City of Plano survey reveals discomfort with short-term rentals

Plano, Texas - In a recent study commissioned by the City of Plano, a considerable segment of the population expressed unease towards the presence of short-term rentals in their immediate vicinity, Dallas Metro News reported.

The survey, conducted from April to May 17, was a collaborative effort between the city and Gap Strategies, specialists in public engagement. The findings, presented by Gap's Jeff Barton on June 12, valuable insights into public opinion.

Of the 6,109 participants, a substantial 64% admitted that they would be "very uncomfortable" living close to a short-term rental property. An additional 10% voiced "moderate discomfort," bringing the total percentage expressing some level of discomfort to an estimated 75%. Approximately 80% of the survey participants were confirmed residents of the city.

The study also probed into the residents' awareness of their proximity to short-term rentals. Roughly 31% of respondents believed they lived near such rentals, 44% were unsure, and 26% were certain they did not.

A majority of respondents, around 80%, perceived little to no benefit from having short-term rentals in their neighborhoods, suggesting that such rentals could potentially reduce property values. Complaints associated with living near a short-term rental included excessive partying, safety issues, noise pollution, littering, parking issues, and the incongruity of commercial operations within a residential setting.

Regarding the use of short-term rentals when traveling, 11% of respondents claimed regular use, 30% reported occasional use, 24% cited infrequent use, and the remaining 36% stated they had never used such a service.

Survey participants proposed various strategies for effectively regulating short-term rentals in the city. These included mandatory registration, density control, health and safety inspections, providing an emergency contact related to the rental, and limiting rentals within certain areas of Plano.

Interestingly, about 40% of respondents chose not to address any issues they had with short-term rentals. Those who sought resolution generally contacted the rental host or owner, law enforcement, the listing platform, or the city itself.

Demographic data also provided key insights. Barton noted an overrepresentation of residents aged 45 and above in the survey responses, contrasted with a lack of representation among the city's younger population.

Specifically, respondents aged 55 and older made up 53% of the total responses, a significant overrepresentation considering they account for only 26% of Plano's population. Meanwhile, residents aged 45-54 constituted 20% of responses, again an overrepresentation relative to their 14% share of the population. Younger residents aged 18-34 made up only 8% of responses, despite constituting 22% of the city's population.

It was observed that younger respondents generally displayed more acceptance of short-term rentals compared to their older counterparts. As a part of its ongoing investigation into short-term rentals, the city will call upon its 20-member task force to commence meetings from June 29 through October. A public town hall meeting is slated for August 23, and by October, the task force is expected to finalize its official recommendation concerning short-term rentals, thus concluding Phase 1 of this initiative.

Learn more at https://www.planostr.com/.