Let’s talk about the rules for short-term rentals (STRs) – like Airbnb and VRBO – in New Braunfels, Texas. It can seem like a lot, but we can break it down in a way that’s easy to understand.

What’s a Short-Term Rental?

In New Braunfels, a short-term rental is a house or a two-family house that people rent out for less than 30 days at a time. Think of it like a hotel, but it’s someone’s home. This doesn’t include regular hotels, motels, or apartments that rent for longer periods. If you advertise your house online for short stays, you need to follow these rules!

Getting Permission: The Permit

If you want to run a short-term rental in New Braunfels, you need to get a special permission slip from the city called a permit. You can’t just start renting without it. You have to apply online through the city’s website.

To get a permit, you’ll need to show them some important papers, like:

• Proof that you own the house.
• A drawing of your property showing where the house is and where people can park their cars (not in the garage!).
• A drawing of the inside of your house, showing all the rooms and where people sleep.
• Proof that you have insurance in case something goes wrong.
• The name and phone number of someone who can be there quickly if there’s a problem.
• A letter if someone else is helping you manage the rental.
• A paper that tells renters the rules and who to call if there’s an emergency.
• Information about your water and other bills.

There’s also a fee to apply for the permit and another fee every year to keep it active. Someone from the city will also come to check your house to make sure it’s safe for renters. Once everything is okay, you’ll get your permit!

Where Can You Have a Short-Term Rental? Zoning Rules

This is a big one. The city has rules about where you can and cannot have short-term rentals based on how the land is zoned (what the city says that area can be used for).

• No STRs in Normal Neighborhoods: If your house is in an area zoned for regular houses (like where most people live), you usually can’t have a short-term rental. This is something people are fighting about in court right now.
• STRs in Some Business Areas (Maybe with Extra Steps): In some areas zoned for businesses, you might be able to have a short-term rental, but you might need to get another special permission called a “Special Use Permit” (SUP). This is like asking the city extra nicely if it’s okay.
• No SUP Needed in Certain Business Areas: There are a few specific business zones where you might not need the extra SUP, but you still need the regular permit.
• Getting a Special Use Permit (SUP): Getting an SUP can take a while (maybe three months!) and cost extra money. The city will tell your neighbors you want to do this, and there will be public meetings where people can say if they agree or disagree. You’ll need to give the city a lot more information about your property. Even if you do all this, the city might still say no.
• No STRs in Floodways: If your house is in an area that floods easily (a floodway), you can’t have a short-term rental, no matter what the zoning is.

How to Check: The city has a cool online map where you can type in an address and see if short-term rentals are allowed there.

Rules for Running Your Rental

Once you have your permit, you need to follow some rules to make sure everything runs smoothly and doesn’t bother the neighbors:

• How Many People Can Stay? You can have two adults for every bedroom, plus two more adults in the whole house.
• Parking: You need to have at least one parking spot outside the garage for each bedroom.
• Noise: You have to follow the city’s general rules about noise. If your renters are too loud, people can complain to the police.
• Trash: You and your guests need to follow the regular trash rules for houses in the city.
• Safety: You need to have things like smoke detectors and fire extinguishers that work. You also need to have a plan for how people can get out of the house in an emergency, and it needs to be easy for guests to see.
• Insurance: You need to keep your insurance up to date.
• Someone to Call: You need to have a person who is available 24/7 and can get to the property within an hour if there’s a problem.
• Things to Show: You need to put your permit sticker on the property and give your guests the information sheet with the rules and emergency numbers.

The city also suggests having a written agreement with your renters.

Paying Taxes: Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT)

If you rent your place for less than 30 days, you have to collect a special tax from your guests called the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). There are a few parts to this tax:

• State Tax: Texas charges a 6% tax.
• City Tax: New Braunfels charges a 7% tax.
• County Tax (Maybe): If your property is in a certain part of the city (Guadalupe County), you might have to collect another county tax.
• Water District Fee (Usually Not in the City): There’s another fee for properties near the lake, but this usually doesn’t apply to rentals within the city.

Important! You are the one who needs to collect and send the city’s 7% tax (and the county tax if it applies). Websites like Airbnb and VRBO might collect the state tax, but they usually don’t handle the city’s tax for you. You have to do it yourself through the city’s online portal every month, even if you didn’t have any renters that month. If you don’t pay on time, you’ll have to pay extra fees! The city can also check your records to make sure you’re paying the right amount.

What Happens if You Break the Rules?

The city has people who check if short-term rentals are following the rules. If people complain about your rental or if you don’t have a permit, you could get in trouble. This could mean getting fines or even having your permit taken away. If you don’t pay your taxes, you’ll also have to pay penalties and could even face legal charges.

Things Are Changing: New Rules and a Court Case

The rules for short-term rentals in New Braunfels have been updated recently, and there’s a big court case going on right now. Some people think the city’s rule that bans short-term rentals in regular neighborhoods is unfair. The court case is still ongoing, so the rules might change in the future.

What Should You Do?

If you’re thinking about running a short-term rental in New Braunfels, it’s really important to:

• Check the City’s Website: The city has a lot of information online about the rules.
• Use the Online Map: See if short-term rentals are allowed where you want to operate.
• Read the City’s Guide: They have a special guide for short-term rentals.
• Talk to a Lawyer (If Needed): If you have questions about the rules or the court case, it’s a good idea to talk to a lawyer who knows about this stuff.
• Contact the City: You can also call the city if you have specific questions.

It’s important to follow all the rules so you can run your short-term rental safely and without problems!

Learn More Here: City Of New Braunfels

Austin is a cool city with music, great food, and a chill vibe. But something new is happening that could change your next Airbnb or Vrbo booking. Starting April 1, 2025, if you rent a short-term place in Austin, you’ll have to pay an extra 11% in taxes.

What’s This New Tax All About?

Before, not all short-term rentals in Austin had to collect this Hotel Occupancy Tax, or HOT. It depended on if they had the right papers. But now, the city says everyone renting out a place for less than 30 days has to add this 11% tax. That’s like adding a little extra cost to your stay. This tax has two parts: 9% is a general hotel tax, and 2% goes to special city projects.

What Does This Mean for You When You Book?

If you’re planning a trip and using sites like Airbnb or Vrbo, your total cost will likely go up a bit. These websites now have to collect that 11% tax for the owners. Some owners think that because of this extra cost, they might lower their nightly prices to stay competitive. So, while you’ll see the tax added on, the base price of the rental might drop a little. It’s also possible that hotels in Austin, which already charge this tax, might look like a better deal now.

What About the People Renting Out Their Places?

For folks who rent out their homes, this new rule changes who takes care of the tax money. Now, Airbnb and Vrbo will handle collecting the 11% from guests and sending it to the City of Austin. Before, the owners usually had to do this themselves. One owner, Joe Arenella, thinks this will make things easier for them and maybe they won’t have to fill out as many reports for the city.

But here’s a catch: for the first three months after April 1, 2025, owners still need to tell the city how much tax the websites collected for them. This seems like the city wants to make sure everything is correct while this new system gets started. By having the big websites collect the tax, Austin hopes to get more tax money from short-term rentals. They think some owners weren’t following the rules before.

Why Is Austin Doing This?

Why is the city making this change? Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes says it’s a big step in dealing with rentals that weren’t following the rules and how these rentals affect the housing situation in Austin. The city wants to better control short-term rentals and use the extra tax money for important things like tourism, local artists, and keeping Austin’s culture alive. Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes even said the city might have been losing thousands of dollars in tax money each day because not everyone was paying what they should. This tax money helps fund things like promoting Austin as a tourist spot, supporting art programs, and the Austin Convention Center. The city figured it would be easier to have the big online platforms collect the tax instead of chasing down lots of individual owners.

This is also part of a bigger plan to find a balance between the money tourism brings in and the concerns of people who live in Austin about affordable housing and the quality of their neighborhoods. The city is using this tax and other rules to manage the growing number of short-term rentals.

To make sure everyone knows the rules, the city has made some clear definitions. A “Platform” is a website or company that helps people book short-term rentals. A “Short-Term Rental” is renting out a home or part of a home for less than 30 days in a row. This doesn’t include longer stays or rentals between people buying or selling a house. These clear definitions help everyone understand what the new rules mean.

Austin’s Long Road with Short-Term Rentals

Austin has been trying to figure out how to handle short-term rentals for a while. Back in 2016, they tried to put stricter rules on rentals that weren’t the owner’s main home. But the courts said no to some of these rules, saying the city couldn’t treat short-term rentals differently from long-term rentals in some ways. So, now the city is trying a new way – making the online platforms collect taxes. This shows how tricky it can be for the city to manage short-term rentals while respecting the rights of property owners.

Austin Hotel Occupancy Tax Breakdown

Tax Component	Rate	Description
Occupancy Tax	9%	General tax on hotel and short-term rental stays
Venue Project Tax	2%	Tax dedicated to financing venue projects
Total HOT Rate	11%	Applicable to all short-term rentals

What Do the Experts Say?

People who work in the short-term rental business have different thoughts about this new tax. Blake Carter from Cribs Consulting thinks that at first, guests will pay more, but then prices might go down. He also thinks rentals outside of Austin’s main city area might become more popular because they won’t have this extra tax. Matt Curtis from Smart City Policy Group believes these changes are needed to go after the “bad actors” in the rental market. Five Star Vacation Home Rentals thinks it’s smart for the city to wait on other big rule changes because the state might pass new laws about short-term rentals. They like that platforms will collect the tax for owners who were already following the rules. But they worry it could be tough for those who weren’t paying taxes before and might lead to more enforcement. Luis Briones from Airbnb says they’ve been wanting platforms to collect these taxes for a long time and they support rules that let people earn money by renting out their homes. This new tax could change things in Austin’s short-term rental scene. Places outside the city or those run by big companies might become more attractive. While websites like Airbnb are okay with collecting the tax, we’ll have to see how it really affects individual owners and the overall market. Some think it will be simpler, while others see potential problems with higher costs and more competition.

This is Just One Piece of the Puzzle

This new tax rule is just one part of a bigger conversation about how Austin regulates short-term rentals. The city council has also made other changes that will start on October 1, 2025. These changes will move the main rules for short-term rentals to a different part of the city’s rules, the part about business regulations. But even with this change, you’ll still be able to have a short-term rental in any neighborhood in Austin as long as you have the right license. The city is also thinking about making rental listings show their city permit numbers, limiting how close together rentals owned by the same person can be, and maybe putting rules on who can own a lot of rentals. Austin is also watching what the state government in Texas might do with short-term rental laws, because that could affect the city’s rules. Mayor Kirk Watson has suggested waiting on some of these ideas until the state decides on its laws. So, the rules for short-term rentals in Austin are still changing, and this new tax collection is likely just the first step. What happens next will depend on what the state does and what the Austin City Council decides in the coming months.

What Do Owners Still Need to Do?

Even though the online platforms will now handle the tax collection, short-term rental owners in Austin still have some things they need to do. For the first three months starting April 1, 2025, owners need to tell the city how much tax each platform collected for them. The city is updating its online system to make this easier. Owners need to remember that these reports and any tax payments they still need to make (like for direct bookings not on websites) are due by the last day of the month after each three-month period ends. If they don’t file or pay on time, they’ll have to pay late fees. Also, it’s still super important for all short-term rental owners in Austin to have a valid license to rent out their property. So, while the new system makes tax collection easier for many, owners still need to stay on top of their reporting duties and make sure they have all the right licenses to run their rentals legally in Austin.

What Does This All Mean?

In the end, this new way of collecting hotel taxes for short-term rentals in Austin is a big change in how the city deals with this growing part of its tourism. Travelers might see a small bump in the cost of their stay, but this should help make things fairer in the lodging market and bring in money for important city services. For owners, the big websites will now handle most of the tax stuff. But they still need to keep up with reporting to the city and making sure they have the right licenses. As Austin keeps growing, how it manages short-term rentals will keep changing. For everyone involved – the visitors wanting a cool Austin experience and the owners sharing their homes – staying informed about these changes will be key to navigating Austin’s short-term rental world.

Key Dates for Austin Short-Term Rental Tax Changes

Date	Event
April 1, 2025	New HOT collection by platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) becomes effective
July 31, 2025	First quarterly report due under new system (for the quarter ending June 30, 2025)
October 1, 2025	Other STR regulation changes effective (regulation moves to Title 4, business regulations)

Summary of Key STR Regulations in Austin

Regulation Area	Status	Brief Description
Tax Collection	Effective April 1, 2025	Platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) required to collect and remit 11% HOT. Owners must also report platform-collected taxes for the first quarter.
Licensing	Ongoing	Required for all STRs.
Regulatory Code Location	Effective October 1, 2025	STRs primarily regulated under Title 4 (Business Regulations) instead of Title 25 (Land Development Code).
Zoning	Effective October 1, 2025	STRs allowed in all residential areas with a valid license.
Permit Display	Proposed/Discussed	Potential requirement for STR listings to display city-issued permit numbers.
Proximity Restrictions	Proposed/Discussed	Potential limitations on the proximity of multiple STRs owned by the same person.
Ownership Restrictions	Proposed/Discussed	Potential limitations on the type of ownership (e.g., favoring individuals over corporations).
State Legislation Impact	Ongoing	Future local regulations may be influenced by bills passed by the Texas Legislature.
Owner Reporting	Effective April 1, 2025	For the quarter beginning April 1, 2025, owners must report HOT collected by platforms. Ongoing quarterly reporting of direct bookings still required.

The winds of change have swept through Port Angeles, Washington, bringing with them a fresh set of rules for the burgeoning short-term rental (STR) landscape. Effective July 1, 2024, the city rolled out its new Short-Term Lodging Business License program, aiming to bring order to a sector that has increasingly sparked debate in communities across the nation. But as the dust settles, the crucial question remains: are these regulations truly serving the residents and the character of Port Angeles, or are they simply creating more red tape?

For those unfamiliar, a short-term rental in Port Angeles is now defined as any dwelling unit rented for fewer than 30 consecutive days. The city has established two distinct categories: Type I, for owner-occupied rentals, which face no citywide cap or location restrictions, and Type II, for those not owner-occupied. It’s the Type II category that has drawn the most scrutiny, initially capped at 200 licenses or 2% of the city’s housing stock, whichever is higher.

Why the distinction? The intent, it seems, is to prioritize homeowners sharing their primary residences, while placing limits on properties operating solely as de facto hotels. A laudable goal, in theory. But what about the practical implications?

One immediate requirement for all STR operators is obtaining a license, a process that includes a Fire Life-Safety Inspection and the submission of detailed floor plans highlighting crucial safety features – smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and clear exit routes. Operators must also provide proof of general liability insurance and agree to a Good Neighbor Policy. These measures, on the surface, appear to be common-sense steps towards ensuring guest safety and minimizing neighborhood disruptions.

But here’s where the plot thickens. An August 2024 ordinance introduced a significant twist, allowing some operators of Type II units to potentially hold licenses for multiple properties. The caveat? These operators need to meet specific criteria related to prior compliance and the dates they acquired their properties. Why this carve-out? Was it a necessary adjustment to avoid penalizing established, responsible operators, or did it create an uneven playing field, potentially concentrating STR ownership in the hands of a select few?

According to a Peninsula Daily News report from August 2024, this decision sparked further community discussions. And it’s no wonder. How does allowing multiple units under certain conditions align with the initial intent of capping non-owner-occupied rentals? Are we inadvertently paving the way for mini-empires of short-term rentals, potentially impacting the availability of long-term housing and the fabric of residential neighborhoods?

The city’s enforcement of these new rules began on November 1, 2024, with an initial focus on education and voluntary compliance. This measured approach is understandable, allowing operators time to understand and adhere to the new requirements. However, the real test will be in the ongoing enforcement. Will the city have the resources and the will to actively monitor compliance and address violations effectively? Or will the onus fall on residents to report issues, effectively making them the de facto regulators?

Market data from September 2024, reported by Airbtics, indicated around 280 active Airbnb listings in Port Angeles, with a median occupancy rate of 69% and an average daily rate of $176. These figures paint a picture of a potentially lucrative market. The same report also noted “lenient regulation,” a comment that may predate the full implementation and enforcement of the 2024 rules. It begs the question: will these new regulations significantly alter the market dynamics, or will the economic incentives continue to drive the growth of STRs?

Looking at listings on platforms like Cozycozy, it’s clear that short-term rentals offer a diverse range of accommodations in Port Angeles, catering to the tourists drawn to the Olympic Peninsula’s natural beauty. But as these rentals proliferate, what is the true cost to the community? Are we sacrificing long-term housing options for the sake of tourist dollars? Are the voices of residents who worry about noise, parking issues, and the transient nature of STR neighbors being truly heard?

The City of Port Angeles has taken a step towards regulating short-term rentals, and that’s a start. But the devil, as always, is in the details and the implementation. We need to ask the tough questions: Are these regulations robust enough to protect the character of our neighborhoods? Are they being enforced fairly and effectively? And most importantly, are they truly balancing the economic benefits of tourism with the needs and well-being of the Port Angeles community? The answers to these questions will determine whether these new rules are a genuine step forward or simply a new set of hurdles in a continuing debate.

Sources for Regulations:

• City of Port Angeles – Short-Term Lodging: This is the official city page detailing the new regulations, definitions, requirements, and links to helpful documents.
  • Short-Term Lodging | Port Angeles, WA – Official Website
• City of Port Angeles – STR Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Provides answers to common questions about the rules, application process, and types of STRs.
  • Short-Term Lodging Frequently Asked Questions – Port Angeles
• City of Port Angeles – News Flash on Ordinance Approval: Announcement of the new rules taking effect July 1, 2024.
  • News Flash • Port Angeles, WA • CivicEngage (Ordinance Approval)
• City of Port Angeles – News Flash on 2023 Moratorium: Information about the temporary moratorium on new STRs in residential zones that expired in December 2023.
  • News Flash • Port Angeles, WA • CivicEngage (Moratorium Info)

The Ban That Wasn’t: A Recap

In June 2023, the Dallas City Council voted to adopt zoning ordinance amendments intended to significantly restrict short-term rentals, primarily targeting single-family residential zones. This decision followed numerous complaints from residents regarding noise, parking issues, and general disturbances associated with short-term rental properties operating in their neighborhoods. The aim was to preserve the character of residential areas and address concerns about neighborhood stability.

The city’s approach involved amending the zoning ordinance to limit where STRs could operate and establishing operational requirements for those permitted in designated zones (such as multi-family, commercial, and mixed-use districts). These requirements included registration with the city, property inspections, the designation of a local responsible party, and adherence to occupancy limits and noise restrictions.

Legal Roadblocks: The Temporary Injunction

However, the implementation of these changes faced immediate legal challenges. The Dallas Short-Term Rental Alliance, representing rental operators, filed a lawsuit in October 2023, arguing that the new regulations violated the Texas Constitution and constituted an illegal taking of property rights. They sought a temporary injunction (a court order prohibiting a specific action until a trial can be held) to prevent the city from enforcing the restrictions.

In December 2023, a Dallas County district court granted this temporary injunction, effectively putting the enforcement of the more restrictive STR regulations on hold. The court found that the rental operators had presented sufficient evidence to suggest they would likely succeed in their argument that the city’s ordinance was unconstitutional and would suffer “imminent and irreparable harm” if the changes were enforced (Order on Temporary Injunction, December 6, 2023).

The Latest Setback: Appellate Court Ruling

Adding another layer to this complex situation, the Dallas Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the lower court’s decision to grant the temporary injunction (Fifth Court of Appeals Opinion, February 7, 2025). The appellate court panel agreed with the trial court’s assessment that enforcing the new restrictions immediately could cause irreparable harm to the STR operators while the legal case proceeds. The court specifically noted the language of the ordinances, which stated they would “take effect immediately,” potentially infringing on the operators’ property rights before a full legal determination could be made.

This ruling means that, for the time being, short-term rentals can continue to operate throughout Dallas, even in areas where the city intended to significantly limit them. The appellate court’s decision underscores the legal complexities surrounding the regulation of short-term rentals and the challenges municipalities face in implementing broad restrictions.

Enforcement of Existing Ordinances

While the intended limitations on STRs in certain zones remain unenforceable due to the injunction, the City of Dallas has indicated that it will continue to enforce its existing ordinances related to minimum property standards, noise disturbances, and private nuisances (City of Dallas Short Term Rentals Home Page). This means that even though STRs can currently operate more broadly than the city intended, they are still subject to regulations aimed at ensuring basic safety and preventing disruptive behavior.

Between June 2023 and September 2024, the city received approximately 160 STR-related complaints, primarily concerning noise, operational issues, parking, and litter (D Magazine, February 10, 2025). This suggests that while a move to restrict STRs was pursued, some level of regulation and enforcement remains necessary to address community concerns.

The Path Forward: Uncertainty Remains

The recent appellate court ruling does not represent a final verdict on the legality of Dallas’s efforts to restrict short-term rentals. It merely allows STRs to continue operating while the underlying lawsuit proceeds through the courts. The city has several options, including appealing the appellate court’s decision to the Texas Supreme Court or focusing on the trial for the actual lawsuit, the date for which has not yet been set.

Some members of the City Council have also expressed a willingness to reconsider the approach taken and explore alternative strategies, such as enhanced enforcement of existing regulations or the development of a more nuanced ordinance through further engagement with stakeholders (D Magazine, February 10, 2025).

The legal battle in Dallas reflects a broader debate occurring in cities across Texas and the nation regarding how to balance the rights of property owners to utilize their property as short-term rentals with the concerns of residents about the potential negative impacts on their neighborhoods. The contrasting outcome in Fort Worth, where a district court recently upheld the city’s authority to ban STRs by structuring the ban within its zoning code (CandysDirt.com, March 13, 2025), highlights the importance of the legal framework underpinning such regulations.

Conclusion

For now, the short-term rental landscape in Dallas remains in a state of flux. The city’s attempt to implement significant restrictions is stalled by ongoing legal challenges, and a recent appellate court decision has affirmed the temporary reprieve for STR operators. While existing city ordinances related to property standards and nuisances continue to be enforced, the fundamental question of where and under what conditions short-term rentals can operate in Dallas remains unresolved. As the legal proceedings continue, both homeowners and short-term rental operators must stay informed about future developments that will ultimately shape the regulatory framework for this evolving sector of the housing market.