Anger is mounting over short-term rentals in North Texas with a recent Dallas Police Department-led raid in Plano adding fuel to the growing debate.
"Yeah... didn't like it," shares Glenn Story of Plano who watched nearby as police surrounded a home in his normally quiet neighborhood. "I thought it was a hostage situation. I did not like it."
"I have a five-year-old daughter!" shares a fuming Joni Reed. "The fact that a sex trafficking ring is right around the corner from me is not only scary and terrifying, it makes me realize that we've become a community of bystanders." France says the city collects hotel occupancy taxes from the short-term rentals and he sees that as a clear conflict."So, you can't have it both ways," says France.
"The city of Dallas needs to get STRs zoned out of residential areas. Period." Olive Talley of Dallas doesn't mince words. She's been engaged in the fight against short-term rentals for years."We do not allow Marriotts and Hiltons to just spring up in our neighborhoods... why should we allow STRs to do that?"