HOUSTON – Residents living near a short-term rental property on 7th Street in Houston’s Heights neighborhood said life has become increasingly difficult over the past three years — and a recent police incident has brought renewed attention to the ongoing issues.
On Friday, officers pursuing a suspect made an unusual request: They asked an Uber driver for a ride. Dashcam video shows an officer getting into the vehicle and directing the driver to the short-term rental property — a building with 20 units that neighbors told KPRC has been a persistent source of problems.
‘It’s been three years’
Caroline Fant has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. She said the trouble began when the building transitioned from a standard apartment complex to a short-term rental.
“Then all of a sudden, I have prostitutes in front of my house, we have domestic violence disturbances, there’s trash, we have (law enforcement) raids,” Fant said.
The most recent incident involved a late-night altercation caught on a porch video camera. The video captures someone screaming outside the property.
“20-30 people were in a scrum around here, and a woman let out a blood-curdling yell. We literally thought someone was getting hurt,” Fant said.
Rules posted, problems persist
Aerial footage of the property shows cameras, gated entrances and occasional on-site security. Two renters, visiting from Baltimore, staying at the property for the weekend shared a list of rules they were given. This list included no parties or events without host approval, no smoking, and no unregistered guests.
Still, Fant said the rules aren’t enough without a consistent 24/7 in- person surveillance.
“There’s nobody on site 24-7 to see who checks in. It’s just impossible to manage that type of situation in a residential neighborhood,” Fant said.
City steps in with ordinance
In January 2026, the city implemented an ordinance that allows for citations related to noise, litter, health code violations and other illegal activities at short-term rental properties. Fant said she has been documenting incidents herself since 2023 and now reports them directly through the city’s portal. Other neighbors told KPRC they do the same.
KPRC 2 reached out to the city for comment and is waiting to hear back.
“I appreciate the efforts that the city has made with the ordinance it passed, we appreciate the efforts the owner has made ... but obviously it is not working. It’s been three years of living through this, and something has to change,” Fant said.