🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - El Paso, TX
Defining the Gray Area: El Paso Takes First Step on Short-Term Rentals
El Paso Moves to Put Short-Term Rentals on the Map
Short-term rentals in El Paso may soon step out of the gray area and into the city code. City leaders are moving toward a formal definition of short-term rentals, a change that could bring clarity for homeowners while easing long-standing confusion for residents and enforcement staff.
For years, STRs have operated without a clear legal definition, leading to uncertainty about how they fit alongside other lodging options. Residents have raised concerns over noise and parking, while hosts have faced inconsistent interpretations of existing rules. The proposed definition aims to draw a clear line without adding new restrictions.
Social Listening 🎧: Podcast
Policy talk doesn’t just happen in the news cycle—it can also live in long-form audio. STRisker’s Podcast Signal turns hours of episodes into actionable insight, indexing transcripts so you can surface key mentions of STRs, ordinances, and local decision-makers in seconds.
Heidy Seoenz, president of the El Paso Short Term Rental Alliance, has been clear about what the proposal does and does not do. The definition does not introduce permits, registration requirements, or new ordinances. Instead, it formally recognizes short-term rentals as a distinct use, eliminating ambiguity about their legality.
One key goal of the definition is separating short-term rentals from bed and breakfasts. Without clear language, enforcement has been challenging, with properties sometimes falling into the wrong category. Defining STRs would help city staff enforce the right standards without confusion.
City leaders in El Paso are taking steps to formally define short-term rentals in the city code, a move that could impact homeowners. https://t.co/XNf08QfnH6 pic.twitter.com/Pzj9weZa0J
— KFOX14 News (@KFOX14) January 7, 2026
For neighbors worried about quality-of-life issues, city officials emphasize that nothing changes on enforcement. Existing noise, nuisance, trash, and parking ordinances will continue to apply. Complaints will still be handled under current rules, regardless of whether a property is a short-term rental.
The proposal is scheduled for public comment and a vote on February 3, giving residents and homeowners a chance to share their views before the city moves forward.
If approved, the definition would mark an important first step. While it doesn’t impose new regulations, it opens the door for future policy discussions should city leaders decide additional rules are needed later on.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
👍 We’d love your feedback.
We're always looking for ways to improve Bulletins.
Was this one useful to you? Other topics you'd like to see get covered?
✉️ Just reply directly to this email. We read and respond to every message!
-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading this Bulletin? Feel free to forward this along. We want to make sure operators and stakeholders are aware of regulatory changes in their area.