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Cedar Park officials are weighing a proposal to require the registration of short-term rentals within the city.
Some context
The city defines a short-term rental as “the rental of all or part of a residential property for a period of 30 consecutive days or fewer to an individual who is not a permanent resident.” Short-term rentals include rentals through websites like Airbnb and Vrbo.
City staff estimates there are about 200 short-term rentals operating within the city today.
The framework
The proposed ordinance would require short-term rentals to register with the city and require owners to pay an annual registration fee of $100 per property.
Why it matters
Short-term rental owners are already required to pay hotel occupancy taxes. Staff documents state that registration “would promote fairness and consistency by helping the city ensure proper collection of hotel occupancy taxes ... which contribute to services and amenities that benefit the entire community.”
Director of Development Services Amy Link said requiring short-term rentals to be registered will help the city address any code compliance issues that might arise, as well as give local leaders a better understanding of how many short-term rentals are operating in Cedar Park and where they are located.
“I think this is a great step,” council member Eric Boyce said. “It gives us data and gives us a more comprehensive view of actually what’s going on.”
Diving in deeper
According to documents provided to City Council, research by city staff found that a majority of similar cities require an annual permit or registration, and about half of similar cities assess a fee.
Austin recently updated its short-term rental regulations in an attempt to crack down on unlicensed and nuisance rental operations.
What’s next
City Council is set to vote on the proposed ordinance at its April 23 meeting.
The ordinance would likely take effect Oct. 1, Link said.
