUILDING CODE THAT CLEARLY SPEAK TO MULTI-TENANT PROPERTIES VERSUS SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
THERE'S SOME AMBIGUITY FRANKLY THERE, BUT I THINK WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND TRY TO IRON THAT OUT AND GIVE MORE GUIDANCE ACTUALLY IN THE ORDINANCE.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF THIS IS GEARED TOWARDS MAKING THIS AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE THAT DO NOT REGISTER, UH, COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT THE DATA SHOWS.
WE'LL ONLY, LET'S SAY GET 50% PARTICIPATION EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE MAY NOT BE REGISTERED.
THIS WOULD ENABLE THE CITY TO COME IN IF THERE IS A BAD ACTOR TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE ISSUE, ENSURE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY PROTOCOL, THAT IT IS NOT BEING, UH, A LOCATION, CONTINUING TO BE A LOCATION WHERE HPD IS HAVING TO CONSTANTLY RESPOND.
RESIDENTS ARE HAVING TO CONSTANTLY REACH OUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS DOES ENABLE AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THAT'S THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS.
THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO START COLLECTING THE DATA.
WE STARTED COLLECTING THAT THE DATA AS SOON AS THE GRANICUS CONTRACT WAS AWARDED IN JULY.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET TO THE SAME LEVEL OF GRANULARITY THAT ARLINGTON HAS, BUT IT'S A PROCESS.
UH, JUST A COUPLE THINGS BEFORE WE CLOSE YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO THE PENALTIES OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ALL APPLY TO OWNER OPERATORS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS IF, UH, THE ORDINANCE IS VIOLATED.
IS THAT RIGHT? LEGAL SAYS YES.
UM, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT PLATFORM REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS ON PAGE 10 OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, IF YOU CAN PULL THAT UP.
SO, SECTION, PROPOSED SECTION 28 DASH 7 42, PLATFORM REQUIREMENTS IN SUBSECTION B.
THE LAST SENTENCE PLATFORMS SHALL NOT LIST A SHORT TERM RENTAL WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION NUMBER ISSUED BY THE CITY.
SO WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ONE.
UM, EVIDENTLY THIS, THIS REQUIREMENT AT LEAST AT PRESENT DOES NOT HAVE ANY, ANY PENALTY ATTACHED TO IT, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW SOME OF THE TENANTS WHO STAY IN STRS OR BAD ACTORS AND SOME ARE GOOD ACTORS.
UH, I GUESS THE SAME COULD BE SAID OF, OF PLATFORMS. SO ON SLIDE NUMBER 13, STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK, YOU LIST THAT, UH, SOME OF THE PLATFORMS HAVE OFFERED COMMENT, BUT THEN THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF PLATFORMS AT THE BOTTOM AND I COUNTED ABOUT 18 THAT HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY COMMENT AT ALL.
AND SOME OF THESE, MOST OF THESE I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF.
UH, THEY'RE NOT NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WHEN WE THINK OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SO, SO WE DO HAVE THAT POTENTIAL ISSUE AS WELL.
PLATFORMS THAT MIGHT NOT BE, UH, COOPERATING WITH, WITH THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
AND, AND FINALLY, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT, UH, ENFORCEMENT.
YOU KNOW, ENFORCEMENT, UH, IS OFTEN AN ISSUE WHEN THE CITY ADOPTS AN ORDINANCE.
UM, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE WHEN WE, UH, THINK ABOUT OUR, OUR NOISE ISSUE ISSUES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE
[00:55:01]
CITY.SO HAVE YOU ALL THOUGHT ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE? IF IT'S A NOISE ISSUE, THOSE WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO HPD AS THEY HAVE GONE BEFORE.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ENFORCE IT THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S AN ACTUAL VIOLATION OF SOMEONE'S NOT REGISTERED AND WE NEED ONE OF OUR OWN INVESTIGATORS TO GO OUT TO SEE THAT PROPERTY OWNER, THEN WE'LL DO IT THROUGH MY DEPARTMENT, THROUGH HER INVESTIGATORS.
SO, SO ENFORCEMENT AT, AT PRESENT, AT LEAST FOR NOISE VIOLATIONS IS BY A POLICE OFFICER, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND OTHER TYPES OF VIOLATION DID YOU SAY YOU MIGHT SEND, WHO, WHO MIGHT YOU SEND OUT? SO WE HAVE OUR OWN INVESTIGATORS, BUT THEY HANDLE MAINLY YOUR, YOUR TYPICAL CLASSY MISDEMEANOR.
IF SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE THEIR LICENSE AND THEY'RE OPERATING AT A BAR OR THEY'RE OPERATING AT DANCE HALL OR ANY OF THE OTHER 60 TYPES OF PERMITS THAT WE MANAGE, OUR, OUR ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE MAINLY OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE COMPLYING WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, A VEHICLE FOR HIRE.
ARE THEY DISPLAYING THEIR DECAL CORRECTLY? HAVE THEY PASSED THEIR VEHICLE INSPECTION? SO WITH SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THE, THE ISSUES IN HERE THAT ARE NOT TYPICALLY ENFORCED BY HPD WILL BE ENFORCED BY A RA OR BY CODE ENFORCEMENT IF IT'S, OR SOLID WASTE IF IT'S TRASH OR CODE ENFORCEMENT, IF IT'S A HAZARD.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY, UH, FOLKS YOU HAVE ON STAFF PRESENTLY WHO, UH, ENFORCE THESE TYPES OF VIOLATIONS? HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE? YEAH, I HAVE ABOUT 10.
YOU THINK THAT'S ADEQUATE SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A HANDLE ON HOW LARGE IT IS AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT SURE.
ARLINGTON HAS TWO PEOPLE ENFORCING IT.
THE MAJORITY OF THE ENFORCEMENT IS DONE WITH THE 24 HOUR HOTLINE WHERE GRANICUS THEN PHONES IN WHAT THE COMPLAINT IS.
WITHOUT THAT HOTLINE, I THINK, I THINK WE'D BE HARD PRESSED TO CAPTURE ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF IN THE QUEUE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND FOR LISTENING TO THE FOLKS WHO HAVE WEIGHED IN.
UH, AND I'D, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UH, HANG AROUND AND, AND HEAR THE FOLKS WHO WANNA OFFER COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE NOW GONNA MOVE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING.
AND, UM, I'VE, I'VE ENCOURAGED DIRECTOR PAZ AND, UM, MS. BRUNICK TO REMAIN SO THAT THEY CAN LISTEN AND HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.
THEY'VE, UM, ALREADY READ THE COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE AND THEY WERE PRESENT AT THE MEETING IN JULY WHERE WE HAD ABOUT 40 PEOPLE OFFER COMMENTS.
SO, UH, COMMENTS WILL BE ADDRESSED TO THE MEMBERS UP HERE AT, AT THE TABLE.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO DIRECT, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SUBMIT THEM, UM, ONLINE AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY GET ADDRESSED.
SO WE'LL START WITH, UM, BROOKE NIK.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? UH, MY NAME'S SEBASTIAN LONG.
CAN YOU SWITCH TO, OKAY, HERE WE GO.
NOW LISTEN, WE HAVE ABOUT, OH, I DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE ABOUT MAYBE 20 FOLKS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO, UH, IN VIEW OF THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT, UH, UH, EVERY SPEAKER WILL GET UP TO TWO MINUTES TO OFFER COMMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M BROOKE BICK, CO-FOUNDER OF LODGER, A CORPORATE HOUSING PROVIDER HERE IN HOUSTON.
WE OPERATE IN CLASS A APARTMENT BUILDINGS.
THE PROPOSED REGULATION REQUIRES PROPERTY OWNERS TO ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR ALL STR VIOLATIONS.
THIS MEANS IF A GUEST BREAKS NOISE RULES, THE BUILDING OWNER WOULD BE LIABLE.
NO APARTMENT BUILDING ACCEPTS LIABILITY.
WHEN A TRADITIONAL TENANT THROWS A LOUD PARTY.
THEY NEVER AGREE TO BE LIABLE FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL GUESTS EITHER.
WHAT HAPPENS THEN? PROFESSIONAL OPERATORS LIKE LODGER, WHO SERVE BUSINESS TRAVELERS AND MEDICAL CENTER PATIENTS WILL BE LOCKED OUT OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS ENTIRELY.
THE ONLY STS LEFT WILL BE IN HOMES OR BUILDINGS WHOLLY CONVERTED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS RUN BY OWNER OPERATORS.
THIS CREATES EXACTLY WHAT HOUSTON WANTS TO AVOID.
ENTIRE BUILDINGS BECOMING DEFACTO HOTELS WITHOUT HOTEL SAFETY STANDARDS.
THE SOLUTION IS TO REGULATE OPERATORS, NOT PROPERTIES OR OWNERS.
THIS IS HOW HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX REGISTRATION WORK WORKS.
INSTEAD OF PROCESSING A AND A HALF THOUSAND INDIVIDUAL UNIT REGISTRATIONS, INSPECTIONS, AND UPDATES, THE CITY CAN FOCUS INSTEAD ON OPERATORS.
THIS MAKES ENFORCEMENT MORE EFFICIENT AND TARGETS THE REAL SOURCE OF PROBLEMS, IRRESPONSIBLE OPERATORS, WHILE ALLOWING GOOD OPERATORS TO GROW AND CREATE JOBS.
[01:00:01]
LOCAL LOCALS CALLED US EVERY 90 SECONDS DESPERATE FOR HOUSING.IF WE REGULATE STRS OUT OF EXISTENCE, WHERE WILL HOUSTONIANS STAY AFTER THE NEXT STORM? AND ON THE TOPIC OF FEES, UM, THE FEE STRUCTURE SHOULD REFLECT MULTI-UNIT OPERATORS SINCE OUR EFFICIENCIES OF SCALE IN DEALING WITH THEIR REGISTRATIONS.
NEXT UP WE HAVE SUSAN SDI, SUSAN SDI, MELO DIEGO, TOM OLIVER.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL COME BACK TO HIM.
I, UM, OWN AN UH, UH, A HUNDRED YEAR OLD HOUSE IN MONTROSE THAT I RESTORED AND MY WIFE AND I ARE RETIRED, SO WE UM, CREATED TWO FURNISHED APARTMENTS, UH, THERE THAT WE LIST ON VRBO AND AIRBNB.
SO IF YOU LOAD THOSE WEBSITES WERE LISTED AS AN STR.
AND I SUBMITTED A QUESTION TO, UH, COUNCILMAN RAMIREZ BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN I READ THE, UH, WHEN THE ORDINANCE CAME OUT.
UM, AND IT SAID, UH, THE EXEMPTIONS, UH, BED AND BREAKFAST WAS LISTED.
AND WHEN I WENT TO CHAPTER SIX, UM, IT'S, UM, ARTICLE, ARTICLE SIX, UH, EXCUSE ME, ARTICLE SIX, DIVISION ONE.
IT SAID IT'S A BUILDING OR RE ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITH ROOMS FOR RENT ON A DAILY BASIS WITH A RESIDENT OWNER, OCCUPANT OR MANAGER WITH NO MORE THAN 10 SLEEPING ROOMS FOR RENT.
MY CONCERN THOUGH, IN LISTENING TODAY AND WHAT I'VE, WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR AND, AND THE PRESENTATION, THE, THE POWERPOINT SLIDES, IS THAT, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A HOTLINE.
AND I'M, I'M ALSO LISTED, AS I SAY, AS AN AS IN A, AS A NATIONAL DEFINITION.
UM, AND SO, UM, HOW AM I GOING TO PREVENT BEING HARASSED BY PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, YOU'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE.
THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DAILY PENALTIES.
UM, MAYBE EVEN CRIMINAL CHARGES I HEARD MENTIONED.
I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING A VERY, UM, DIFFERENTIATED, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
WE HAVE PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO PARTICIPATE IN ART EXHIBITS.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
THEY'RE GETTING, UH, RECOVERING FROM A BRAIN SURGERY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE COME FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT WANT THEIR CHILD TO BE BORN HERE, SO THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO BE AMERICAN CITIZEN.
WE MEET INTERESTING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
SO IT'S, IT'S A KIND OF A HOBBY FOR MY WIFE AND I.
BUT WE DON'T WANNA BE HARASSED.
WE WANT, WE WANNA BE COMPLIANT, BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THIS SO THAT, UM, 'CAUSE AIRBNB IS GONNA LIST ME AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL.
I'M NOT GONNA HAVE A, UH, A NUMBER ISSUED NUMBER, SO IT LOOKS LIKE I'M NOT, BUT HOW IS ANY PERSON GOING TO KNOW THAT? AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
SO SOMEBODY NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE PROTECT PEOPLE THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS ORDINANCE.
'CAUSE WHEN IT'S NOT A MONO, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS AREN'T MONOLITHIC.
THERE ARE BAD ACTORS, BUT WE ARE AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT IS THE, ON THE OTHER END OF THAT SPECTRUM.
BEFORE YOU GO, LET ME ASK YOU, HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU ASKED AIRBNB WHAT THEIR POSITION ON THIS WOULD BE? UM, WELL,
UM, I, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT I'M A BIG AIRBNB FAN.
IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A KIND OF AN, YOU KNOW, THESE
YOU CAN'T GET YOU, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY ON THEIR TERMS WHEN YOU WANT TO, WHEN YOU ASK TO TALK TO THEM.
SO, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO, UH, ANSWER IN TERMS OF SAYING, OH, I CAN GO TO AIRBNB AND SAY, DIFFERENTIATE ME.
THEY MAY COME BACK TO ME AND SAY, YOU JUST NEED TO, NEED TO REGISTER.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DEAL WITH THIS.
UM, AT WHICH POINT MY WIFE AND I WILL JUST DELIST, I GUESS, AND WE'LL GO IT ON ON OUR OWN.
UM, BUT YEAH, AIRBNB, I'M NOT, I, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO TALK WITH.
ALRIGHT, MR. POWELL, THERE ARE AIRBNB REPRESENTATIVES HERE PRESENT THIS AFTERNOON.
MAYBE ONE OF THEM WILL TALK TO YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
UH, I'D ALSO NOTE THAT UNDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, THE DEFINITION OF SHORT-TERM RENTAL EXCLUDES HOTEL OR BED AND BREAKFAST FACILITY AS DEFINED IN ARTICLE SIX OF THE CHAPTER.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN IN
[01:05:01]
THE, IN THE QUEUE.I HAVE A LOT OF DISTRICT C SPEAKERS, SO I'M NOT GONNA ADDRESS EVERYONE.
BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE, UM, STR PROVIDERS THAT IS EXACTLY WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT BURDENING.
WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IN THIS CONVERSATION, CHAIRMAN, IS IF THERE'S A QUESTION THAT YOU NEED OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE COMMITTEE TO CLARIFY FOR YOU, WELL, MAYBE I FILE AN AFFIDAVIT WITH THE CITY SAYING THAT I'M TESTIFYING THAT I AM, UM, I'M, I AM EXEMPT BASED ON THE CO ON THE, UH, ORDINANCE.
BUT WHATEVER IT IS, JUST SO WITH SOMETHING ON FILE THAT WHEN SOMEBODY ON THE HOTLINE SAYS, I'M NOT IN COMPLIANCE, THEY PULL IT OUT AND GO, OKAY.
AND WE, WE WILL ASK LEGAL ABOUT THAT.
I UNDERSTAND TOM OLIVER IS BACK.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS OCCURRED TO ME OVER THE YEARS OF BEING NEXT DOOR TO A PARTY HOUSE, STR, WITH A POOL, UM, I'VE TRIED EVERY RECOURSE AND I'VE ASKED THE POLICE AND I'VE ASKED THEM, NOTHING HAPPENS.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT, NOISE ORDINANCES WAS ABOUT TWO CONVICTIONS.
WELL, THE MOMENT THE POLICE TURN UP, THEY TURN THE MUSIC OFF, AND THEREFORE YOU'LL NEVER GET A CONVICTION EVER.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE IS STANDING OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF THE HASH, THEY CAN'T HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING BY THE POOL OR THE BACK, WHICH IS AFFECTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
UM, THE OTHER THING, UM, THAT I'VE LOOKED AT A LOT IS ALL THE SDRS I KNOW AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, THEY ALL CLAIM A HUNDRED PERCENT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, AND THEY DON'T LIVE THERE.
I MEAN, MY NEIGHBOR HASN'T LIVED THERE IN FIVE YEARS, AND YET IF YOU LOOK AT HCAD, THEY'RE GETTING A HUNDRED PERCENT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE TECHNICALLY RESIDENTIAL.
THAT'S A GOOD MONEY GRAB FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE CITY TO REGULATE THE ENTIRE PROBLEM.
THAT THAT OBVIOUSLY IS GONNA COST THEM MONEY.
I THINK MY LAST COMMENT WOULD BE CERTAINLY BEING NEXT DOOR TO SOMEONE WHO RENTS OUT, YOU KNOW, WITH A POOL, MAINLY FOR PARTIES.
SO PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY THERE'S BETWEEN 15 AND 20 PEOPLE USING THAT POOL.
CERTAINLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, THERE IS NO HEALTH AND SAFETY OR HYGIENE OR ANYTHING.
THAT POOL GETS CLEANED ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS.
THAT'S AFTER MAYBE 150 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN THAT POOL DOING, I WON'T EXPLAIN, WHICH IS, SHOULD BE UP TO THE SAME STANDARD AS A HOTEL.
I MEAN, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND HYGIENE OF ONE OF THESE SCRS SHOULD MEET THE SAME RE SAME REQUIREMENTS THAT A HOTEL HAS TO MEET, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S UNSAFE TO THE PUBLIC FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA GO AND SAY THAT.
ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAD TO SAY.
NO, YOU RAISED SOME GOOD POINTS.
UH, MR. OLIVER, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I ALSO LIVE IN THE MONTROSE, AND, UH, THREE YEARS AGO MY NEIGHBOR CONVERTED HER HOUSE TO AN STR AND THE MOST RECENT PARTY WAS ON THANKSGIVING DAY, UM, WHICH WE SPENT BOTH HAVING A HOLIDAY FOR OUR OWN SONS FROM OUT OF TOWN, BUT ALSO, AND ALSO FOR OUR ELDER IN-LAWS IN THEIR LATE EIGHTIES, BUT ALSO TAKING PICTURES SO WE CAN PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO GORDON FRAZIER AND TO OTHER OFFICES IN, UH, INCLUDING YOURS CHAIR.
AND, UM, THIS OWNER HAS NO SCRUPLES PERIOD.
SO I, I'M NOT SURE ALWAYS WHAT WE MEAN BY A BAD ACTOR.
ARE WE AS NEIGHBORS JUST SUPPOSED TO PUT UP WITH ANYTHING.
UH, WE HAVE PROBABLY 30 TIMES WE'VE CALLED IN 3 1 1 CALLS.
I MEAN, I INVITE ANY OF YOU TO TRY SOMETIME.
OFTENTIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANNA TAKE YOUR CALL.
[01:10:01]
YOU ALL THE REASONS WHY YOU DON'T HAVE A CLAIM, AND YOU INSIST AND YOU BE POLITE.UM, SO I THINK THAT THIS IS THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE, ACTUALLY.
WE'RE HAVING A QUA, UH, A CONVERSATION ABOUT BAD ACTORS, A LOW BAR, A LOT OF SELF, UM, REGULATING OR SELF-POLICING KINDS OF PROVISIONS THAT PEOPLE DRAW A STICK FIGURE PLAN.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT INVITES MUCH COMPLIANCE.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN MY NEIGHBOR IS NO COMPLIANCE, UM, AT ALL.
UM, AND I, I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT ENDS EXCEPT FOR US TO MOVE.
AND SO I WOULD JUST SAY, AS I'VE SAID IN MANY EMAIL EXCHANGES, THAT NEIGHBORS ARE ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE.
UH, I THINK SOME OF THE ST ARE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MONETIZING NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THEIR OWN GAIN.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COUNCIL CONTINUE TO WORK.
I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PLANS ALIGN MORE WITH THE ARLINGTON PLAN, WHICH WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THE ACTUAL ISSUES THAT NEIGHBORS OF ST ARE FACING.
CATHERINE MCNEIL AHEAD, MA'AM.
I, I DO WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT IN AROUND THIS ISSUE AND THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE LAYING OUT.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, SO I APPRECIATE IT A LOT.
I LIVE IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT.
I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO A 22 UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT USED TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S NOW BEEN ALMOST TOTALLY, UH, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL UNITS.
I NEVER WAS ASKING THAT A HOME OR A TOWN HOME OR A CONDO, UH, BE QUALIFIED AS A HOTEL.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A 22 UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT IS ALL SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE STAY IN IT.
SO I, UH, DO NOT SEE, AND I'M JUST ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE LAID OUT.
I'M JUST SPEAKING TO THIS, UM, THAT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING THAT IN THIS ORDINANCE THAT TALKS ABOUT TAKING GOOD, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OFF THE, UH, ROLES WHICH WE'RE IN DESPERATE NEED OF IN HOUSTON, AND TO, I DON'T SEE HOW THIS ORDINANCE RESPONDS TO SOMEONE COMING IN, BUYING A SMALL APARTMENT COMPLEX AND TURNING IT IN TO A SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTY THAT IN MY MIND FITS THE CITY'S HOTEL ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD MEAN IT COULD NOT EXIST AT THE CORNER OF YOAKUM AND BANKS.
IF YOU'LL HOLD, HOLD ON JUST A MINUTE.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER IN THE QUEUE.
UM, JUST CURIOUS IS, ARE THESE UNITS LISTED ON ANY OF THE PLATFORMS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY PUBLICLY LISTED? YES, THEY, THEY, UH, AIRBNB, VRBO HAVE WORKED WITH US OVER THE LAST TWO, THREE YEARS NOW.
UM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED OFF, BUT WE FIND THEM, WE FOUND THEM ON EXPEDIA, WE FIND THEM.
THEY, UH, THERE'S A NETWORK THAT THEY WORK AROUND.
AND, UH, UH, I WILL ALSO, AND I JUST ASK THIS KIND OF AS A QUESTION, BECAUSE VERY SADLY, ONE OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, WAS CHARGED WITH MURDER OF, UH, A HOMELESS MAN THAT LIVED AT OUR PARK.
HE DIDN'T LIVE THERE, BUT HE SPENT A LARGE PORTION OF TIME AT OUR PARK.
AND SO NOW I HAVE RESIDENTS THAT ARE WORRIED IF HE'S NOW ALLOWED TO COME BACK.
RIGHT NOW HE'S LIVING WITH SHERIFF GONZALEZ, BUT IF HE WERE TO BE OUT, CAN HE COME BACK AND DO ANOTHER SHORT TERM RENTAL? AND BECAUSE OUR GUY JUST DOES, YOU KNOW, 80 BUCKS AND A NIGHT, DOES THIS, DOES THIS, UH, UNIT HAVE A POOL AS WELL? YES, IT HAS A POOL.
[01:15:02]
THANK YOU.UM, CATHERINE, THANK YOU TO YOU AND THE RESIDENTS.
Y'ALL HAVE REALLY BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO THE FOREFRONT, GIVEN WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS DEALING WITH.
I KNOW YOU WERE REALLY FOCUSING TODAY, YOUR COMMENTS ON, UM, HOW IT'S BEING USED SIMILAR TO A HOTEL.
CAN YOU THOUGH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, DISCUSS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE SEEN ARISING OUT OF THIS PROPERTY, INCLUDING WHAT HAS HAPPENED PRETTY MUCH ON YOUR PROPERTY AND OTHER RESIDENCE PROPERTIES? UM, YES.
UH, AND WHEN I GO TO THE MAPPING OF POLICE CALLS AND AMBULANCE CALLS, I CAN DIRECTLY POINT TO THAT APARTMENT COMPLEX.
I, UH, WE'VE HAD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE'VE HAD HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WE'VE HAD HOUSTON SWAT TEAMS COME OUT WITH DRUG BUSTS.
IT'S CHANGED THE WHOLE PERSONALITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR AREA.
AND, UH, AND I WILL ALSO SAY THIS IS A LARGER IMPACT BECAUSE WE ARE AN UND DEED RESTRICTED.
WE'RE A VERY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE HAVE NEVER BEEN PLATTED WITH DEED RESTRICTIONS.
SO WE ARE VERY MUCH ON OUR OWN TO HAVE TO FIGHT FOR, UH, FOR ANYTHING IN OUR LITTLE HOOD.
UM, THE MORE SHORT TERM RENTALS THERE ARE AND THAT ARE ALLOWED, THE LESS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THERE IS.
WE HAVE A CIVIC CLUB AND IT TRIES TO BE ACTIVE, BUT THERE'S LESS PARTICIPATION IN ANY CIVIC ORGANIZATION WHEN IT'S MORE AND MORE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM CATHERINE MCNEIL AND OTHERS IS THAT THERE DOES SEEM TO BE A DIFFERENCE IN THE REGULAR SHORT TERM RENTAL THAT'S A SINGLE FAMILY OR TOWNHOUSE, AND THESE, ESPECIALLY THESE SMALLER COMPLEXES.
AND THEN WHAT THE GENTLEMAN BROUGHT UP EARLIER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BIG APARTMENT BUILDING OWNERS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW IT, IT'S DONE, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF DIFFERENTIATION IN, IN IT, IN DEALING WITH THEM.
I, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT CAN BE DONE, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING.
I, I REALLY, UM, RESPECT HER POINT ABOUT TAKING GOOD AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE TEACHERS WERE LIVING, OR PARENTS THAT WANTED THEIR KIDS TO GO TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
I MEAN, THAT USED TO BE WHO FILLED UP THIS, UM, APARTMENT BUILDING AND NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A FLOP HOUSE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S DONE.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME, BUT I DO THINK IT'S, IT DOESN'T MEET THE SAME CRITERIA AS A SINGLE FAMILY.
UH, MIGUEL KREMEN, LEV, FIRST I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT EVERYONE ON THE WORK AND EFFORT ON THE 53 PAGE PRESENTATION SENT OUT FOUR HOURS AGO.
UH, LOTS OF NUMBERS, AND I'M SURE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENTS OF, UH, AIRBNB AND EXPEDIA AND THE MULTI-PROPERTY OWNERS ARE PROUD, AS I'M SURE THEY ARE, OF THE DRAFT REGULATIONS WITH THE OVERWHELMINGLY HOST FRIENDLY LOOK AND FEEL.
IT STRIKES A NICE BALANCE BETWEEN OVERWHELMINGLY PRESENTING THEIR OPINIONS, GIVING THEM WHAT THEY WANT, AND INCLUDING CLEARLY BIASED PRO STR ANTI-REGULATION COMMENTS IN THE PUBLIC AREA OF THE FEEDBACK.
WHILE NICELY MARGINALIZING ANTI STR VOICES AS ILLOGICAL OR EMOTIONAL AND NOT FACT-BASED, IF ONE WAS MORE FOCUSED ON TAX REVENUE OR LOOKING FOR THE MOST POLITICAL COVER WHILE RUNNING SCARED ON THE LEGAL FRONT, A REASONABLE CITIZEN MIGHT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WOULD BE PERSUADED TO VOTE FOR THIS, AS IS NOT QUESTIONING ANYTHING.
NOW, THE KEY ASPECTS THAT SEEM SELF-EVIDENT, AND SINCE WE'RE EITHER SCARED OR CONFUSED, WE'VE SCARED OR CONFUSED OURSELVES INTO THINKING THE HOTEL RESIDENCE ISN'T SUPPORTED BY CASE LAW.
THESE SHOULD BE THE BARE MINIMUM.
BUT IF WE HOUSTON CITIZENS ARE LUCKY ME, MAYBE WE CAN GET BROUGHT BACK IN FROM THE HOLLOWED OUT ARLINGTON RULE PROHIBITIONS ON AMPLIFIED SOUND.
AFTER 10 ADVERTISING PARTIES AND EVENTS, PROHIBITIONS ON EVENTS EXCEEDING OCCUPANCY LIMITS AND PROHIBITIONS ON OUTDOOR SIGNAGE, I THINK PARKING'S GONNA BE A BIG ISSUE.
AND I WOULD URGE THIS COMMITTEE TO STRONGLY THINK HARD ABOUT THE TYPES OF CITIZENS AND NEIGHBORS UNRESTRICTED PARKING HURTS AND THE STAKEHOLDERS THEY HELP.
IN FACT, WE SUBJECT OURSELVES TO VALID CRITICISM OF COWARDICE BY NOT INCLUDING RESTRICTIONS ON NUMBER OF UNITS OWNED BY A SINGLE ENTITY, MAXIMUM NUMBER OF NIGHTS PER YEAR, RENTABLE
[01:20:01]
AS A HOTEL, OR IF WE'RE THINKING HONESTLY.AND ALONG THE LINES OF TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT HARM TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE AND IMPRESSIONABLE CITIZENS, KEEPING THESE THINGS AT LEAST A HUNDRED TO 500 YARDS FROM SCHOOLS.
THERE ARE DOZENS OF WONDERFUL EXAMPLES FROM CITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO HAVE RISEN TO THE CHALLENGE AND IMPOSED PROPER RESTRICTIONS, YET WE'RE CONSIDERING JUST MAILING IT IN HERE ON SOMETHING THAT WILL TRULY DEFINE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FOR GENERATIONS.
TRACY HALL, LINDSEY CARR, GO AHEAD, MA'AM.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY AIRBNB EXPERIENCE AS A HOST.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY A, A SINGLE HOME HOST IN THE OAK FOREST WEST AREA.
AND BEING ABLE TO RENT MY HOME THROUGH PLATFORMS LIKE AIRBNB AND SOME OF THE OTHERS MENTIONED UP HERE, HAVE ACTUALLY OPENED UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR MY PERSONAL FUTURE ALONG WITH THAT IN MY COMMUNITY, UM, THAT I HONESTLY WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
MY HOUSE HAS NOT ONLY, UM, HOSTED LINEMEN AND CLEANUP CREWS DURING NATURAL DISASTERS, BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO BECOMING AN INVESTOR IN A NEIGHBORING, UM, COMMUNITY OF ACRES HOMES TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MAKING HOME OWNERSHIP, AND EVEN MAYBE ENTREPRENEURSHIP A POSSIBILITY FOR EVERYONE IN HOUSTON.
MY EXPERIENCE HAS OPENED UP A PHILANTHROPIC ASPECT TO MY LIFE THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SCALE.
UM, MY RENTAL GENERATED A LINEN DONATION, WHICH HAS NOW PROVIDED YEAR TO DATE A HUNDRED POUNDS OF LINEN TO ANIMAL RESCUES AND FOSTERS IN AND AROUND THE OAK FOREST AREA.
IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE DO FIND SPACE TO ALLOW EASE OF ACCESS, INTERPRETATION AND REALISTIC STANDARDS, SUCH AS THE INSURANCE COVERAGE AMOUNTS
UM, THANK YOU COUNSEL, UH, COMMEND YOU FOR THE, UH, DEFINITELY THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND PUTTING TOGETHER THE, UH, PROPOSAL.
UH, FOR ME IT'S ABOUT CLARITY.
UM, I THINK THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS IN THERE, UH, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAY ACTUALLY DISCOURAGE, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH IT.
SO, UH, I, I SUGGEST THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT, LIKE THE TAX REGISTRATION BEFORE CERTIFICATION.
YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD ONE ANYONE WANT TO GO THROUGH TRYING TO GET CERTIFIED, UH, OR REGISTERING FOR TAXES IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CERTIFIED TO BE AN SDR? UM, OTHER QUESTION IS, UH, CLARITY ON HOW DO THE PLATFORMS, UM, THINK ABOUT WHAT DO THE PLATFORMS THINK ABOUT THIS? ARE THEY AGREEING WITH IT? NOT IF THE PLATFORMS DON'T AGREE, THEN AGAIN, THEN HOW DOES THE, THE THIS ORDINANCE, UH, GO INTO EFFECT IF THE PLATFORMS ARE GONNA REJECT IT? UM, SEEMS TO BE, UH, ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR S STRS.
THESE, A LOT OF THE SDRS ARE HOMES AND TOWN HOMES, SO THEY'RE NOT MUCH DIFFERENT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN REGULAR HOMEOWNERS.
SO WHY ARE SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, FOR SDRS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT A HOMEOWNER WOULD HAVE TO, UH, AGREE WITH TAKE, LIKE PARKING, UH, IF YOU'VE BEEN IN HEIGHTS TRYING TO PARK
SO WHY WOULD PARKING RESTRICTIONS BE PUT ON SOMEONE THAT'S IN AN SDR THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM ANYONE ELSE THAT'S LIVING IN THERE? UM, AND THEN THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENT SEEMS LIKE A DOUBLE REQUIREMENT.
YOU KNOW, SOME HOMEOWNERS ALREADY HAVE INSURANCE POLICIES THAT COVER, UM, A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF LIABILITY.
SO IS DO WE NEED ANOTHER, UH, INSURANCE POLICY FOR, FOR REQUIREMENT? I THINK THERE, WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME SITES OR SOME SDRS DON'T USE BOOKING PLATFORM, THEY DIRECT BOOK.
SO HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO PEOPLE THAT ARE DIRECT BOOK? UH, SO FOR ME IT'S, IT'S MORE ABOUT OKAY, MAKING THE, THE PROCESS, UM, THAT PEOPLE CAN AGREE TO AND CONFORM WITH AND, AND NOT MAKING IT REALLY COMPLEX.
[01:25:04]
GOOD AFTERNOON, ASHLEY.ASHLEY HAIE, HEAD OF PUBLIC POLICY FOR EXPEDIA GROUP, INCLUDING VRBO.COM.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
BY AND LARGE, EXPEDIA GROUP BELIEVES THAT THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE IS A GOOD STARTING POINT.
UM, MOST OF THE PROVISIONS IN THE DRAFT ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE SEE IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ENJOY A GREATER EASE OF COMPLIANCE THAN, THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME SMALL REMAINING CONCERNS AS STAFF OUTLINED IN THEIR PRESENTATION.
I KNOW YOUR OFFICES HAVE BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE TO OUR FEEDBACK AND SIMILAR FEEDBACK FROM OTHERS, AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
AND ON THAT NOTE, AND IN PARTICULAR, I'D LIKE TO THANK, UH, THIS COMMITTEE AND STAFF AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THEIR STAFF FOR THE EXHAUSTIVE AND INCLUSIVE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS THROUGH WHICH THIS LANGUAGE WAS DEVELOPED.
UM, IN, IN OUR EXPERIENCE, THIS TYPE OF BALANCED APPROACH HAS RESULTED IN MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC POLICIES.
SO THANK YOU, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
JUST REALLY QUICKLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT, UM, WE DID HEAR FROM ONE GROUP OF RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT C THAT SAID, UH, FROM AIRBNB AND VRBO, THE LISTING HAS BEEN REMOVED, BUT NOT FROM OTHER SITES, INCLUDING, I THINK THEY REFERENCED EXPEDIA.
TO CONNECT WITH THEM DURING THIS MEETING? AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'LL GO OUTSIDE, BUT WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AGAIN, UM, WE'RE CONNECTING RESIDENTS GIVEN THE, I WOULD SAY, HORRIFIC CONDITIONS OF SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP US APPRISED OF ANY OF THOSE CONCERNS SO WE CAN WORK ON THEM.
UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, UH, THAT OUR, IT IS A MINORITY OF BAD ACTORS.
I AM A, UH, SHORT TERM RENTAL HOST.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS WITH MY WIFE.
AND, UH, I, I WOULD LIKE THEM GONE JUST AS MUCH AS THE RESIDENTS AND ALL OF YOU.
UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH, UH, REGISTERING, UH, FOR REASONABLE FEE.
LOOKING AT THE, AND IT IS A DRAFT TO REALIZE THAT, BUT SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS ARE, UH, EXCESSIVE, UH, THE, THE CRIMINAL LIABILITY, UH, LINE ALONE, THAT, THAT SCARES ME.
THAT SCARES ME AND MY WIFE THAT SOMEBODY COULD COMMIT A CRIME AT OUR HOME AND WE COULD BE POTENTIALLY LIABLE.
I DON'T, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER, WOULD THAT HAPPEN AT A HOTEL? WOULD THAT HAPPEN AT A WALMART, YOU KNOW, STARBUCKS, ARE THEY POTENTIALLY CRIMINALLY LIABLE IF SOMEONE COULD COMMIT A CRIME? SO THAT CONCERNS ME.
THERE'S THINGS ON THERE LIKE MAPS SHOWING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, UM, SMOKE ALARMS. I'VE NEVER RECEIVED A MAP FROM A HOTEL WHERE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE.
I MEAN, IT IS JUST SOME OF THE DETAILS ON THAT.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, AGAIN, THE, I FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO LIVE NEXT TO A PLACE WHERE IT'S CONSTANT PROBLEMS, CONSTANT NOISE.
UH, AIRBNB DOES NOT ALLOW PARTIES.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF, IF OUR HOME HAD A PARTY AND WE LET AIRBNB KNOW THERE'S A GON RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN BE REMOVED.
UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
IT MAKES ME WONDER IF THEY'RE EVEN ON AIRBNB BE ALL.
I ACTUALLY HEARD FROM A AIRBNB REPRESENTATIVE THAT THE, THEY WERE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM HOME AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THEM ON THE PLATFORM.
SO, ONE LAST THING REGARDING THE DATA, AND I REALIZE A LOT OF WORK DID GO INTO COMPILING THAT SINCE JULY, BUT I SEE THAT THERE'S, THEY FOUND APPROXIMATELY EIGHT AND A HALF THOUSAND SHORT TERM RENTALS, BUT YET THE CALL DATA IS BASED ON 4,600.
AND THERE WAS AN EXPLANATION REGARDING IT WAS DIALING IN ON, THEY COULD ONLY DIAL IN ON SPECIFIC UNITS IN WITHIN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OTHER 4,000? SO THAT COMPLETELY SKEWS THE DATA, UNLESS I'M MISUNDERSTANDING SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE 50%
[01:30:01]
OF SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE NOT INCLUDED ON THAT CALL DATA.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR RAMIREZ AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
I AM A SENIOR MANAGER OF PUBLIC POLICY FOR TEXAS AT AIRBNB.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS WHO HOST ON THE AIRBNB PLATFORM, WELCOMING PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TO THIS AMAZING CITY.
IN 2023 STATES FACILITATED THROUGH AIRBNB, GENERATED 1.6 BILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FOR HOUSTON, AND 8.5 MILLION IN LOCAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.
SINCE AIRBNB STARTED COLLECTING AND REMITTING TAXES ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON HOSTS, THE CITY HAS RECEIVED OVER 25 MILLION IN TOTAL HOT REVENUE.
BEYOND THE ECONOMIC AND FISCAL IMPACT, SHORT-TERM RENTALS PROVIDE CRITICAL FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR EVERYDAY HOUSTONIANS.
56% OF LOCAL HOSTS USE THEIR EARNINGS TO OFFSET RISING COST OF LIVING, AND 30% SAY IT HELPS THEM STAY IN THEIR HOME.
THE TYPICAL HOST EARNED $8,700 LAST YEAR BY SHARING THEIR SPACE.
IT'S ALSO A LIFELINE FOR SENIORS WITH NEARLY 10% OF HOSTS OVER THE AGE OF 60.
ON THE ISSUE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY, THE DATA IS CLEAR.
STAFF WHO JUST PRESENTED BEFORE US FOUND THAT S STRS GENERATE ON AVERAGE FEWER THAN 1, 3, 1, 1 AND NINE ONE ONE CALL PER YEAR.
AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CALLS REGARDING SERIOUS OFFENSES IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS NON SHORT-TERM RENTAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
THAT SAID, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE, COUNCIL OFFICES, UH, THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS NEIGHBORS TO ADDRESS COMPLAINT DRIVEN VIOLATIONS.
IN THE RARE INSTANCES THAT THESE OCCUR, AIRBNB SUPPORTS FAIR AND BALANCE RULES THAT PROVIDE CLARITY FOR HOSTS WHILE HELPING CITIES THRIVE.
THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN THE ORDINANCE THAT HOUSTON HOSTS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH, NUMBER OF WHICH YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, ESPECIALLY AS THEY, UH, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT THE 99.99% OF HOSTS WHO ARE GOOD ACTORS.
ALONGSIDE OUR HOSTS, WE SEEK AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD MAKE THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE A THOUGHTFUL SOLUTION FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS, PROTECTING NEIGHBORHOODS, WHILE PRESERVING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS THAT SDRS PROVIDE.
UH, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UH, I'VE GOT ABOUT 605 STAR REVIEWS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ORDINANCE ISN'T AIMED AT PEOPLE LIKE US.
UM, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS ORDINANCE REALLY ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS ORDINANCE THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED OR ADDRESSED A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT FOLKS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT.
IN FACT, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT FOLKS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT ARE CRIMINAL OFFENSES THAT ARE, UH, GOVERNED BY OTHER LAWS THAT SIMPLY AREN'T BEING ENFORCED.
UH, THERE ARE ENTIRE SECTIONS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHERE THERE IS NO ONE AT ALL DESIGNATED TO ENFORCE THE NOISE ORDINANCE.
SO THAT, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WE CAN REALLY CONSIDER HERE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT CITIES LIKE AUSTIN, AUSTIN HAS HAD THEIR ORDINANCE FOR 14 YEARS.
THEY'VE GOT 10% COMPLIANCE, 10% REGISTRATION.
NOW, AUSTIN'S ORDINANCE, UH, WAS EVENTUALLY RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL, BUT THEY NEVER GOT ABOVE 10% COMPLIANCE.
AND THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE, PARTICULARLY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE SMALLER TIME OPERATORS.
I MEAN, I'M DOING 80% OCCUPANCY.
I'M AIRBNB PLUS, YOU KNOW, I, I DO A HUNDRED BOOKINGS A YEAR.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM COMPLYING WITH, WITH THIS THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE.
IN FACT, UM, TO ARAS CREDIT, THEY INCLUDED SOME OF OUR FEEDBACK IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.
THEY INCLUDED SOME OF MY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK IN THE ORDINANCE THAT I THINK MAKES IT BETTER.
BUT THERE ISN'T REALLY A, A BIG INCENTIVE FOR FOLKS TO REGISTER AND BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND SO WHAT I'VE HANDED OUT TO YOU TODAY IS A PRESENTATION THAT I GAVE TO A RA THAT, UH, THAT PROPOSED THAT SOME ASPECTS OF THIS BE VOLUNTARY.
AND YOU CAN USE SOME OF THESE VOLUNTARY ASPECTS AS A CARROT THAT INCENTIVIZES PEOPLE TO REGISTER, FOR EXAMPLE, INCLUDE THEM IN A PART IN A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE LIKE A HOUSTON CERTIFIED SHORT-TERM
[01:35:01]
RENTAL THAT IS ALSO A NETWORK THAT PROVIDES HOUSING TO PEOPLE IN TIMES OF DISASTER.UM, I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON FOR 20 YEARS, AND I CAN TELL YOU WE LOVE FEDERAL GRANT MONEY.
AND BY CREATING A NETWORK OF HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DISPLACED TO LIVE IN, IF THE CITY PROVIDES A REBATE OF HOT TAXES TO PEOPLE WHO DO THAT, GUESS WHAT, THAT'S A LINE ITEM ON A GRANT APPLICATION TO FEMA.
THE CITY CAN SEE THAT MONEY BACK.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THE CITY CAN DO TO INCENTIVIZE, UH, PARTICIPATION, BUT THIS ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN WOULD NOT HAVE PREVENTED ANY OF THE COMPLAINTS WE'VE SEEN SO FAR.
UM, IF YOU COULD HOLD ON, SO CURIOUS TO KNOW, HOW WOULD THIS ORDINANCE, UM, AFFECT YOUR BOTTOM LINE AS A HOST? WELL, THE, THE FEE ITSELF WOULD BE ABOUT 2% OF MY NET REVENUE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
UM, THERE ARE ONEROUS REQUIREMENTS.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PREPARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, WITH A-R-A-A-R-A DIDN'T KNOW THAT AIRBNB DOESN'T PROVIDE US WITH RECEIPTS FOR OUR HOT TAXES.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT AIRBNB DOESN'T PROVIDE ME WITH AN INSURANCE CERTIFICATE FOR THE HOST COVER, UM, PROTECTION PROGRAM.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE WOULD COME INTO COMPLIANCE, EVEN THOUGH I, YOU KNOW, I, I'M PRETTY SAVVY ABOUT THE CITY'S ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES IN OUR REGISTRATION PROCESSES, BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT JUST AREN'T CLEAR.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCES ASIDE, I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE LOOKED AT SAFE CLEAR AND PEOPLE SAID, WELL, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE HOW $75 WOULD BE A LOT OF MONEY FOR SOMEBODY.
I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE HOW $250 WOULD BE A LOT OF MONEY FOR AN AIRBNB HOST, WHEN IN REALITY THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE RENTING THEIR PROPERTY FOR 20 DAYS A YEAR.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MASSIVE PART OF THEIR REVENUE.
WHY WOULD THEY, WHY WOULD THEY PARTICIPATE IN THAT? SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT'S A MATTER OF JUST BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL THE, THE INFORMATION THAT'S NECESSARY FOR THE APPLICATION.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GONNA PROPOSE TO A RA IS GIVE ME THE APPLICATION, GIVE ME YOUR DRAFT APPLICATION RIGHT NOW, AND I'LL GO THROUGH IT AND I'LL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN ALL IDENTIFY WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, HOW LONG IT TAKES, UM, LIKE PRIVACY ACT REQUIREMENTS.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR BURDEN IS, HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE TO PRODUCE THAT PAPERWORK, AND IDENTIFY ISSUES LIKE, HOW AM I GONNA CONTACT AIRBNB TO GET THE INFORMATION I NEED TO PROVE THAT I HAVE THE, THE AIR COVER POLICY TO PROVE THAT I'VE BEEN PAYING HOT TAXES WHEN THIS CAME UP IN JULY.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT SOMEBODY IN AIRBNB GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS EVER SINCE, AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A SINGLE RESPONSE.
SO I KNOW MY WAY AROUND THE, AROUND THESE PROCESSES.
AND IF I CAN'T GET A RESPONSE AS AN AIRBNB PLUS WHO'S DOING 80% OCCUPANCY, WHAT ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE RENTING FOR 10 DAYS A YEAR? THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT INFORMATION.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN, THANK YOU.
NO, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE AIRBNB HERE, I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO ACTUALLY GET WITH YOU.
UM, WE NEED TO BE MAKING SURE, AND AGAIN, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE OF OUR OFFICE REACHES OUT, BUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE ON THESE PLATFORMS THAT ARE PROVIDING, UH, YOU ALL WITH THIS BUSINESS AND THE CITY, WITH THIS, THIS ECONOMIC DRIVER, WE NEED TO BE CONNECTING THE DOTS.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND SPENDING SO MUCH TIME ON THIS.
UM, I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT SOME OF THE, THE THINGS IN HE, THIS ORDINANCE OR PROPOSED ORDINANCE, UM, ARE JUST REGULAR LAW VIOLATIONS THAT IF SOMEONE WOULD GO OUT AND ENFORCE THEM, THEN, UM, WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY NEED AN ORDINANCE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS, BUT EVEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, TWO OR MORE CITATIONS ISSUED OVER TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AT PROPERTY REGISTERED AS AN STR WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD RESULTING IN TWO OR MORE CONVICTIONS.
YOU KNOW, AND IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A ONE YEAR TIME PERIOD, SAY, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE GO OUT THERE AND ISSUE A CITATION, WELL, THEN IT GOES TO THE COURT SYSTEM AND THEN IT GETS RESET.
YOU KNOW, THE PROBABILITY OF TWO CONVICTIONS HAPPENING IN ONE YEAR, UM, WITH, WE KNOW HOW SLOW THE COURT SYSTEM IS.
UM, IT SEEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WOULDN'T APPLY VERY OFTEN.
UM, WELL IF I, IF I MAY, SURE.
ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION IS IF I HAVE A TENANT AND THEY GET POPPED FOR A, A NOISE VIOLATION, HOW DO I KNOW THEY RECEIVED A CITATION? HOW DO I BECOME AWARE THAT THEY HAVE A COURT DATE? HOW DO I BECOME AWARE THAT IT WAS RESET? HOW DO I KNOW THAT THEY PLED NOLO CONTENDERE AND IT WENT AWAY? HOW DO I KNOW THAT THEY FOUGHT IT AND THEY WERE CONVICTED OR THEY WERE ACQUITTED OF THE OFFENSE? AS, AS A LANDLORD, I HAVE NO INTERACTION WITH THESE GUESTS AS SOON
[01:40:01]
AS THEY'RE OUT.UM, AND I COULD IMAGINE THAT SOME OF THEM PROBABLY WOULDN'T WANT TO TELL ME THAT THEY WERE ISSUED A CITATION IF I DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW, BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T WANT ME TO GIVE THEM LESS THAN A FIVE STAR REVIEW.
AND SO THERE IS A PIECE OF THIS THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO SOMEBODY HAVING A CONVICTION MIGHT BE A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO US BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THE CITATION WAS ISSUED.
AND WE, ALTHOUGH HAVING A VESTED INTEREST IN THE PROCESS AND THE OUTCOME, THERE IS NO PROVISION IN MUNICIPAL LAW RIGHT NOW THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO NECESSARILY INCLUDE A THIRD PARTY IN ALL OF THOSE PROCESSES UNLESS THE PERSON WHO RECEIVED THE CITATION CHOOSES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF IT.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
ALRIGHT, UH, BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
AND I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK DIRECTOR PAAS FOR ACTUALLY STAYING THROUGH ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I KNOW THAT THEY ARE STRIVING TO WORK WITH ALL OF THE FEEDBACK AND EVERYTHING.
NOEL, DO YOU FIND A DISTINCTION THOUGH? LIKE YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO'S VERY INVOLVED WITH YOUR PROPERTY, UM, I'M ASSUMING YOUR STR IS NEXT TO OR A BUDDING YES.
SO YOU ARE GOING TO KNOW IF SOMETHING'S HAPPENING.
UM, DO YOU FIND ANY DISTINCTION BETWEEN YOU AND LET'S SEE, AN ABSENTEE LANDOWNER WHO JUST IS NOT PRESENT, HAS RECEIVED NOTICE OF ISSUES AND IT'S A PERPETUAL, UM, ISSUE THAT THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS.
SO DO YOU DRAW A DISTINCTION, I GUESS, BETWEEN, UH, AN ABSENTEE PROPERTY OWNER VERSUS SOMEONE LIKE YOU OR OTHER RESIDENTS THAT ARE COMING THAT, UH, ARE EITHER RENTING OUT A ROOM ON THEIR PROPERTY OR HAVE AN APARTMENT GARAGE THAT THEY'RE RENTING OUT OR ARE DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, A FEW WEEKS A YEAR, BUT THEY'RE HOME MOST OF THE TIME.
CAN, CAN YOU OPINE ON THAT? SURE.
I MEAN, I CERTAINLY, THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT WE'VE SAID, GOOD HOSTS AND, AND BAD HOSTS.
UM, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERY, EVERY LANDLORD WHO HAS A PROPERTY.
UM, BUT WE HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE OVER THESE MONTHS AND, AND YEARS THAT THERE ARE ON SITE OWNER OPERATORS WHO ARE PROBLEMS, WHO HOST PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBLEMS. SO IT'S NOT JUST ABSENTEE LANDLORDS WHO ARE ALSO PROBLEMS. UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T PRETEND TO HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS.
I THINK CERTAINLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROVISIONS LIKE HAVING EMERGENCY CONTACTS, CERTAINLY IF THERE'S A PROBLEM I CAN WALK OUT MY BACK DOOR AND I CAN DEAL WITH IT.
UM, BUT JUST LIKE IF I HAVE A PROPERTY IN AUSTIN, WHICH I DO, UM, I COULDN'T PHYSICALLY BE THERE IN AN HOUR.
I, I COULDN'T PHYSICALLY BE THERE IN TWO HOURS.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AS, AS LANDLORDS IS I, LIKE I VET MY GUESTS THERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE LAYERS OF VETTING THAT GO ON.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A, A VERIFIED GOVERNMENTAL ID THAT MATCHES THEIR ACCOUNT.
THEY HAVE TO BE REFERRED BY OTHER HOSTS.
SO WE'RE ASKED THIS QUESTION, WHEN WE RATE SOMEBODY, WOULD YOU RENT TO THIS PERSON AGAIN, ALL IT TAKES IS ONE, ONE HOST TO SAY NO.
AND THEY CAN'T INSTANT BOOK MY PROPERTY.
THEY THEN CAN MAKE A REQUEST AND I VET THEM.
I LOOK AT THEIR REVIEW HISTORY, I LOOK AT HOW LONG THEIR ACCOUNT HAS BEEN CREATED.
I LOOK AT IF THEY'RE LOCAL, UM, IF SOMEBODY'S LOCAL AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET MY PLACE FOR THE WEEKEND.
WHY? UM, BUT GRANTED, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK TO ANYTHING RELATED TO, TO OFFSITE HOMEOWNERS BECAUSE I'M, I'M NOT ONE.
UM, BUT THERE IS, I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO A DISTINCTION OF JUST SIMPLY BEING GOOD LANDLORDS AND BAD LANDLORDS.
'CAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY, PLENTY OF OFFSITE OWNER OPERATORS, AND MANY OF THEM ARE IN THIS ROOM TODAY WHO ARE GOOD FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW DO WE TREAT THIS IN A WAY THAT GETS TO THE ACTUAL ROOT PROBLEM WITH THE PROBLEM PROPERTIES? BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT ME, IF I WERE RENTING MY GARAGE APARTMENT AS A TRADITIONAL LEASE, WHICH I HAVE DONE BEFORE, IF I HAVE A PROBLEM TENANT, THE CITY CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO ME OTHER THAN KEEP WRITING THAT PERSON TICKETS.
I'M NOT GONNA BE HELD CRIMINALLY LIABLE FOR THEIR CONDUCT.
ALL I CAN DO IS SAY, HAVE THEY VIOLATED THE TERMS OF THEIR LEASE? AND THEN I GO TO JP COURT AND I INITIATE EVICTION PROCEEDINGS.
UM, AND THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT THAT'S INCUMBENT UPON ME TO ENFORCE AS THE HOMEOWNER.
AND SO WE, WE CAN'T LOOK AT THIS IN A WAY OF SAYING, OKAY, WELL WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA HOLD PROPERTY OWNERS LIABLE FOR SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY THEY CAN'T CONTROL IS DOING WHEN THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS
[01:45:01]
31 DAYS.IF IT WERE 31 DAYS, THE CITY BE LIKE, NOT IT, NOT IT, IT'S ON YOU.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE REAL DISTINCTION.
ONE IS WE CANNOT, THROUGH AN ORDINANCE, MAKE YOU CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT ONE OF YOUR TENANTS HAS DONE.
FOR INSTANCE, IF ONE OF YOUR TENANTS ENGAGES IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WHATEVER ORDINANCE WE PASS WON'T MAKE YOU SUBJECT TO BEING PROSECUTED FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
UM, AND AND THAT'S A LACK OF CLARITY IN THE ORDINANCE.
AND I THINK A RA IS, IS LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY ADDRESSING THAT.
AND ANY ORDINANCE WE PASS THAT'S DEFINED AS AN OFFENSE AND HAS A FINE ATTACHED TO IT IS TECHNICALLY A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
SO, UH, A HOST COULD BE CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE IN, IN THAT RESPECT, IF, IF THE OR THIS ORDINANCE IS VIOLATED.
SO ANYWAY, YOU RAISED SOME, UH, EXCELLENT, UH, QUESTIONS THAT, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL THINK ABOUT.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW MY STORY, SO I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT IT HERE.
UM, I'M HERE WITH THE RESPONSIBLE LANDLORDS GROUP, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF OUR MEMBERS, INCLUDING NOEL, UH, COME UP HERE AND TALK, UH, ALREADY.
SO I DON'T WANNA GO TOO MUCH INTO WHAT HE'S ALREADY SAID, BUT, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK.
UM, TODAY I'LL BE PROVIDING BROAD OVERVIEW ON THE FEEDBACK.
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF VERY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO PRESENT TO YOUR OFFICES AND TEAMS, UM, WHENEVER YOU ARE AVAILABLE.
UM, SO BRIEFLY, UH, THANKS FOR THE DATA.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ISSUES FROM SDRS ARE VERY ISOLATED INCIDENTS.
I THINK 27 INCIDENTS, 11 OF THEM BEING AT THE SAME PROPERTY.
SO LET'S JUST BE VERY CLEAR THAT'S 0.001% OR ONE IN APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND PROPERTIES THAT HAVE HAD ISSUES.
UM, AS THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED, UH, THE DATA IN THE DATA, THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN STR AND A NON STR RESIDENCE IN TERM IN TERMS OF INCIDENTS.
OUR INITIAL REACTION AS LANDLORDS IS THE FOLLOWING.
IT FEELS LIKE A LOT ONCE WE READ THROUGH THE ORDINANCE, IT FEELS COMPLEX, IT FEELS BURDENSOME.
WE WERE OVERWHELMED AND WE ASKED OURSELVES, WHO ARE WE GONNA OUTSOURCE THIS TO? UM, AS SOMEONE WHO'S, YOU KNOW, DOING THIS WORK, WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO ALL OF THIS IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING.
SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE FOUND OVERWHELMING, WERE, AND WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS SO I'M NOT GONNA GET TOO INTO THIS, BUT BEING CRIMINALLY LIABLE FOR MY TENANT'S BEHAVIOR, THE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE ARE FIRST RESPONDERS AND NEED TO GET TO A PROPERTY WITHIN ONE HOUR.
HOUSTON IS A GIANT CITY, I DON'T KNOW OF GETTING ANYWHERE WITHIN AN HOUR.
UM, THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, INCLUDING DRAWINGS, PARKING, EMERGENCY EXITS, HIGH AND DIFFICULT TO FIND INSURANCE, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THIS.
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND SPECIFICALLY WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED 15 DAYS TO MAKE CHANGES, ET CETERA.
THESE ARE NOT NORMAL REQUESTS FOR A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE LANDLORD.
THESE FEEL MORE LIKE REQUIREMENTS FOR A BUSINESS OR A LARGE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OR HOTEL.
ALL OF THESE RISK ME NOT BEING ABLE TO RENT OUT MY PROPERTY, WHICH IS MY RIGHT AS A LANDLORD.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS ALSO A HUGE BURDEN ON THE CITY.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND, UH, ARLINGTON.
SO JUST REALLY QUICKLY, THE BIG QUESTION IS, WILL THIS ACTUALLY LEAD TO STOPPING THE PROBLEM PROPERTIES? UM, AS AN EXPERT LANDLORD, I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE AVERAGE HOUSTONIAN WHO HAS A GARAGE APARTMENT WOULD FIND THIS EVEN MORE BURDENSOME.
I'LL STOP THERE 'CAUSE MY TIME IS UP, BUT I HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY.
UH, URSULA, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, URSULA, GREAT TO SEE YOU AND THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THIS.
AND I HEAR WHAT YOU AND NOEL AND SOME OF THE OTHERS ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE WAY I KNOW HOW CITY ENFORCES STUFF, WE ARE VERY, ARE REACTIVE.
UM, I, I TEND TO THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE LOW PARTICIPATION BECAUSE OF, OF WHAT'S LIKE, LIKE OTHER CITIES, I GUESS.
UM, GRANICUS I GUESS HAS, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE OWNERS.
UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET TO, YOU KNOW, IF WE SEE REPEATED CALLS FOR SERVICE AT A CERTAIN LOCATION, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET TO THAT OWNER, UM, WHETHER REGISTERED OR NOT.
UM, SO I DO, I DO TAKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT
[01:50:01]
YOU AND NOEL AND OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SOME OF THIS.I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A GREAT INCENTIVE TO, I DON'T WANNA DISCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE MIGHT COME UP WITH, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY, I JUST THINK WE'LL HAVE LOW PARTICIPATION.
I, I MEAN, JUST, JUST QUICKLY, I THINK THAT IS WHAT OUR INITIAL REACTION WAS TO IS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THOSE OF US WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE LANDLORDS SIGNING UP AND IS THIS TRULY GONNA GET TO THOSE BAD ACTORS? UM, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO THINK THROUGH WAYS IN WHICH THAT COULD BE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER AT THIS MOMENT, BUT I'M SURE IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE THOUGHT THROUGH.
AND I KNOW WE'RE, UM, YOU'VE ASKED FOR A MEETING AND WE'RE GONNA GET WITH THE CHAIR AND YOU AND, AND THE RESPONSIBLE HOST GROUP.
I'M HERE TODAY NOT AS A, UH, PERSON THAT'S AGAINST THE, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS.
NEITHER AM I HERE TODAY AS A PROPONENT, AS A OWNER OR OPERATOR OF A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
BUT WHAT I AM IS A PERSON THAT USES THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
THEY DO A LOT OF THINGS FOR ME AND I'M SURE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO SAY THAT, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS ITSELF IS NOT AN ENEMY.
THERE REALLY ARE A BENEFIT, A BLESSING, I WOULD SAY TO A LOT OF US.
FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THEY BENEFIT, THEY BENEFIT WITH A WHOLE LOT OF WAYS.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF THEM, A LOT OF REASONS WHY THE CITY HOUSTON BENEFIT, PROPERTY OWNERS BENEFIT, SUPPLEMENTING THEIR INCOME.
THE INDUSTRY ITSELF HAS A GOOD NAME WORLDWIDE, NOT JUST HERE IN HOUSTON OR TEXAS OR THE UNITED STATES.
THEY'RE GREAT SHORT TERM RENTALS OR A NECESSITY.
AND THEY DO COME IN PLACE WHEN THERE'S SOME TYPE OF ISSUE THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY GONNA HAVE, SUCH AS A HURRICANE OR SOME OTHER KIND OF, UH, EMERGENCY OF SOME SORT.
THESE SHORT TERMINALS ARE OF, OF A GREAT BENEFIT.
SO I'M HERE TODAY JUST TO SAY, BE BALANCED IN THIS THING HERE.
LISTEN TO NOT ONLY THE, THERE SEEM TO BE A HEAVY VOICE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST THE, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND I'M SAYING THAT USUALLY THOSE WHO SPEAK THE LOUDEST GET HEARD.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE BENEFITS ARE BETTER IN PLACE FOR THOSE WHO SUPPORT SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND I IN MY, UH, COMMENT RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND FOR HAVING THIS MEETING.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER YONI, MY HUSBAND AND I OWN OUR HOME IN THE HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE OWN WHERE IT'S OUR MAIN RESIDENCE.
AND WE RECENTLY, A FEW YEARS AGO, PURCHASED THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, WHICH WE HAVE LISTED ON AIRBNB WITH A MINIMUM STAY OF SEVEN NIGHTS.
WE ALSO OWN THREE HOMES IN THE EASTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE ALSO CURRENTLY LIST ON AIRBNB FOR A MINIMUM OF FIVE NIGHTS.
I JUST WANTED TO CONVEY THAT THERE IS A LARGE DEMAND FOR A FEW NIGHTS STAY AS WELL AS EXTENDING TO A SEVERAL MONTHS STAY.
WE REQUEST THAT THE CITY CONSIDER CHANGING THE DEFINITION OF AN STR FROM 30 DAYS TO 15 DAYS OR LESS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE MANY GUESTS OR TENANTS WHO COME TO HOUSTON AND STAY IN OUR HOME.
UH, JUST AS THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME WHO COME FOR WORK, WE ALSO HAVE COME HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT.
AND CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE A TENANT THAT IS STAYING UNTIL APRIL, BUT MANY OTHERS ARE REPEAT, UH, GUESTS AND THEY REQUIRE ONLY A WEEK LONG STAY.
MAYBE IT'S A FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT.
SO THAT WOULD COME UNDER THAT LESS THAN 30 DAY REQUEST.
[01:55:02]
MANY COME TO SEE FAMILY AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR, OUR HOME IN THE HEIGHTS.MANY OF THEM WANNA STAY NEXT TO THEIR CHILDREN OR THEIR GUESTS.
THEY COME FOR THE HOLIDAYS OR THEY COME FOR THE BIRTH OF A CHILD.
MANY COME FROM WITHIN THE US AND SOME FROM OUTSIDE.
ALSO, SOME OF OUR GUESTS THAT WE HAD THAT WERE JUST A WEEK LONG STAY IN THE EASTWOOD UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WERE HERE FOR THAT AFRO TECH CONFERENCE THAT JUST HAPPENED LAST MONTH.
UH, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE WHO COME FOR LESS THAN 30 DAYS FOR THE QUILTING CONFERENCE THAT WE JUST HAD.
UH, AND I WOULD EVEN SAY THAT, UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EQUAL HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'VE EVEN HAD GUESTS WHO HAVE STAYED WHO MAYBE DON'T HAVE GOOD CREDIT AND ARE NOT ABLE TO STAY IN A REGULAR APARTMENT AND HAVE COME AND STAYED IN SOME OF OUR PROPERTIES.
AND I JUST REALLY QUICKLY WANTED TO ADD THAT WE ARE ALREADY COMPLYING WITH MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS, UH, PROPOSAL.
AND WE ARE VERY CONSIDERATE AND WE FEEL BADLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING DUE TO THE BAD CHARACTERS AS WE'RE CALLING THEM BECAUSE WE ARE THE NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
AND WE WOULD WANT TO COMPLY WITH ANYTHING THAT THE CITY IS ASKING.
GILBERT KO LOU, LIEU, SAMANTHA EVANS THREE.
MY NAME IS SAMANTHA EVANS AND I'M A NEW RESIDENT OF THE EAST END NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SPENT MY SAVINGS EARLIER THIS YEAR TO BUY MY FIRST HOME EAR IN THE HEART OF HOUSTON.
AND I'M SURROUNDED BY SHORT TERM RENTALS.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THESE RENTALS ARE DESTROYING THE PEACE AND SAFETY OF MY COMMUNITY.
I WILL CLARIFY, I'M NOT SPEAKING ABOUT PEOPLE RUNNING STR RESPONSIBLY, BUT I'M UNFORTUNATELY NOT BY ANY OF THOSE.
I'M SURROUNDED ON ALL FOUR SIDES BY AIRBNB'S BBOS AND BOOKING.COM AND THREE OF THOSE ARE BAD ACTORS.
TWO OF THEM ARE STILL LISTED ON AIRBNB AND KNOW THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT PARTIES AS THEY'RE OWNED BY INVESTING COMPANIES OR MANAGED BY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES.
I DO NOT KNOW THEM TO BE HERE.
I'VE TAKEN UNPAID TIME OFF OF WORK, WHICH SHOWS JUST HOW SERIOUS THIS ISSUE IS TO ME.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, I'VE WITNESSED AND DOCUMENTED NUMEROUS INCIDENTS CAUSED BY SHORT-TERM RENTALS, A GUNFIGHT, AS YOU'LL PROBABLY REMEMBER FROM MY FIRST TIME HERE, UM, INVOLVING MULTIPLE SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPONS, LEAVING MY HOME RIDDLED WITH 20 BULLET HOLES AND CAUSING $7,000 WITH THE DAMAGE.
THAT PROPERTY IS STILL LISTED ON BOOKING.COM.
IT HAS NOT BEEN REMOVED SINCE THEN.
I'VE HAD TO CLEAN UP VOMIT ON MY DRIVEWAY AFTER A WILD PROPERTY AND AT ANOTHER GATHERING, TWO WOMEN PROVOCATIVELY TWERKED AND DANCED ON MY GARAGE.
THAT PROPERTY IS STILL LISTED ON AIRBNB AT 3 0 0 2 HAWKINS.
A PHYSICAL FIGHT INVOLVING EIGHT TO 10 PEOPLE BROKE OUT DURING A PARTY.
AND I CALLED THE HOST AND SHE RESPONDED, BUMMER TO MY TEXT.
AN UNDERAGE PARTY HAPPENED AT A SEPARATE INCIDENT AND GUESTS WERE WANDERING THE STREETS AT 2:00 AM SCREAMING AND BANGING ON CARS.
THIS HOUSE SPECIFICALLY HAS MULTIPLE BEDS PER ROOM AND IS OVER 3000 SQUARE FEET.
THESE REPEATED DISTURBANCES HAVE FORCED MY HUSBAND AND I TO SLEEP ON AIR MATTRESSES IN OUR HALLWAY BECAUSE WE FEEL UNSAFE NEAR OUR WINDOWS AND WANT AS MUCH DRIVEWAY BETWEEN THE STREET AND OUR HOUSES.
WE CAN HAVE, NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE THIS WAY.
THE POLICE OFTEN CATEGORIZE CALLS TO SHORT TERM RENTALS AS LEVEL THREE OR BELOW, MEANING THEY'RE NOT SEEN AS URGENT.
BUT THIS MEETING ISN'T ABOUT CRIMINALITY, IT'S ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE.
CLEANING UP VOMIT IN MY DRIVEWAY OR BEING WOKEN UP BY FIGHTS OR SLEEPING IN MY HALLWAY ROBS ME OF THE PEACE I DESERVE IN MY OWN HOME.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE
UM, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT YOU'VE GIVEN ME SO FAR.
UM, SPECIFICALLY JORDAN FRAZIER AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
AND I APPRECIATE THIS REGULATION AS THE FIRST STEP.
UM, I HOPE THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF PERMANENT RESIDENTS OVER THE PROFITS OF INVESTORS.
SAMANTHA, I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT.
HOPEFULLY THEY WILL GET WITH YOU.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN IN THE QUEUE.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING A FACE TO THIS AND, AND ALL THE RESPONSIBLE HOSTS IN THIS ROOM.
SEE THE CONUNDRUM MORE IN HERE.
WE CAN'T LET I HAVE ONE THAT'S, WE CAN'T LET THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR BY, BY, UM, NOT HOSTS.
THEY'RE JUST LIKE INVESTORS THAT ARE JUST GIVING ALL OF ALL OF YOU BAD NAMES.
SO WE'RE IN THIS PREDICAMENT AND WE CAN'T SELECTIVELY APPLY THE LAW.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE RUB HERE.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE ISSUE.
I GET THE BURDENSOME ON THE, ON THE RESPONSIBLE OWNERS.
BUT I SEE THIS, I SEE THE PEOPLE OVER IN THE MUSEUM DISTRICT AND IT'S A REAL, IT'S A REAL CONUNDRUM THAT WE HAVE
[02:00:01]
TO DO SOMETHING.NOW, I I LOOK AT NOEL'S PRESENTATION.
HE JUST GAVE, EVERYTHING YOU JUST LISTED IS ALREADY AGAINST THE LAW.
SO PART OF MY MESSAGE IS TO HPD, I MEAN THIS IS ENFORCEMENT.
THESE PEOPLE ARE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GUNSHOTS AGAINST THE LAW.
SO IT'S UNFAIR FOR POLICE TO CATEGORIZE THIS AS, YOU KNOW, SOME SHORT TERM RENTAL THING.
I MEAN, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY HEAR THE COPS, THEY JUST RUN INSIDE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TOUGH ISSUE.
YOU SAID THAT AT THE BEGINNING.
THIS IS A TOUGH ISSUE THAT EVERYBODY'S GONNA WALK AWAY A LITTLE P****D OFF.
YOU KNOW, THAT THEY DIDN'T GET AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED OR WHAT THEY WANTED.
I I KNOW YOU KEEP TAKING OFF WORK.
I KNOW YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE INVESTMENT YOU MADE IN YOUR FIRST HOME.
AND THIS JUST MAKES ME SO MAD.
AND WE NEED TO GET, I, I DON'T, I WANNA GET THE NAME, I WANNA GET THAT NAME OF THAT PER, I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE IT SOMEWHERE, BUT WE NEED HPD TO GO AFTER AND WE NEED SOME WAY TO HOLD THIS OWNER, THESE OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE NEAR YOU.
I AM A AIRBNB HOST FOR LIKE THREE YEARS NOW.
UM, I HAVE HOSTED A LOT OF FAMILIES FROM, UM, OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
REFUGEES, PEOPLE THAT HAD CANCER STAY IN MY PLACE FOR 30 DAYS OR MORE.
I HAVE LIKE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN MY HOUSE.
MY, MY PROPERTIES NOW THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR FOUR MONTHS AND I HAD A FAMILY SPECIFICALLY THAT HAVE THEIR HOUSE CAUGHT ON FIRE.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO STAY AND THE INSURANCE WAS PAYING ME AND THEY WERE WITH ME FOR FOUR MONTHS.
SO YOU, WHEN YOU HEAR US SAY ALL THIS THING, YOU THINK WE'RE AN EXCEPTION.
WE ARE ACTUALLY LIKE A, A TYPICAL AIRBNB HOST.
IF YOU CAN CHECK THE AIRBNB PLATFORM, ALMOST EVERYBODY IS LIKE 4.9 AND ABOVE.
YOU CANNOT SURVIVE AN AIRBNB IF YOU ARE A BAD HOST.
LIKE AIRBNB IS SO QUICK TO FLAG PEOPLE.
LIKE THEY WOULD YOU, IT'S A NATURAL COURSE WOULD BE THAT IF YOU'RE A BAD AIRBNB, I GIVE YOU A FEW MONTHS, YOU'RE GONNA BE OFF AIRBNB, YOU'RE GONNA KICK YOU OUT, OR YOU'RE GONNA HAVE BAD REVIEWS AND YOU'RE GONNA LOSE BUSINESS AND NOT EVEN GET ANY BOOKINGS.
SO JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE ON THE AIRBNB, SO IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GETTING BOOKINGS.
LIKE WE WALK ON EGGSHELLS 'CAUSE AIRBNB'S QUICK TO DELE US.
LIKE I HAD A LADY TRYING TO BOOK MY PLACE AND SHE WASN'T, SHE WAS BLOCKED BY AIRBNB.
I KNOW SHE'S GOOD, BUT I COULDN'T EVEN BYPASS IT, EVEN THOUGH I'M TELLING SHE'S NOT, SHE JUST NEEDS TO STAY HERE 'CAUSE HER HOUSE IS BEING DONE.
AIRBNB WAS LIKE, NO, YOU MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF YOUR LOCAL.
WHAT, WHY YOUR, THIS IS URGENT.
WHY ARE YOU BOOKING THE SAME DAY YOU'RE LOCAL.
BUT SHE NEEDED AN EMERGENCY PLACE TO STAY.
AIRBNB WOULDN'T EVEN BOOK HER BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY, VERY STRICT ON ACCEPTING PEOPLE.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TROUBLE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW OTHER OLD SAY THEY CAN REACH AIRBNBS.
I NEVER HAD ISSUES REACHING AIRBNB.
THEY'RE VERY QUICK TO LISTEN TO.
WE SUPERHOT AND THEY LIKE, I'VE HAD A LOT OF TIMES THEY'VE HELPED ME.
SO JUST ONE COMPLAINT TO AIRBNB, YOU'RE GONNA GET DELISTED.
SO I THINK SAMANTHA, I DON'T KNOW WHY SHE, SHE'S STILL HAVING THESE ISSUES.
'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE ONE COMPLAINT ALONE SHOULD HAVE DELISTED THEM AND THEY'LL BE FINE.
SO I THINK THE, I'M SORRY I'M GOING OVER, BUT I THINK THE BEST THING IS TO INDIVIDUALLY ATTACK THIS BAD HOST WITH THE HELP OF AIRBNB.
AIRBNB'S EAGER TO HELP IF WE CAN ATTACK THEM AND NOT PUNISH US.
'CAUSE MY FAMILY, WE'RE GONNA SUFFER FROM THIS.
I I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BE IN BUSINESS.
I, I PROMISE IF YOU, IF THIS GOES ON, I CAN'T, IT'S PRETTY SLOW, LOW MARGIN.
I CAN'T MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, SO I'M JUST GONNA BE OUT OF BUSINESS IF THIS GOES THROUGH.
I'VE BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT OTHER ISSUES.
UH, TODAY I WANNA TALK ABOUT BEING A 10 YEAR HOST OF AIRBNB.
SO I THINK I PROBABLY GUESSED MOST OF YOU HAVE STAYED AT AN AIRBNB OR HAD FAMILY STAYED IN AIRBNB AND HAVE HAD GREAT EXPERIENCES.
UM, MY WIFE AND I GOT INTO AIRBNB TO HELP CREATE A WAY TO SAVE, MAKE SAVINGS FOR OUR KIDS AND THEIR EDUCATION.
TEACH 'EM HOW TO BE ENTREPRENEURS.
AND THEN SOMEHOW ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY THAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE 10 YEARS AGO.
[02:05:01]
IN, UH, FIVE STAR HOSTS FOR 10 YEARS.UM, WE'VE BEEN FEATURED IN AIRBNB PLUS LISTINGS, SUPERHOSTS, AND ALSO FEATURED IN ESTONIA MAGAZINE.
TO DATE, WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE COMPLAINT FROM A NEIGHBOR.
UM, WE'VE HAD 27 COMPLAINANTS COME TO THIS COMMITTEE FOR A HANDFUL OF PROPERTIES AND PROBABLY AN EVEN SMALLER HANDFUL OF HOSTS.
THE MARKETPLACE ACTUALLY TOOK CARE OF THAT.
THE INDIVIDUAL HAD PARTIES, WAS A PARTY HOUSE, AND THE MARKETPLACE ACTUALLY SAW THAT CLOSED DOWN.
SO I WANNA SAY THERE ARE PROTECTIONS.
THERE ARE PROTECTIONS IN THE MARKETPLACE TO GET RID OF BAD, BAD ACTORS.
SO WE HAVE A PERCEPTION OF DISORDER, AND WE NOW HAVE DATA.
YOUR OWN DATA SAYS THERE ARE NO INCREASE IN SERIOUS CRIMES IN THE AREA.
IF YOU LIVE IN A DESIRABLE AREA, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE HIGHER DENSITY WHERE THERE'S MORE THINGS OFFERED.
THAT'S WHAT THE DATA, THE DATA WAS SHOWING YOU.
SO MORE GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES, MORE PARKS, MORE RESTAURANTS, MORE THINGS TO DO.
THE MAPPING THAT YOU, THAT, UH, A RA SHOWED YOU, SHOWED MORE AIRBNBS INSIDE THE LOOP.
SO MORE DESIRE, MORE AIRBNBS, MORE PEOPLE, MORE DENSITY.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE MORE PROBLEMS. AND THIS IS PROBABLY ACROSS THE BOAT, ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
ANYWHERE WE CAN'T SOLVE FOR DENSITY.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SOLVE FOR.
HERE TODAY WITH THIS COMMITTEE, SDRS HAVE MADE, PREVIOUS NUMBER WAS $20 MILLION IN HOT TAXES.
TODAY, I FOUND OUT IT WAS 25 MILLION.
THAT'S 6% OF THE COST OF A SAY.
SO TAKE THAT $25 MILLION NUMBER, DIVIDE IT BY 0.06, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOMEWHERE AROUND $400 MILLION IN REVENUE THAT'S BEEN GEN GENERATED JUST BY AIRBNBS HERE IN THIS, HERE IN THIS CITY OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS.
THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF REVENUE.
AND THAT'S NOT REVENUE GOING IN MY POCKET.
THAT'S REVENUE GOING TO ALL OF OUR SERVICE AGENTS, REPAIRMEN, CLEANERS, ANYBODY THAT ACCOUNTANTS, ANYBODY THAT SUPPORTS US.
SO IT'S AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT'S HELPING SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
SO DO WE WANT TO THROW OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER? SO THE, THE, THERE'S SOME PARTS OF THIS THAT I CAN GET ON WITH AND MANY OF THE HOSTS CAN GET ON WITH.
REGISTRATION SEEMS, SEEMS REASONABLE, UM, BUT PARTICULARLY EGREGIOUS.
AND, AND, UM, UH, WHAT, WHAT CAME UP IS THE CRIMINALITY BIT.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE PROMISED THAT, THAT THE HOST WOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE CRIMINALLY IF, IF, WHERE THE LANDLORD WOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE CRIMINALLY, IF A, IF A GUEST WERE TO COMMIT A CRIME.
BUT WE THINK IN THE ORDINANCE, IF YOU GO THROUGH IT AGAIN, IT DOES HAVE THAT ASSOCIATION.
SO I WOULD URGE THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE TO REVIEW, HEY, IF SOMEBODY COMES AND STAYS IN MY PLACE AND, AND DOES SOMETHING BAD, I'M NOT MY WIFE, MY KIDS WHO HELPED AT TIME TO CLEAN THE PLACE.
WE ARE NOT PARTICIPANTS IN CRIMINALITY.
WE ARE SIMPLY, UM, LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.
UH, THERE WAS ONE COMMENT THAT SAID THERE'S LESS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
I CHALLENGED SALLY ALCORN AND ABBY CAYMAN.
I'M, I'M, I'M ON MY CIVIC ASSOCIATION BOARD.
I'M ON MY SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD.
I'M DEEPLY ENGAGED IN MY COMMUNITY.
WE ARE THE, THE CIVICALLY ENGAGED COMMUNITY.
WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE, WE'RE IMPLORING YOU.
LET'S, LET'S MAKE SOME REASONABLE, UM, CHANGES HERE, UM, TO SAMANTHA.
I FEEL HORRIBLE ABOUT SAMANTHA.
I THINK THINGS, I, I JUST THINK IT'S BEEN HANDLED HORRIBLY.
WHAT ARE THE HPD CALLS TO THAT AREA? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND WHAT'S THE RESPONSE RATE? I THINK IT STARTS WITH HPD IF WE CAN START TO BRING IT TO A CLOSE.
YEAH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE, ONE FINAL THOUGHT.
SO YOU HAD STARTED AND MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE THAT CAME UP EARLIER.
THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE ALSO HAD AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE WENT OUT AND TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE SIMPLY PUT THIS AT 2:00 PM ON A, ON A MONDAY OR TUESDAY WHEN THE COMMUNITY CAN'T REALLY ENGAGE.
I WOULD SAY IN EARNEST, LET'S TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE THIS OPEN DIALOGUE.
LET'S INCLUDE HPD, LET'S INCLUDE AIRBNB, EXPEDIA GROUP, AND LET'S INCLUDE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
APPRECIATE THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
JASON GINSBURG, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M JASON GINSBURG WITH HOUSTONIANS AGAINST AIRBNB.
UM, WE MET REGARDING THIS MATTER A FEW MONTHS AGO.
UH, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SIDE, THE ARLINGTON'S, UH, ST ORDINANCE AS A LAW THAT COULD WITHSTAND LEGAL CHALLENGES.
SO IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE HAS A LOT IN COMMON WITHOUT ORDINANCE, BUT WHAT IS SHOCKING IS THAT THE ARLINGTON RULES FOR PREVENTING HOUSE PARTIES HAVE BEEN LEFT ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR, THE ARLINGTON ORDINANCE, SINCE
[02:10:01]
MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY AT 12 PEOPLE.WHY DO YOU NEED MORE THAN 12 PEOPLE AT A HOUSE, IF NOT FOR PARTIES? THE ARLINGTON ORDINANCE PROHIBITS GUESTS FROM PARKING ON THE STREET, BUT THIS DRAFT DOES NOT.
MOST HOMES ALREADY HAVE SUFFICIENT PARKING.
THEY HAVE GARAGES AND DRIVEWAYS.
WHY WOULD STR GUESTS NEED MORE PARKING IF NOT FOR PARTIES? THE ARLINGTON ORDINANCE PROHIBITS AMPLIFIED SOUND OUTSIDE AFTER 10:00 PM BUT THIS DRAFT DOES NOT.
THE ARLINGTON ORDINANCE ALSO PROHIBITS CONGREGATION OUTSIDE AFTER 10:00 PM BUT THIS DRAFT DOES NOT.
THOSE MISSING PROTECTIONS ALLOW POOL PARTIES AND OTHER OUTDOOR EVENTS WHILE NEIGHBORS ARE JUST TRYING TO SLEEP.
IN FACT, THE ARLINGTON ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS ADVERTISING AND HOSTING EVENTS AT SDR.
IT SEEMS THAT THE DRAFT HAS BEEN WRITTEN TO ALLOW S STR TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS DEFACTO NIGHTCLUBS AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS.
BUT WHY, WHY DO WE DESERVE LESS PROTECTION THAN ARLINGTON? I THINK THAT EACH OF YOU SHOULD EITHER ANSWER THAT QUESTION OR YOU SHOULD DEMAND A BETTER DRAFT THAN THIS.
I AM AN ATTORNEY WHO REPRESENTS MANY RESPONSIBLE STR OWNERS.
MY CLIENTS JUST WANT TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO HOTEL ROOMS AND HAVE NO INTEREST IN HOSTING PARTIES.
THEY CAN LIVE WITH TIGHTER CONTROLS.
AND AS NEIGHBORS, WE LITERALLY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT TIGHTER CONTROLS.
AND YOU, AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES, NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO STR OWNERS THAT IF THEY CANNOT MAKE MONEY WITHOUT HOUSE PARTIES, THEN THEY ARE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS AND THEY NEED TO GET OUT OF IT.
UM, AND IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE LAST THING WITH MY REMAINING TIME, UH, I MENTIONED I'M AN ATTORNEY.
WE'RE TAUGHT FROM DAY ONE IN LAW SCHOOL THAT LIKE EVERY PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED WITH MONEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M SITTING UP HERE, I'M HEARING THESE, UH, STR OWNERS SAYING, YOU KNOW, CITING AND, UH, FINE FOLKS FROM AIRBNB CITING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, THE LAST GENTLEMAN OF $400 MILLION.
AND THEN I'M, I'M HEARING FROM, UH, UH, THE CITY DEPARTMENT THAT, OH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL CHARGE 'EM $200 A YEAR TO REGISTER.
I MEAN, WHY NOT JUST UP THE REGISTRATION FEES AND, AND CREATE A DEDICATED HPD TASK FORCE AND A, AND A DEDICATED, UH, UH, UH, SERVICE WORKER AT THE CITY TO JUST GO SPECIFICALLY AFTER THESE BAD PROPERTIES.
IF THERE IS REALLY ALL THIS MONEY BEING GENERATED BY THIS, UH, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT EXPLORED AS A MEANS OF ENFORCING THIS.
ALRIGHT, UH, JASON, LET ME, LET ME JUST, UH, ADD HERE.
IN THE JULY MEETING, WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM LEGAL WHERE THEY TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF CASES INVOLVING SHORT TERM, UH, RENTALS WHERE CITIES HAD ENACTED, UH, DIFFERENT ORDINANCES AND A LOT OF THE CASES OVERTURNED, UM, ORDINANCES.
ARLINGTON'S WAS NOT OVERTURNED.
AND ACCORDING TO THEIR PRESENTATION BACK IN JULY, THE ARLINGTON ORDINANCE WAS CHALLENGED BECAUSE IT LIMITED ST TO A PARTICULAR ZONE.
ALRIGHT? UM, THAT WAS FOUND TO BE OKAY.
ARLINGTON IS DIFFERENT IN THAT IT HAS ZONING.
AND SO IT, IT COULD VERY WELL BE JASON, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THAT NOT EVERY PROVISION OF THE ARLINGTON LAW WAS CHALLENGED.
OKAY? I HAVEN'T READ, UH, THAT CASE.
I'M AN ATTORNEY AS WELL, BUT MY GUESS IS PROVISIONS, LIKE THE RESTRICTION ON ASSEMBLY, WERE NOT CHALLENGED IN THAT CASE.
THERE ARE OTHER CASES WHERE, UH, REGULATIONS ON ASSEMBLY HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED AND AN ORDINANCE HAS BEEN THROWN OUT.
SO ALTHOUGH THE ARLINGTON ORDINANCE MAY HAVE BEEN UPHELD BASED ON ONE OR TWO SPECIFIC CHALLENGES, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT EVERY PROVISION OF THAT ORDINANCE HAS BEEN UPHELD IN COURT.
AND SO, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN, WELL, IT RESPECTFULLY, IF I MAY RESPOND, YOU KNOW, THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES, YOU KNOW, WHY WEREN'T THOSE PROVISIONS CHALLENGED? AND IF THEY WEREN'T CHALLENGED, THERE'S PROBABLY A GOOD REASON FOR THAT.
THEY PROBABLY HAVE LEGAL SUPPORT IN WHY ARE WE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING FROM AN ORDINANCE THAT OTHERWISE HAS NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY CHALLENGED? WHY ARE, WHY ARE WE ASSUMING THAT IN HOUSTON THOSE WOULD BE ATTACKED, WHEREAS THEY WERE NOT IN ARLINGTON? I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WEREN'T OPERATING UNDER THAT ASSUMPTION.
TO, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT USING SOME OF THE REVENUES LIKE THE, TO, TO GET A TASK, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLICKINGER AND OTHERS, AND WE LOOKED INTO THAT USING SOME OF THE MONEY THAT REVENUES THAT THE CITY MAKES OFF SHORT TERM RENTALS FOR, UM, A SPECIAL TASK FORCE, HPD AND WAS TOLD WE, IT'S NOT, CAN'T USE HOT TAX FOR THAT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STATE LAW GOVERNING HOT TAX AND HOW IT'S USED TO PROMOTE, YOU KNOW, CITY COME TO THE HOUSTON, YOU KNOW, TOURISM AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO WE CAN'T USE IT FOR HPD TASK FORCE THING, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AND WE COULD FIND OTHER MONEY, HOPEFULLY.
[02:15:01]
AND, AND IF THEY SAID THAT, I'M SURE THAT'S TRUE, CML CORN, UM, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THAT GOES BACK TO MY IDEA OF JUST LIKE UPPING, UPPING THE REGISTRATION FEE, UH, AS A MEANS OF OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.A, A A AS A MEANS OF, OF COVERING IT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR A LOT FROM PEOPLE THAT'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST MY ONE INVESTMENT PROPERTY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE OF THE LOCAL STATISTICS, BUT, UH, IN AMERICA, LIKE, UH, 70% OF THE STRS ARE OWNED BY LIKE, YOU KNOW, 27% OF THE OPERATORS.
I MEAN, FOR, FOR A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE, IT'S A VERY, VERY, VERY BIG BUSINESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CITY NOT TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE A LAW AND FOR, FOR PEOPLE LIKE THAT, THAT POOR LADY TO CONTINUE TO SUFFER, UM, WHILE, YOU KNOW, THESE SDR OWNERS ARE RAKING IT IN EXCHANGE FOR A $200 A YEAR FEE, IT JUST, IT JUST SOUNDS HORRIBLE.
IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE, IF THIS IS REALLY THAT BIG OF A BUSINESS, AND WHEN I, WHEN I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OUR DISTRICT DISTRICT C AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A HUGE BUSINESS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, THAT THESE FOLKS, THESE VERY FINE FOLKS CAN AFFORD TO PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE ANY EMPATHY FOR THAT LADY.
AND PEOPLE IN HER SITUATION, I THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO PAY EXTRA MONEY TO ASSURE, YOU KNOW, A DEDICATED TASK FORCE TO MAKE SURE THESE BAD OPERATORS WHO ARE SOILING THEIR NAMES, UM, ARE ELIMINATED.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY WORTH WORTHWHILE.
ALRIGHT, JASON, FOLLOWING UP, UM, ONE OF THE RESTRICTIONS YOU PROPOSE IT'S NOT BEEN PLACED IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS A RESTRICTION ON ASSEMBLIES.
THERE IS A CASE INVOLVING THE CITY OF AUSTIN ATARI VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THIS AGAIN IS FROM THE LEGAL PRE PRESENTATION BACK IN JULY.
AUSTIN'S STR ORDINANCE IMPOSED CONDITIONS, NO ASSEMBLIES BETWEEN 10:00 PM AND 7:00 AM NO OUTDOOR ASSEMBLIES OF MORE THAN SIX ADULTS, NO MORE THAN SIX UNRELATED ADULTS, OR 10 RELATED ADULTS USING THE PROPERTY.
AND THAT WAS CHALLENGED AND AUSTIN'S ORDINANCE WAS OVERTURNED.
THE COURT SAID THAT THE PROVISIONS LIMITING ASSEMBLIES WERE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON AUSTIN'S ORDINANCE WAS THROWN OUT.
SO A AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.
IT'S NOT A FINAL PRODUCT AT ALL, BUT SOME OF THE PROVISIONS THAT YOU MAY BE ASKING FOR HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UM, RULED ON IN COURT AND FOUND, FOUND TO BE, TO VIOLATE THE LAW, BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
AND IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'RE A CITY, WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER, AND SO THEREFORE WE HAVE TO, TO COMPROMISE.
UM, BUT IT, IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED PROTECTIONS AGAINST BIG PARTIES AND, AND BIG EVENTS.
AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STR OPERATORS IN THIS ROOM WOULD, WOULD WANT THAT AS WELL.
THAT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF OPERATION, MY CLIENTS DON'T RUN THOSE OPERATIONS, THEY DON'T RUN THOSE OPERATIONS.
THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GO, HOW DO WE DO, HOW DO WE ELIMINATE THIS? AND NOT ONLY, WE CAN'T JUST SAY, OH, HERE'S A LAW, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE ENFORCE THAT LAW? AND I, I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE, UH, UM, SOME MORE THOUGHT AND, AND SOME MORE WORK.
AND THE DRAFT IS A GOOD START, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST THAT.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO HASN'T SIGNED UP BUT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? COME FORWARD.
HE'S HERE FOR, OH, YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE.
UH, THERE'S A GENTLEMAN IN THE BACK.
OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? UH, MY NAME IS BILLY DESAI.
UH, I'VE BEEN HOSTING FOR 10 YEARS.
I, I, WE'VE BEEN, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OWNERS LIKE ME.
I AIRBNB STUDIOS, UH, ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS ALL OVER THE CITY IN MONTROSE IN THE EAST END.
UH, WE PAY OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN PROPERTY TAXES A YEAR.
I'VE BOUGHT THESE PROPERTIES, MANY OF THEM DERELICT, UH, REHAB THEM, SPENT HUNDREDS OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO MAKE THAT INCOME.
AND THE, WHAT I'M CONCERNED WITH IS THIS ORDINANCE IS A SOLUTION.
IT'S NOT THE CORRECT SOLUTION.
I, I THINK IT'S AN IMPROPER SOLUTION.
THERE'S, THE DATA DOESN'T EVEN SHOW A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH STR.
[02:20:01]
ISSUE I THINK IS NOT EVEN AIRBNB.YOU HAVE ACTORS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, ON REDDIT, YOU KNOW, UNREGULATED NON PLATFORMS, YOU KNOW, THE GUESTS ARE THE PROBLEM.
THE GUESTS WHO, CAUSE, YOU KNOW, CAUSE THESE DISTURBANCES AND THESE PARTIES.
IF YOU GET THE BAD ACTING PLATFORMS OUT OF BUSINESS, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SOLVE A LOT OF THIS.
AND YOU DON'T NEED THIS ORDINANCE WHATSOEVER.
WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CITY? YOU HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE ON THE STREETS, MENTALLY ILL, PEOPLE ON THE STREETS.
WHY SHOULD WE BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST? AS STR OWNERS? WE HAVE OUR OWN PROPERTY RIGHTS.
EVERYONE IS FREE TO MOVE, TO BUY A PROPERTY, TO OBEY THE LAW AND OBEY THE DEED RESTRICTIONS OR NON RESTRICTIONS.
I KNOW MY NEIGHBORS, I'VE NEVER HAD TO CALL THE POLICE.
UH, I THINK THIS IS GONNA AFFECT MY QUALITY OF LIFE.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A 6-YEAR-OLD, A 3-YEAR-OLD.
BUT THE THING IS, WE ARE GOOD ACTORS.
THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION.
IF, IF YOU WANT TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH ME TO LEARN MY SIDE OF THE STORY, I, I'M SURPRISED HOW UNDERREPRESENTED WE ARE IN THIS ROOM.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO SPEND TIME WITH ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO ME AND ELABORATE ON THIS.
YOU HAVE BAD ACTORS, BAD GUESTS, NOT HOSTS.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO DESTROY MY PROPERTY.
I'M PROTECTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M PROTECTING MY PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL STOP THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OKAY, MA'AM, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD? WHAT'S YOUR NAME, MA'AM? MY NAME IS DOROTHY CONNELLEY.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
BUT I WANT TO, I AM A SUPERHOST AND I HAD, I HAVE NEVER HAD, UM, HPD HAVE TO COME TO MY PROPERTY.
I HAVE, UH, GUESTS THAT ARE FROM UKRAINE, UH, CHINA, UH, ALL OVER THE WORLD THAT HAVE COME AND STAYED.
AND SOME, UH, HAVE, I HAVE ONE GUEST THAT CAME FROM HER PLACE, UH, OUT OF THE COUNTRY.
THEY TURN INTO PEOPLE WHO STAY THERE.
UH, SOME PEOPLE, AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT WHEN YOU DO THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE AUDIENCE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
THESE, YOU ARE AFFECTING PEOPLE THAT THEY, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE APARTMENTS.
AND WITH A APARTMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FIRST MONTH AND THE LAST MONTH AND THE GOOD CREDIT AND THE, THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN HOUSTON THAT DON'T HAVE ALL THAT.
AND THEY COME TO A HOME LIKE MINE AND THEY STAY, THAT'S WHERE THEY LIVE.
SO, AND THEY, I'VE NEVER HAD THE POLICE COME TO MY PROPERTY.
WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS.
AND I HAVE, I DON'T RENT THE WHOLE HOUSE.
AND, UH, IT IS LIKE, ALMOST LIKE YOU MEET SOMEBODY IN COLLEGE AND THEY, UH, BECOME FRIENDS.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE HUMANITY THAT GOES ALONG WITH WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO DO.
LET'S SEE, WAS THERE ANOTHER HAND OF SOMEONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN WHO WANTS TO SPEAK? UM, THIS LADY WITH THE DARK HAIR AROUND? OH YES.
WHAT'S YOUR NAME, MA'AM? MY NAME IS CLAIRE GOOSEY.
I, I THOUGHT I HAD SIGNED UP TO TALK.
UM, I HAVE BEEN DOING, UM, A SHORT TERM RENTAL FOR EIGHT YEARS.
I'M ON VRBO AND ALSO ON AIRBNB.
AND MY HOMES ARE IN THE MEDICAL CENTER AND MOST OF MY, UH, CLIENTS, YOU KNOW, RENTERS ARE FROM MD ANDERSON, TEXAS CHILDREN'S.
AND SO WE'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING
[02:25:01]
TO BE A BIG BURDEN ON SMALL PEOPLE LIKE ME.I, FROM LISTENING TO EVERYTHING, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM IS THE, IF YOU'RE NOT ON ONE OF THE MAJOR PLATFORMS, BECAUSE THERE ARE STRICT RULES ABOUT NOT HAVING PARTIES AND, UH, VERY, VERY, VERY STRUCTURED ON AIRBNB AND VRBO.
AND I'M ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD, GOOD AGENTS HERE.
BUT SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED MAYBE SOMETHING FOR PEOPLE THAT, UM, ARE NOT, NOT RESIDENT OR FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU GET TO THE CORPORATIONS WHERE THEY DON'T CARE? SO THE ORDINANCE OUGHT TO BE FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 10 PROPERTIES OR MORE.
BUT I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE BAD ACTORS ARE NOT USING THE MAJOR PLATFORMS AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE STILL, UH, GOING TO, IN MY OPINION, BREAK THE LAW, UH, UH, DISTURB THE, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND SO I DO NOT THINK, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE COMPLIANCE ON THIS.
YOU MIGHT DRIVE SOME PEOPLE OUT OF THE, THE SHORT TERM RENTAL MARKET AND YEAH, DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
I I REALLY THINK THAT GO AFTER THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGER FISH.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS AND NOT, NOT A SMALL FRY.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN YET WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? ALRIGHT, UM, YEAH, I, I SEE YOU MR. LONG, BUT YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN MY LIST.
BUT WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO FINISH AT SOME POINT.
YEAH, AND I THINK WE HAVE A MEETING.
WE MIGHT HAVE A MEETING SET UP WITH YOU.
SO, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS NEXT STEPS A RA AND LEGAL ARE GONNA TAKE THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
IN ADDITION, WITH THE COMMENTS ALREADY MADE, THEY WILL MEET WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO FINE TUNE THIS ORDINANCE.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT WE WILL HAVE AN ORDINANCE TO VOTE ON BY THE END OF JANUARY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S NEXT.
BUT I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE STUCK IT OUT TO THE BID END COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALCORN, PAC AND HUFFMAN.
I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF WHO'S ASSISTED, UH, FROM DISTRICT A, ALAN ROMAN HAS WORKED THE BOARD.
SONYA SOTO HAS ASSISTED ON ONLINE.
UH, GLORIA RODRIGUEZ HAS, UM, UH, CHECKED FOLKS IN AND LEAH AL HAS HELPED OUT, UH, WITH MESSAGING AND SO FORTH.
SO, UH, THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED.
THE NEXT QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE MONDAY, JANUARY THE SIXTH AT 2:00 PM SO WE'RE GONNA, UH, CALL THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT THIS TIME.