A ban on certain short-term rentals, or STRs, went into effect Nov. 13, but 44 applicants who submitted paperwork prior to the deadline still await review.
A city moratorium on Type 2 STRs, or vacation rental properties not occupied by the owner, prevents any new licenses from being issued until at least March 2017. Austin City Council initiated the moratorium Sept. 17 and approved the ban Nov. 12.
However, there were 19 Type 2 STR license applications received prior to Sept. 17 and 25 applications received between Sept. 17 and Nov. 12. According to a Nov. 25 memo from Austin Code Department, all applications submitted between Sept. 17 and Nov. 12 were processed, resulting in 16 approved Type 2 STR licenses, five denials and four withdrawn requests.
A log of short-term rental inspection activity from Oct. 1-Oct. 31.[/caption]Among the applications submitted prior to Sept. 17, one was approved and another withdrawn. The other 17 are still pending, according to the memo.
Austin Code Department Director Carl Smart issued a second memo Nov. 25 providing City Council members an update about enforcement efforts throughout October. He said four code officers are temporarily assigned to short-term regulation enforcement now “to provide greater monitoring and enforcement.”
As of Oct. 31, Austin had 1,279 active short-term rental licenses.[/caption]Austin Police Department works with code officers to assist with on-site behavioral issues and to provide security, according to the memo. An unknown number of cases were filed with municipal court and with the Administrative Hearing Officer during October.
Austin has a total of 1,279 active STR licenses, according to the memo.
