🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - El Paso, TX
El Paso Moves Toward Creating First Dedicated STR Ordinance to Clarify Rules and Improve Enforcement
A Long Time Coming: El Paso Gets Ready to Write Its Own Short-Term Rental Rules
El Paso is finally closing in on what many hosts and residents have long awaited — clear, standalone rules for short-term rentals (STRs) like Airbnb and VRBO. After years of back-and-forth discussions, the City Council is expected to review a presentation this week that could kick off the drafting of the city’s first dedicated STR ordinance.
Right now, short-term rentals aren’t officially defined in El Paso’s city code. They’re lumped in with bed-and-breakfasts, which has left the city with vague enforcement powers and confused property owners trying to do the right thing. The upcoming proposal aims to fix that, giving STRs their own classification and clear regulations for registration, compliance, and complaint resolution.
According to Heidy Seoenz, president of the El Paso Short-Term Rental Association, this move has been a long time coming. She called it “an overdue presentation,” saying proper definitions will help distinguish legitimate rentals from other unregulated spaces that have drawn complaints.
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Seoenz pointed out that many of the city’s reported problems — including noise, trash, and large parties — weren’t tied to genuine short-term rental operators. “It’s very minimal, because a lot of the parties that were happening were not actually for short term rentals,” she explained. “It wasn’t an Airbnb or a VRBO. It was just people renting out their backyard without letting guests stay overnight.”
For Seoenz and many hosts, the new ordinance could be a game-changer. She said it would give the city the tools it needs to deal with “bad actors” while protecting responsible operators who follow the rules. “We’re able to answer their phone calls, their emails, and guide them through the process,” she said.
If the City Council agrees to move forward, El Paso will begin drafting new rules to govern short-term rentals — setting clearer standards for licensing, operations, and accountability.
After years of waiting, it looks like El Paso is finally ready to bring its STR market out of the gray area and into a system that works for everyone.
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