Houston Residents Battle Short-Term Rental Properties Creating Chaos in Neighborhoods

On the surface, Bil Stewart’s home in the Walden on Lake Houston community seems idyllic. Set along a serene waterfront, it’s the kind of tranquil setting perfect for the golden years. “It’s a beautiful place,” Stewart said. “It’s quite expensive, but not fantastically so.” But a closer look reveals signs of an increasingly bitter neighborhood feud. Stewart’s peace has been disrupted by what he describes as a revolving door of short-term renters at the house next door, which is being advertised on Airbnb. “It just seemed like we’d moved into a mob neighborhood of scum,” Stewart said.