GEORGETOWN, Texas — Property owners in Georgetown who rent out their spaces on Airbnb or Vrbo will soon need permits to do so.
But why is Georgetown making the change? City leaders say it’s for several reasons.
The program will help Georgetown make sure short-term rentals are registered and in compliance with city ordinances. It will also help with the city’s communication process and let neighbors know where those properties are in their area.
“[We want] to make sure we are continuing to keep that quality character in our neighbor … Maintain that quality of life for our residents,” said Kim McAuliffe, Georgetown’s Downtown & Tourism Director. “If there is an issue we can make sure to contact the property owner and work through those issues.”
According to McAuliffe, the city will also use the program to make sure there’s not an overabundance of short-term rental properties in one area that could cause issues for residents.
How will the program work?
Starting Nov. 1, short-term rental owners will go through a registration process and pay a $100 fee for the first year. After that, the permit can be renewed for $50 each year.
Currently, there are about 280 short-term rentals in town. Terry Dittmar, who owns a house near Georgetown Square, said she doesn’t mind the new rule after renting out for seven years through Airbnb.
“I do pretty well. I go through one platform. I could probably do others this is a good pace for me,” Dittmar said. “It was inevitable. The city is growing at the rate it’s growing … It’s what you need to do make it good for both the property owners and the neighbors.”
McAuliffe said the changes will also help collect hotel occupancy tax. Georgetown expects to collect $600,000 in revenue in its first year.