HOUSTON — Neighbors in west Houston said they're once again preparing for a sleepless night. They said residential homes that have been converted to short-term rental properties are wreaking havoc on their neighborhoods.
Neighbors said on Monday a new group of guests checked into the short-term rentals next to their homes for spring break.
“It is crazy,” long-time Westhaven Estates resident Kathy Yang said. “Party all night long, all weekend long, for days.”
Yang said things have never been as bad as they are today. For the past three years, she said three of the units in her townhome community have been converted into what is known as short-term rentals. They're basically homes converted into hotels that can be rented out by the night or the week.
Yang and her neighbors often get blocked into their garages by the short-term rental guests’ vehicles. But blocking her driveway seems to be the least of Yang’s concerns. She said the guests’ behavior is actually much worse.
“This is the sex on the balcony site,” Yang said while pointing to the balcony of one of the short-term rental units. “Sex party on the balcony, so neighbors can see it, that is crazy.”
She said a school bus passed by while a couple was having sex outdoors.
“Monday morning, 8:30, when parents drop their kids at elementary school down the street,” Yang said.
A couple of weeks ago, security video captured the audio of what sounded like a gunshot. Another video from the property showed a man walking while holding what appears to be a gun behind his back. Yang said she doesn’t know what to do. She said she is unable to rent her place and said she can’t sell it in good conscious.
“So, I’m stuck,” she said.
Yang said she’s far from alone.
“We have more towards Woodway,” Yang said. “So, it’s spreading since there’s no consequences.”
We sat down with Nancy Rutherford who lives a street away from Yang.
“It has been a living nightmare,” Rutherford said. “This generally starts on a Thursday night; it goes all night long and it continues until about Monday morning.”
Rutherford said they have not been able to get any help from authorities or officials.
“We have been begging and screaming and praying for help and we have received almost nothing,” Rutherford said.
She said she’s frightened for what might happen next.
“None of us feel safe anymore,” Rutherford said. “It’s only a matter of time until somebody gets killed. What is HPD doing? I don’t know I would like to know what HPD is doing.”
At the City Council meeting last Tuesday, several neighbors showed up to request help.
“Please, do something,” Yang requested.
Other residents from neighborhoods throughout the City of Houston spoke to the mayor and council members telling them their lives have been turned upside down, too, by short-term rental properties.
“No one should have to be exposed to the conditions that we’re hearing about today,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said. “I’ve seen some pictures that are obviously violating the law.”
Neighbors said the response from Whitmire seemed promising.
“It’s obviously a hotel,” Whitmire said.
The Mayor’s Office sent KHOU 11 this statement about what the City is doing:
“Like every other issue Mayor Whitmire’s administration is hearing about from residents, we are in the process of gathering public input, data and facts on how to move forward with addressing concerns about short term rentals. As the mayor mentioned during city council public session, Texas is a strong property rights state. You may recall that a federal court last year struck down Austin’s short-term rental rules as unconstitutional. The City of Houston plans to make an informed decision before deciding how to move forward.”
KHOU 11 reached out to the owner of the short-term rental properties in Westhaven Estates and was told he would call back, but he did not return our call by broadcast.