The City of Dallas has formed a new task force to regulate short-term rentals operating in the city.
According to FOX 4 News, this is the third task force the city has formed in two years.
Councilman Chad West, the task force co-chair, told FOX 4 News that he wants the city’s attorney to spell out what the council may do regarding regulating short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo.
West added that the task force has to find a middle ground between protecting neighborhoods and allowing the short-term rental industry to exist.
The industry is an excellent source of tax revenue for Dallas, and West said that city authorities need to collect the same occupancy taxes from short-term rentals that hotels are asked to pay.
West, who revealed that he was a short-term rental operator for seven years, said short-term rental operators could run their business in a way that benefits the neighborhood. However, West noted that some bad operators in the city had caused havoc in the community.
In a statement to FOX 4 News, the Dallas Short Term Rental Alliance said they are happy to build on previous policy recommendations that were reasonable attempts to craft common-sense rules.
The Alliance specifically emphasized measures protecting property rights, supporting the local tourism economy, and addressing community concerns.
Norma Minnis, who has lived in East Dallas for over forty years, told FOX 4 News that she and her neighbors feel their quality of life is in danger because of the industry. Minnis had previously served on the city’s first short-term rental task force but was unsatisfied with the residents’ representation on the matter.
She revealed that only two of the six task force members did not earn a living or a profit from short-term rentals. Minnis is hoping this time will be different.
