City Watch: Austin
Austin treats non-owner STRs as commercial intruders. Type 2 licenses were phased out, Type 1 permits require homestead proof, and Code Connect teams now cite unlicensed homes at $2,000 per day.
- Type 2 licenses are capped and expiring; appeals backlog stretches 18+ months.
- Joint sweeps by DSD, APD, and Fire pull booking data straight from OTAs.
- State lawsuits versus the city create conflicting guidance without real-time intel.
ASTRO’s Texas desk watches every Housing and Planning Committee meeting, lawsuit status conference, and code revision. We collect enforcement letters so members know exactly what triggered citations and how to respond.
Where Austin squeezes operators
- License scarcity: New Type 2 permits are denied citywide unless you operate in a commercial corridor.
- Occupancy caps: Six-adult limit, quiet hours, and Good Neighbor rules are tied to every license with surprise inspections.
- Stacked penalties: $500–$2,000 per day plus liens and utility holds for repeat offenses.
- Proof of homestead: Type 1 permits require homestead exemption filings, driver’s license, and utility bills that all match.
ASTRO helps Austin members document compliance—floor plans, safety checklists, recorded site visits—so appeals stick. We pair you with land-use counsel already litigating Austin’s ban and coordinate testimony that pushes for safety-based permits instead of blanket prohibitions.
Short term, we reposition vulnerable inventory into 30+ day stays, member swaps, or sponsor residencies. Long term, we’re drafting a certified-operator pathway the city can adopt once lawsuits resolve.
- What do members get? Toolkits, governance tracking, and a trusted exchange.
- How fast can we launch? Paste Markdown, run the pave script, verify.