Fort Worth to present four ways to regulate Vrbos and Airbnbs. It wants to hear from you
Fort Worth residents are getting another crack at the debate over how the city regulates regulate short-term rentals like Vrbos and Airbnbs.
Residents are fiercely divided on the issue with some worried about the impact on neighborhoods while other stress the potential economic benefits.
City staff will present four options during public during meetings slated for 6 p.m. July 26 and July 28.
They range from keeping the current ordinance to putting limits on the number of bookings and locations short-term rentals can operate.
The July 26 meeting will be in-person at city hall where residents will get a city staff presentation on the potential changes followed by questions and comments from the residents who sign up to speak in-person before the meeting.
The July 28 meeting will be virtual where residents will again get a city staff presentation and can submit questions to be answered by the panel.
These two meetings will not be the public’s only opportunity to weigh in on changes to the ordinance, said Reyne Telles, the city’s new chief communications officer.
The city is using an online platform called ThoughtExchange as part of an effort by to find more meaningful and equitable ways to engage with residents, Telles said.
The platform is available in multiple languages and residents can either go online or text the code 825-166-674 to the phone number 728-55 give their open ended thoughts on how the city regulates short-term rentals.
The city council also has a public comment meeting Aug. 2 where residents can give their opinions in-person or virtually.
The city implemented its current regulation in 2018. Short-term rentals are allowed in commercial and mixed-use zoning districts, but are banned from residential neighborhoods.
The ordinance also defined short-term rentals as those lasting for fewer than 30 days.
New regulations could loosen those rules, but some residents have pushed the city to keep the residential ban in place citing crime, party houses and a breakdown in neighborhood cohesion.
“When neighborhoods die, cities begin to die,” said Dan Haase, representing a coalition of neighborhood organizations in east Fort Worth at a city council meeting in May.
Proponents of short-term rentals argue they allow residents to earn extra income from their properties, while also acting as unofficial ambassadors for the city.
Fort Worth has 1,574 active rentals, according to data from AirDNA, a short-term rental market research firm that tracks Airbnb and Vrbo listings.
The goal of any new regulation will be to balance the needs of neighborhoods while also supporting tourism in a responsible way, according to a .pdf of the presentation linked on the city’s website.
The city council is expected to take up any changes to the ordinance when it returns from summer recess in August.
This story was originally published July 14, 2022 at 6:39 PM.
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