Short Term Rentals – Item #56 – Austin City Council Meeting – October 15, 2015 – Call To Action!

Neighbors,

Austin’s short-term rental problem makes the New York Times!  Check out the comments to see the nationwide support for our cause!  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/your-money/new-worry-for-home-buyers-a-party-house-next-door.html

The Austin City Council will consider the following short-term rental (STR) proposals from Mayor Pro Tem Tovo at the Council meeting on Thursday, October 15, 2015:
•    Initiate a phased-in process to limit Type 2 STRs to commercially zoned areas and require conditional use permits for continued operation of Type 2 STRs in single family zoning.
•    Repeal provision that allows 25% of multifamily units in commercially zoned areas to be removed from the rental market as Type 3 STRs, and cap at no more than 3% by property and census tract.  (Hundreds of apartments could be converted to commercial STRs without this cap.)
•    Clarify that Type 2 STRs and non-owner occupied Type 3 STRs are subject to federal ADA requirements as commercial places of lodging.
•    For any STR application or license renewal, require both owner and property manager to certify that they have no outstanding code or APD violations within the last two years.

Council Member Pool requested that the Council consider the following STR proposals:
•    Reduce the license fee for Type 1 STRs.
•    Review the license fee for Type 2 STRs to ensure that it is high enough.
•    Allow photos and complaints can be used as evidence in administrative hearing.
•    Discuss license renewals for confirmed bad actors.
•    Review the previous Council’s decision to allow commercial (Type 2 STR) uses in residential zoned areas.

Call to Action:
•    Please show up in force at the Council meeting to support Tovo, Pool and neighborhoods that are fighting against commercial STRs.
•    Please call and send emails to the City Council members and urge them to support Tovo and Pool’s proposals.

Here’s the link to send one email to all City Council members:
http://www.austintexas.gov/email/all-council-members

City Council Member email addresses and phone numbers:
Mayor Adler                                          Steve.Adler@austintexas.gov       512-978-2100
Mayor Pro Tem Tovo                 Kathie.Tovo@austintexas.gov      512-978-2109
Council Member Houston            Ora.Houston@austintexas.gov     512-978-2101
Council Member Garza               Delia.Garza@austintexas.gov       512-978-2102
Council Member Renteria            Sabino.Renteria@austintexas.gov             512-978-2103
Council Member Casar                Gregorio.Casar@austintexas.gov  512-978-2104
Council Member Kitchen                        Ann.Kitchen@austintexas.gov     512-978-2105
Council Member Zimmerman      Don.Zimmerman@austintexas.gov 512-978-2106
Council Member Pool                 Leslie.Pool@austintexas.gov                    512-978-2107
Council Member Troxclair          Ellen.Troxclair@austintexas.gov  512-978-2108
Council Member Gallo                Sheri.Gallo@austintexas.gov                   512-978-2110

Please help Neighbors for Short Term Rental Reform rid our neighborhoods of commercial STRs:
•    Sign our petition: https://www.change.org/p/suspend-new-commercial-short-term-rentals-in-austin-neighborhoods
•    Visit our website: http://saveaustinneighborhoods.com/
•    Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/STRReform
•    Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Neighbors-for-Short-Term-Rental-Reform-446471182192120/timeline/
•    View us on YouTube: http://goo.gl/QIUsc7
•    Send us an email:  austinstrcomplaints@gmail.com

Thank you,

David King
Neighbors for Short Term Rental Reform
No Commercial STRs in Neighborhoods