Leon Valley weighs tougher enforcement, platform delisting and HOT audit options for short‑term rentals
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Summary
City Manager Dr. Caldera outlined enforcement steps for short‑term rentals — notices, citations, municipal court, and civil injunctions — and said roughly 30 properties have not registered while staff estimates about 62–63 STR listings exist; council discussed amending the ordinance to require permit numbers for listing platforms and pursuing hotel‑occupancy tax audits.
City Manager Dr. Mary Caldera presented an extended briefing on code enforcement and municipal remedies with a focus on short‑term rentals (STRs).
Caldera explained the typical enforcement ladder: an initial notice of violation and time to cure, then municipal citations for failure to register or follow ordinance rules, court appearances for unresolved citations, and civil injunctions or Chapter 54 petitions for persistent noncompliance. She noted the practical limits of municipal enforcement—courts set remedies and enforcement involves attorney time and expense.
On short‑term rentals, Caldera said staff identified roughly 62–63 STR listings in town but that “we currently have roughly about 30 homes that have failed to register” and remain noncompliant after letters and some citations. She described options the council could consider: amending the STR and tax ordinances to require listing platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, and others) to provide a city permit number before showing a property and to expand platforms required to remit hotel‑occupancy tax; and pursuing a hotel‑occupancy tax audit contractor to identify properties and unremitted taxes.
Councilors discussed outreach and enforcement tactics: using the city’s GoGov complaint system for verifiable code violations; encouraging residents to call non‑emergency dispatch for incidents requiring a recorded police response; and working with the county audit contractor to recover unpaid HOT where feasible. City Attorney explained that municipal remedies include daily fines up to $500 per violation and that Chapter 54 actions can seek injunctions and civil penalties, though such litigation entails attorney costs and must be weighed against expected returns.
Several councilors urged staff to return with draft ordinance language requiring permit numbers for platform listings, to reach out to additional platforms (Expedia and Booking.com) and to include STRs in the scope of the city’s HOT audit solicitation. The council favored stepped enforcement and targeted escalation for owners who repeatedly refuse to register or appear for court.
