by Joe Reynolds
At the November 18 Executive Committee meeting, the ANA Board voted to form a special committee on Home Hotels.
The issue arose following an article in the Allandale Neighbor about vacation rentals. Previously, the Board heard a presentation by neighbors at the August EC meeting. Home Hotels are called by many names. They are located all over Austin. They are often presented as a homeowner doing a home vacation exchange, and this view is aggressively promoted by a trade organization. “It’s my property and I can rent it as I please.” Trouble is, the property owners are not home owners doing a vacation exchange – they have purchased property with the specific intention of providing sleeping accommodations for a fee, with a 2-night minimum stay, on a regular, recurring basis. They thus meet the definition of a motel, and those located in Allandale are operating on lots zoned SF2. SF2 zoning prohibits such commercial activity.
A group of neighbors, those living next to the hotels and others concerned about commercial activity in residential zoning, are active in opposing the hotels. There is commonly excessive parking, noise, and disturbance when the places are rented – just the reasons that they are banned from single family zoning.
Vacation rental units located in Condos on 5th St and in apartment areas are not in single family zoning. Some on Lake Austin and Lake Travis are unzoned. But Allandale, Bouldin Creek, and other single family neighborhoods are being negatively impacted. Often, the units are advertised to highlight the neighborhood setting – an attractive house in a quiet setting; just right for a football party. “Live like a rock star during SXSW.”
The special committee will report regularly to the ANA Board, and updates will be presented in the Allandale Neighbor. The committee is charged with fact-gathering, including collecting information about these properties. If you have information of interest to the committee, I urge you to email Maurice Anderson, the chair, at MFAANCON [Email address: MFAANCON #AT# aol.com - replace #AT# with @ ].
I grow more and more concerned that there are some who are far too concerned about living the life of others. There are laws on the books that regulate excess noise and they should be respected … especially by those who use out local parks.
My neighbors currently have guests over to watch football games and to socialize in other ways that creates traffic and parking congestion at times. The Allandale I moved into 30+ years ago was a neighborhood of tolerant neighbors who respected their neighbors and the constitutions guarantee of “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Our forefathers would be appalled to see the myriad of laws that are on the books today … making the pursuit of happiness impossible to achieve.
Let us Keep Allandale the friendly neighborhood it once was. Enforce the noise ordinances, tolerate the those who have creative (and currently legal) pursuits of happiness.
Here here, Jay. Well said.
Thank you Jay, Kristin, and Bob. All in all a mean-spirited diatribe. We have stayed in vacation rentals in New Mexico, Colorado, and Europe, and they are a wonderful alternative to boring hotel rooms–plus you get a kitchen, garden, and laundry, too for about the same price as 2 or 3 hotel rooms. They are very “family-friendly” accommodations, great for traveling with a baby.
As far as I know these are perfectly legal–what is the difference between a short term rental and a long term rental as long as owners and guests are considerate and properties are kept in good condition? I’m no zoning pro, but I had a look and Bed and Breakfasts are allowed in SF-2 according to the City website.
Let’s all be good neighbors and respect one another. Life is good, and Austin is a great place to live!
This is an important issue because it could impact the neighborly culture of Allandale. The blend of facts, worries, expectations and philosophies are quite diverse in just those 4 posts-I don’t want ot get in an argument with my neighbor over things we don’t understand, I want to enjoy visitors of all kinds to our neighborhood.
“Thank you” to the ANA volunteers leading this discussion.
I recently sent the following to a host family regarding my/our short term stay in their home and would like to share it here as well. Without this nice home to stay in the loss of my Daddy would have been even harder.
“This is a long time coming but I want to thank you for our stay last May in your house. As you know I had just lost my Daddy and I had to find a place for me and my family to stay while in Austin for his funeral. I had kids coming from Spring, TX and from Indianapolis, IN so a bunch of hotel rooms were totally out of the question.”
“As it turned out your house was located quite close to my folks home which made it very convenient. Besides the close proximity we found the beautiful decor, clean appointments, and spaciousness a refreshing alternative. The rooms with their bright lights and delightful views of the sunny back yard and gardens allowed us a peaceful place to rest in between the visiting and services.”
“Thank you so much for accommodating us on such a short notice. We will definitely visit with you again.”
Victoria:
You hit the nail on the head when you said “Let’s all be good neighbors and respect one another. Life is good, and Austin is a great place to live!”
There are FAR TOO MANY people trying to live MY life and the life of others. This is NOT the Allandale I moved in 30+ years ago.
I’m afraid that the goal of the Home Hotel committee is for a vocal minority to live our lives and further restrict “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Best wishes in this New Year to all and thank you for a wonderful quiet home during the holidays that enabled my family to be together. Son, daughter-in-law and baby granddaughter from Dallas and son from Austin. We stayed in the home in Allandale, no parties, two cars. We had Christmas together and spent the only time we have once a year. We are extremely aware of our responsibility to respect the neighborhood and always have. I hope the tax issues are cleared up and the owners of rentals are particular. A win-win for all.
Sincerely,
Nancy Laussade