HOUSTON — KHOU 11 News continues to follow the short-term rental saga that many neighbors in Houston said has turned their lives into a living hell.
Guests at the residential properties turned short-term rentals are seen on video going in and out at all hours of the night, blocking driveways from residents and having sex outdoors.
During a Houston City Council Meeting Tuesday, some Airbnb property owners told council members they're worried the troubles coming from a few Airbnb's will have a negative consequence on them all.
"You probably aren't hearing about the guest stays that are problem-free," said one property owner.
Ursula Jesse said she owns five Airbnb properties. She started doing this after she moved to Houston while getting cancer treatment from MD Anderson.
Now, it's a full-time job for her.
"A majority of hosts are responsible hosts," she said.
Mayor John Whitmire said he's going to look into whether the city can designate Airbnb's as hotels, which would come with more restrictions and regulations.
Kathy Yang, a neighbor of short-term rental properties, was at Tuesday's meeting. She's previously shared her experience with KHOU 11 News.
"Plague and it is ruining our city and it's just spreading if we don't regulate it," she said.
On Easter Sunday, Yang couldn't take it anymore and lashed out at the guests when she was on night two of no sleep.
Three days after KHOU 11 News first started reporting on the Airbnb's at Yang's townhome complex, the company told us the properties had been permanently removed from the platform.
Now, the short-term rental owners said they have ways to keep their guests from behaving badly.
They said they don't allow guests who live in Houston to rent the properties and they don't allow parties. They also won't rent to guests for anything less than three days.
"I would say the majority of us have rules and regulations and do not allow people to stay for overnight parties or any of that," Jesse said.