Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Short Term Rentals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Houston council hears extensive public comment on short-term rental rules; Councilmember Alcorn withdraws Amendment 3
Summary
Short-term rental owners, operators and neighborhood representatives urged changes to proposed STR ordinance amendments, focusing on Amendment 2’s potential for revocation and the withdrawn Amendment 3; councilmembers said they are working to narrow rules to target bad actors.
A large group of short-term rental (STR) owners, operators and neighborhood representatives addressed the Houston City Council on April 6 about proposed amendments to the city’s STR ordinance, with repeated concerns about Amendment 2 (revocation language) and relief after Councilmember Abbie Alcorn said she would withdraw Amendment 3.
Speakers representing multiunit and single-family operators described screening, noise monitoring, security measures and medical hospitality provided to families — and warned that broad revocation language could disproportionately affect small operators. “If one of your units is revoked, that’s 25%. You’re probably not going to be able to utilize the rest of them,” said Sean McFarland, a fourplex owner in District C. Sebastian Long, CEO of Lodger, said Amendment 2 “unfairly targets multifamily housing” and argued that operators should not be penalized for guest criminal behavior.
Councilmember Abbie Alcorn told operators upset about Amendment 3 that she would withdraw it and instead support Amendment 2 provisions narrowed to target “bad actors.” Councilman David Kamin emphasized that Amendment 2 is not an automatic revocation and described proposed changes from legal staff to make revocation discretionary and adjudicated through process rather than immediate loss of permits.
Operators asked for clearer appeal and reinstatement procedures, longer permit terms and protections for operators launching properties after Jan. 1, 2026. Several speakers urged more collaboration with platform companies and requested language allowing operators to request police assistance for trespass under Texas Penal Code when guests refuse to leave.
Councilmembers acknowledged the competing concerns of neighborhood groups requesting stricter rules and STR hosts seeking predictable, fair regulations; several councilmembers encouraged additional operator input and said legal staff will refine the proposed language. No final ordinance vote was taken at the meeting.
