Attention all current and aspiring short-term rental owners in Houston! A new ordinance regulating short-term rentals has been approved and will take effect on January 1, 2026.

A Minnesota family visiting Galveston for spring break was taken aback by the condition of their vacation rental.

There are so many rich choices these days when it comes to the world of travel – and with popular sites like Airbnb and VRBO, you can even stay in more unique places than ever before.

When traveling with a large group, booking a vacation home rental is often to go-to route to saving money as it is typically overall less expensive and more accommodating than booking multiple hotel rooms.

Residents in the Westview Terrace neighborhood in Spring Branch gathered Friday to express their concern about what has been happening at home nearby.

It happened to Houstonian Kelly Keenan when he booked a 5-star Galveston bayfront beach house through VRBO for his extended family over the holidays. Property management company Vacasa told Keenan the property owner wanted the beach house for his own use. Out of frustration, Keenan did some digging and found the name and contact information for the man who owns the beach house. You have no way to know if the owner of the property you’re booking has canceled on prior customers. Homeowners or property managers who repeatedly cancel reservations may be removed from the site.”Two months after Keenan’s canceled reservation, we found the same property still listed on VRBO.