Fort Worth to vote on short-term lease rules Tuesday

There could be big changes in how Fort Worth regulates short-term rentals.

Fort Worth defines a short-term lease as residential property rented out for periods ranging from one to 29 days.

According to the presentation shared with the City in the summer of 2022, Fort Worth had 68 legal short-term leases and 565 properties with potential illegal leases.

On Tuesday, the Fort Worth City Council will vote on a registration ordinance that would require short-term rental property owners to register and pay an annual fee for their property, as well as hotel occupancy taxes for each guest.

The rental must also be in an area designated for short-term rentals, and the ordinance will also regulate the number of people that can be in the rental at any one time, no more than two people per bedroom plus two additional people, for a maximum of 12 people. allowed at any time.

The ordinance also bans parties and other events during certain hours, and the owner must provide a person who can respond to problems 24/7.

The vote was previously scheduled for a January 31 city council meeting, but was canceled due to an ice storm.

If the registration order is passed, the city will send a letter to property owners by mail and provide registration deadlines with a May 1 deadline.