GALVESTON, Texas – A newly adopted Galveston ordinance gives city officials a tougher tool to curb disturbances at short‑term rentals: three verified violations in a 12‑month period can trigger revocation of registration needed to operate.
Under the measure, owners and designated operators are responsible for guest behavior and must provide a local contact available 24/7. After a complaint that requires law enforcement intervention, the owner or manager has one hour to respond and two hours to resolve the problem. If the contact does not respond or fix the issue within those timeframes, the incident can count as a strike against the rental’s registration.
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“Motorcycles, people drunk, people playing really loud music … and also garbage. Garbage is a huge issue,” said Jill Randall, who lives next door to a short‑term rental and told KPRC 2 the disturbances have kept her awake for years.
“I would say that it makes me feel better in that I think I’m not alone and that maybe the city is listening,” she said.
The ordinance requires complaints to be documented — primarily through a city short‑term rental hotline or internal city departments — and allows the Short Term Rental Licensing Board and city council to consider evidence such as citations, recordings, witness statements or law‑enforcement reports.
Chris Wren, a Galveston property manager who served on the city’s STR ad hoc committee, said the rule is designed to be deliberate.
“It’s several items that have to happen before it’s an actual violation that would go as a part of a strike,” Wren said.
He added that if owners respond and remedy the situation within the required time, no violation is recorded.
Once an STR accumulates three violations in a 12‑month period, city staff notify the owner and schedule a hearing. The Short Term Rental Licensing Board will review the case and recommend whether to revoke the license, impose conditions for continued operation or allow the rental to remain active. City council makes the final decision.
A first revocation can last up to six months; repeat problems after a license has been restored can lead to permanent revocation. During any suspension or revocation, the owner must delist the property from booking platforms or face additional violations.City officials say the ordinance aims to protect neighborhood quality of life while giving owners clear expectations for managing rentals.
Residents can report short‑term rental problems through the city’s STR hotline; 409-247-8160