About six years have passed since Fort Worth began regulating short-term rentals. Now, the city is actively engaged in a fight to preserve these rentals, allocating additional funds to an external attorney. During Tuesday's meeting, city council members approved approximately $300,000 for the law firm Kelly Hart & Hallman. As per a city document, the firm was hired in September as outside counsel to handle a lawsuit challenging the city's short-term rental ordinances. This $300,000 comes on top of the previously approved $150,000 and is deemed necessary to bring these lawsuits to a successful conclusion. The document highlights the extraordinary complexity of this area of law and its significance to the city.
Plaintiffs' Perspectives
Lauren Brady is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. She began hosting in 2017 to assist a disabled family member. They were seeking ways to support her and believed that short-term rentals could be a fun way to earn income while also helping their family. In 2018, the city passed an ordinance banning short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. Brady only learned about this when she received her first citation the following year. This led her to seek allies and like-minded individuals to join forces and potentially influence changes within the city. In 2022, she helped establish the Fort Worth Short-Term Rental Alliance with the aim of working with the city to educate both the city and neighbors about the benefits of short-term rentals. It's for various occasions such as medical treatments, adopting children, graduations, or TCU football games. As hosts, they take pride in being part of these special moments. However, in 2023, when the city passed another ordinance requiring short-term rentals to register, Brady and others started exploring legal options and ultimately sued the city over its rules.