The saying, “You can’t pick your parents, but you can choose your neighbors,” is typically true — unless you live next door to an Airbnb.
For one Oak Lawn resident, living next to an Airbnb can be far from ideal.
In a recent article by CandysDirt.com, the real estate news site for North Texas real estate junkies, Oak Lawn resident Ken Ray spoke about living next door to an Airbnb condo.
According to CandysDirt.com, “’On any given day, the guests might be a couple, a squad of construction workers, or a bachelor party.’ The Oak Lawn condos can hold dozens of people when fully bedded out, and Ray never knows what kind of person will show up, whether they will party all night, throw their cigarette butts into his garden, back their cars into his fence, or simply go to bed.”
Unfortunately, Ray is not alone. There are thousands of Airbnb properties in the North Texas area, many hotbeds for unruly tenants. A recent study found that more than 80% of all Airbnb properties in Dallas are unhosted, meaning their hosts or operators live outside of the city.
The Oak Lawn Airbnb is listed as owned by Jerry and JC of New York.
With no manager onsite, the shenanigans often go unreported and continue nightly with new guests.
But Ray has complained.
He has lodged noise, damage, and behavior complaints with the Dallas Police Department for two years. He has issued numerous complaints to Airbnb and his condo manager. Additionally, he’s written letters to the city council. Currently, there are no city regulations for Airbnb-type properties.
According to Ray, the Dallas City Council’s Quality of Life Committee was slated to meet in June to hash out short-term rental regulations, but the meeting was canceled. The meeting has not been rescheduled.
Not stopping there, Ray contacted the Code Compliance office to explain his situation. Thinking that since the city regulates hotels, it could theoretically regulate Airbnbs.
Ray hit another brick wall, as he was told the city had no power to deal with Airbnbs. With that said, Code Compliance does regulate zoning and prohibits commercial businesses from operating in residential areas.
In the meantime, two of Ray’s neighbors have moved, and Ray continues to look for help.
