Plano, Texas – In a survey spearheaded by the City of Plano, discomfort has been found to prevail among a significant portion of the populace regarding the vicinity of short-term rentals. The city’s exploration into public sentiment, conducted between April and May 17, involved collaboration with Gap Strategies, an expert in public engagement. Gap’s Jeff Barton formally presented the survey’s conclusions on June 12, revealing valuable insights into public opinion.
Out of 6,109 participating citizens, a notable 64% confessed they would feel “very uncomfortable” cohabitating near a short-term rental. An additional 10% professed “moderate discomfort”, thereby bringing the overall percentage of discomfort to roughly 75%. A substantial majority, around 80% of the respondents, were confirmed residents of the city.
Residential proximity to short-term rentals also sparked curiosity during the survey. 31% of the respondents believed they resided near such rentals, 44% voiced uncertainty, while 26% categorically denied residing in close proximity to any.
A common theme in the responses was a lack of perceived benefit from short-term rentals in their neighborhoods, with around 80% arguing it potentially depreciated property values. Identified grievances from living near a short-term rental included instances of excessive partying, safety concerns, noise pollution, littering, parking constraints, and the discomfort of having commercial activities within a residential setting.
In terms of short-term rental usage for travel, 11% indicated regular use, 30% claimed occasional use, 24% reported infrequent use, and the remaining 36% stated they had never utilized such a service.
The respondents proposed various mechanisms to regulate short-term rentals effectively in the city. These suggestions ranged from mandatory registration, density control, health and safety inspections, provision of an emergency contact related to the rental, to restricting rentals within specific areas of Plano.
Interestingly, the survey also revealed that approximately 40% of aggrieved residents opted not to address the issues they experienced. Those who ventured to solve their problems typically reached out to the rental host or owner, law enforcement, the listing platform, or the city for aid.
Demographics also played a crucial role in the survey’s findings. Barton noted a noticeable overrepresentation of residents aged 45 and above in the survey responses, counterbalanced by an underrepresentation of the city’s younger inhabitants.
In fact, the 55 and older age group constituted 53% of the responses, a significant overrepresentation given they form only 26% of Plano’s population. Similarly, residents aged 45-54 accounted for 20% of responses, again a higher proportion relative to their 14% population share. By contrast, younger residents aged 18-34 contributed only 8% of responses, despite comprising 22% of the city’s population.
The survey analysis concluded that younger respondents exhibited a higher tolerance toward short-term rentals compared to their older counterparts. As part of its continued exploration into short-term rentals, the city will convene its 20-member task force, slated to run meetings from June 29 through October. A public town hall is scheduled for August 23. By October, the task force is expected to render its official recommendation regarding short-term rentals, thereby concluding Phase 1 of this initiative.
Learn more at https://www.planostr.com/.
