City leaders speak to concerned homeowners at the Woods of Shavano following a deadly shooting last week at an Airbnb.
SAN ANTONIO - Stepping up efforts to crack down on short-term rental properties being used for large house parties, San Antonio police and city leaders are letting homeowners know their options following a recent deadly shooting at an Airbnb.
Tuesday night's meeting saw concerned neighbors pack the Woods of Shavano clubhouse, not far from the Airbnb rental where Jordan Burleson, 24, was shot to death July 31.
Police Chief William McManus was joined by city code enforcement and District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez, answering questions about the shooting and offering steps neighbors can take if they suspect a party house on their block.
Police say upwards of 40 people had piled into the home on Hawthorn Woods for last week's party, with reports of the deadly shooting coming around 3:00 a.m.
"That's unacceptable," said Pelaez. "We lost a life. A young man in the service."
During the meeting with neighbors, Chief McManus revealed the property was owned by woman who doesn't live in San Antonio and whose short-term rental permit had expired in April. Describing the shooting as "targeted," he went on to explain that the home had been rented that night to people with known gang affiliation.
"If you're renting out a home as a party house, then shame on you," McManus said at one point. "Because of what you're doing to the neighborhood."
It was clear from the questions posed by those in attendance that these neighbors are fed up with short-term rental properties popping up in their neighborhood.
"I want them out of here," said Nora Richards. "Because look at the problems that we have had. A dead person in the driveway."
It's a sentiment that Councilman Pelaez hears loud and clear. "We are not going to tolerate party houses being used to terrorize our neighborhoods," he said. "They are within their rights to be seeing red. They're furious."
"How is the best way for this community to shut this down," asked one woman in the audience.
"Possibly more regulations," suggested neighbor David Lowak during an interview before the meeting. "If we can get organized as a homeowners association, prevent this from happening in the future."
Pelaez says it starts with phone calls from homeowners to the city.
"The message to all the neighborhoods anywhere in San Antonio is if you see someone using their home, their Airbnb as a party house, you have to call it in," he explained. "And when you call it in, we're taking it very seriously, and we are going to crack down, because we want to avoid another incident like the one we saw."
In June, city council amended the city ordinance for short-term rental permits, making it easier to step up enforcement, issue citations and pull permits.
"This allows us to ratchet the pressure and increase scrutiny on bad actors," Pelaez said. "We have our knives sharpened for those folks out there that would put our families and our neighbors at risk."
As for the owner of the Airbnb whose short-term rental permit expired back in April, code enforcement says it issued her a $1,000 fine once it learned about the lapsed permit after the shooting.
They're now working to shut down the property and not allow the permit to be renewed for at least one year.