Tourism commission recommends improvements to Austin short-term rentals
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Wednesday, Austin's Tourism Commission approved a list of ten recommendations regarding short-term rentals.
The list is expected to be sent to the Austin City Council.
The recommendations came from a Short-Term Rental Working Group regarding how to address challenges to unlicensed STRs.
What are the recommendations?
Some of the recommendations include:
- Require more information from applicants for STR licenses and maintain a database
- Focus on underreported Hotel Occupancy Taxes (HOT), which leads to a loss in revenue
- Enhance transparency and streamline licensing by simplifying the application process, implementing online systems, and addressing open citations by implementing an efficient tax and permit fee system.
- Prioritize safety and community well-being by upholding safety regulations through proactive inspections, addressing noise complaints, and promoting responsible guest behavior.
- Foster collaborative partnerships by building strategic partnerships with platforms, neighborhood associations and the Austin Police Department
- Implement platform fees and hold platforms accountable for aiding non-compliance
Other recommendations focused on rewarding STRs that comply with rules. One suggested offering discounts and incentives for compliant and sustainable STRs.
Another recommended creating performance benchmarks and an honorary "Best Practices" badge for STRs that consistently meet performance benchmarks.
KXAN's Sarah Al-Shaikh will have more on this story. You can watch it on KXAN News at 10 p.m.