Beaumont approves new rules, hotel tax for short

BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont City Council has unanimously approved new regulations for short-term rental properties, including Airbnb and VRBO, in an effort to boost tourism, improve safety and ensure fairness across neighborhoods.

City leaders say the rising number of short-term rentals has made it necessary to implement clearer guidelines. “You can look up in Beaumont and you'll see we have, you know, over 100 of these units and so some is for travel and tourism, some is for work,” Assistant City Manager Chris Boone said.

The new rules require annual safety inspections and add zoning restrictions. Boone said properties must be spaced out to preserve the character of residential areas. “They really need to be separate from each other, like 300 ft minimum, so you don't have a single block