North Austin News

The Austin City Council is set to deliberate on modifications to the Land Development Code in February and April 2025. The proposed amendments aim to revamp short-term rental regulations and update the preservation bonus for HOME amendments.

In February, the council will address changes to the short-term rental (STR) code. These revisions are necessary because the current rules are mostly unenforceable. The proposed adjustments will modify regulations to permit STR use with city approval and introduce new requirements focusing on regulating STR owners, operators, and platforms as businesses while enforcing licensing mandates.

Public hearings on these proposed amendments will take place at Austin City Hall, located at 301 W. 2nd St., on specified dates. Additionally, the City of Austin will host both in-person and virtual informational sessions from January 21-27. More details about these sessions can be found at publicinput.com/DSDNotice.

In April, changes to the preservation bonus, following City Council direction, will be considered. This amendment proposes increasing the interior square footage allowed for two new housing units if an existing unit is preserved without increasing impervious cover.

The community is encouraged to participate in these meetings and provide feedback on the proposed changes regarding short-term rentals and the preservation bonus. To speak at public hearings, participants must register in advance. Notices about these hearings are being sent to over 725,000 Austin residents via mail, posted on the City of Austin’s website, and shared through social media channels. Detailed information about these code amendments is available at publicinput.com/DSDNotice, including instructions on how to register to speak or submit a written protest.