We Say No to VRBO

We are neighbors who live next to a short term rental hotel on Midlake Dr in Dallas, Texas.  We want to inform others of the dangers STR's pose  to our residential neighborhoods and are looking to have the city enforce zoning rules that commercial activitiy, such as short term rental hotels and businesses are prohibited in residential districts.  There is commercial space in Dallas specically zoned for these types of activities where these businesses can operate.  We encourage everyone in the Dallas, TX area to email your councilperson today.   Click here to see what is coming to your neighborhood.

 

 

 

  

 

About us

Events and parties put on at the 'entire home' rentals near us decrease the neighbor's quality of life and add NO BENEFIT to our community.  The average household size in Lochwood is 2 people per household.  With this house officially renting out for 22 hotel guests, it creates an unsafe environment for the neighbors who live near it and the hotel guests staying there as the Midlake Home was built to host one residential family, not 22 people. 

 

This Nebraska Company needs to stop their hotel operations now  (LA saw a 555% increase in crime victims at STRS from 2017 - 2019).    

                                 Midlake dr Short-Term Rental Hotel

In July 2020, an out of state couple from Nebraska bought our neighbor's 4 bedroom home on Midlake Dr in Dallas, Texas.   In August 2020, they transferred the house to their company and converted it to a Short-Term-Rental (STR) Hotel, allowing 22 hotel guests to lodge there.  This company did this DURING the on-going COVID-19 pandemic out of a house meant to house one family (4-5 people).  Hotels are prohibited in residential districts, therefore this business is operating illegally.  

 

Here is a list of the issues this Hotel has imposed on the surrounding community in the short time it has been operational. 

 

  • Excessive Noise

    • The hotel guests's parties/events have awakened the neighbors sleeping at night.  

    • The hotel guests noise level has been loud enough for nearby neighbors to hear inside of their homes

    • The hotel guest's parties have lasted all day and night. 

    • Noise Ordinances State Construction Noise must stop at 7 PM.  Why do these large groups not adhere to this?  Our children need to sleep at night. 

  • Parties, Events and Corporate Retreats

    • The hotel guests have used this home to party, host their event/corporate retreat, family reunion or to have their vacation. 

      • Is it okay for children to grow up next door to these commercial activities?  A single family house is not an event center or hotel.  

      • Don't we have commercial districts in Dallas set aside for these types of activities?  Why are these companies allowed to ignore our zoning laws?

      • See here for a news story of hotel guests having apartment parties during the pandemic which displaced a resident    

  • Crime

    • Us Neighbor's are concerned that a felon or sex offender will stay at the property as hotel guests identities are not verified.  A sex offender does not need to register when they stay there.  We don't let our children play outside when the hotel guests are there.    

    • Criminal incidents have occured in our neighborhood because of STR Hotels, and at STR Hotels in Mesquite, Plano, and Dallas, see here.  
    • Us Neighbors are concerned that a shooting will occur at this property as has happened at other STR Hotels in DFW and across the US.
      • We don't want a hotel guest or our children to be hurt because someone is operating a hotel not in a commercial area with no employee on-site 

    • To date, a neighbor had a theft incident occur on their property from a person coming from the Midlake Hotel. 

    • The Hotel Guests have loitered on the sidewalks, tresspassed on neighbor's properties, and loitered/leaned against neighbor's cars.

  • Safety
    • Hotel guests park in front of the fire hydrant, park the wrong way on the street and block people's driveways.
    • The occupancy level of 22 people is above occupancy for a 4 bedroom home and is a fire hazard. 
    • There is a converted attic area where 8 hotel guests sleep. This is a fire hazard as there is one window to exit in case of fire.
    • 3 other bedrooms sleep 4 hotel guests to each bedroom where another 12 sleep
    • A master bedroom and large couches provide additional sleeping for the 22 hotel guests where 2 people previously resided
    • This home has no safety fence to the pond behind the property and the pool.  The neighbors are concerned for the safety of the small children who stay there while parties and events are on-going with no employee on-site. 
  • Increased Cost to the City of Dallas and the Neighbors

    • The Neighbors of Lochwood ( HOA) pay for a police patrol car to monitor this house to hopefully prevent a shooting or another theft from the property

    • There have been code violations and the Code Department has responded to complaints from this house where there previously were no complaints

    • There have been events/parties where the police department has responded to excessive noise complaints where there previously were no complaints

    • The neighbors had to put up new fences, security cameras and large tarps on fences to deal with tresspassing and protecting our property

  • Commercial Operations

    • This company advertises massage, group paint, event photography, yoga and cooking classes all out of a single family home not licensed for this type of commercial activity.  There is not an on-site employee at the building to monitor these commercial activities. 

  • CDC Recommendations for large groups during the on-going Pandemic

    • See here for CDC Recommendions on groups and events during the pandemic.  They are recommended to be virtual if possible. 

    • How can 22 people social distance at a party/event put on at a 3,354 square foot 4 bedroom house?   800 square feet of this is a converted attic area where the previous home owner advised you can only stand up straight in the middle of the room.

    • There is no on-site employee to enforce that the hotel guests wear masks or social distance.  How is this safe?

  • Increased Trash

    • As large groups of people stay at this hotel regularly, the neighbors have had issues with the increased trash coming from this house.  

    • The pond behind this Hotel has seen increased large trash in the pond where fish, beavers, ducks and birds live.   

  • Property Rights

    • Us Neighbors have had our property rights violated by this business opening next to us out of a single family house instead of out of a property zoned for these types of activites.  We all bought a home, zoned as a single family property, and not in a Mixed-Use District so we could live away from the commerialized areas of Dallas. 

      • Is it okay for children to grow up next to an unregulated hotel with large groups staying there, having no owner or employee on-site? 

      • Why do we let these Companies do this to our neighborhoods?    

  

Tell City Council to ENFORCE Dallas code which prohibits hotels in residential districts and SHUT DOWN STR Hotel Operations on Midlake Dr!

Provide the Nebraska company operating their hotel business out of Midlake Dr with an illegal land use violation today!