New STR Rules in San Antonio affecting Hosts!

[Sherylyn Holden]

San Antonio has been one of the cities with the largest increase in short-term rentals in recent years. Given this, the city of San Antonio has changed their short-term rental rules and regulations. Below you can find a quick FAQ sheet of the updates they have implemented and will be implementing soon.

Quick Overview:

- The cost of application fees has increased

- Platforms will remove listings without legitimate permit numbers

- Platforms will have to remit the Hotel taxes directly to the city of San Antonio (Operators still have to file revenue reports monthly)

- STR operators can change the operator of the permit without a new application being required (it seems the permits are still non-transferable upon sale, however)

- Updated Party Prevention measures

My Take:

This should weed out some hosts that have not been abiding by the permit requirements. The fee increase for the permit was not exorbitant so that likely won't be a deterrent for professional hosts and investors. Having the platforms remit the taxes should ease the burden on most hosts having to do that each month currently.

[Jeremy Rosen]

Quote from @Sherylyn Holden:

San Antonio has been one of the cities with the largest increase in short-term rentals in recent years. Given this, the city of San Antonio has changed their short-term rental rules and regulations. Below you can find a quick FAQ sheet of the updates they have implemented and will be implementing soon.

Quick Overview:

- The cost of application fees has increased

- Platforms will remove listings without legitimate permit numbers

- Platforms will have to remit the Hotel taxes directly to the city of San Antonio (Operators still have to file revenue reports monthly)

- STR operators can change the operator of the permit without a new application being required (it seems the permits are still non-transferable upon sale, however)

- Updated Party Prevention measures

My Take:

This should weed out some hosts that have not been abiding by the permit requirements. The fee increase for the permit was not exorbitant so that likely won't be a deterrent for professional hosts and investors. Having the platforms remit the taxes should ease the burden on most hosts having to do that each month currently.

Hi @Sherylyn Holden! I’ve been looking forward to these changes since they started working on them and even lobbied some of the council members. Proud to say it passed unanimously! It remains to be seen how much this will impact the supply for those of us who have been abiding by the rules. I imagine there are still a large number of “mom and pop” hosts who had no idea there were taxes or a permit needed who’ll be weeded out, but they prop weren’t our competition anyway  ;-) Good luck!

[Michael Baum]

Seems reasonable.

[Sherylyn Holden]

@Jeremy Rosen Agreed! Enforcement was definitely lacking in the past. I hope this brings some good for the city. Good luck to you too!

[Melanie Thomas]

Enforcement is key. Thanks for the share. 

[Tucker Billimek]

I wonder how lack of enforcement impacts communities? If I am not mistaken the current rule is a 12% STR "occupancy" on a given block face in Bexar county. Perhaps lack of enforcement could turn neighborhoods into "party streets"? I wonder if this has been observed at all across SA.

[James R.]

Question:  You stated that the booking platforms will remove listings that do not have a valid permit on their listing.  Are you sure about this?  

I live in New Orleans and the city has been demanding that the platforms, e.g. VRBO and Airbnb police the permits and validate them on their side, which the platforms have refused to do.  

[Jeremy Rosen]

Quote from @James R.:

Question:  You stated that the booking platforms will remove listings that do not have a valid permit on their listing.  Are you sure about this?  

I live in New Orleans and the city has been demanding that the platforms, e.g. VRBO and Airbnb police the permits and validate them on their side, which the platforms have refused to do.  

Hi @James R. San Antonio is going to be policing the permits and regularly sending a list to Airbnb and VRBO to delist. Sounds like NO isn’t doing that step and asking the OTAs to do it for them. 

[James R.]

Quote from @Jeremy Rosen:

Quote from @James R.:

Question:  You stated that the booking platforms will remove listings that do not have a valid permit on their listing.  Are you sure about this?  

I live in New Orleans and the city has been demanding that the platforms, e.g. VRBO and Airbnb police the permits and validate them on their side, which the platforms have refused to do.  

Hi @James R. San Antonio is going to be policing the permits and regularly sending a list to Airbnb and VRBO to delist. Sounds like NO isn’t doing that step and asking the OTAs to do it for them. 

 NO has tried sending a list, but Airbnb and VRBO do nothing with it.  

[Jeremy Rosen]

Quote from @James R.:

Quote from @Jeremy Rosen:

Quote from @James R.:

Question:  You stated that the booking platforms will remove listings that do not have a valid permit on their listing.  Are you sure about this?  

I live in New Orleans and the city has been demanding that the platforms, e.g. VRBO and Airbnb police the permits and validate them on their side, which the platforms have refused to do.  

Hi @James R. San Antonio is going to be policing the permits and regularly sending a list to Airbnb and VRBO to delist. Sounds like NO isn’t doing that step and asking the OTAs to do it for them. 

 NO has tried sending a list, but Airbnb and VRBO do nothing with it.  

Interesting. Not sure what to say other than they've already started removing listings. Is it mandated in the NO ordinance that the OTAs have agreed to? 

[Tommy Ray]

Had a person run a STR out of one of my rental homes. It was a tiny 3bed/1 bath home over by Lackland AFB. He would put up to 14 people in that tiny home for graduation event on the AFB. Holistic enforcement on capacity would be nice. When he filed a permit he asked for 8 person max and got it when the state code sets a limit of 50 Sq Foot of bedroom space per person. Of course, the wear and tear was through the roof and the water heater or HVAC never seemed to perform to his liking when it is summer and you have 14 breathing, walking talking 98.6F meat-sicles in the house warming it up.