I was surprised to read the claim in Sabrina Shaeffer’s Wednesday commentary, “Short-term rentals could turn our communities into commercial zones,” that prohibitions on short-term rentals are needed to protect property rights.

This is a bit like saying that fire fighters are needed to protect fires.

Shaeffer is free to live where she wants, but her property rights don’t extent to telling her neighbors who they can or can’t have stay in their homes. She doesn’t own her neighbors’ property.

S.B, 451, sponsored by state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, is a modest measure that allows localities to regulate noise, parking and other issues that would prevent neighbors of a short-term rental from the using and enjoying their own properties.

The bill only prevents localities from banning short-term rentals or imposing burdensome regulations specifically targeting short-term rentals that don’t apply to other properties.

Texans who value free markets and personal liberty should support this legislation.


Image by T photography

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