Has anyone been shut down for doing Co-living?

Has anyone been shut down for doing Co-living?

John MorganPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Grand Prairie, TX · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes

I’ve got 3 co-living properties in Fort Worth and the city is trying to shut down all co-living investment properties. Code enforcement officers walked my 5 bedroom 3 bath home with me and told me my tenants have 90 days to vacate. They said co-living homes where you rent by the room are not allowed in Fort Worth. They found my homes with individual rooms to rent listed on Roomies.com. They told me they took Pad Split to court over doing this but the owner didn’t show up in court. Anyone else have issues with this? I showed them that I didn’t add any bedrooms to my house and told them 5 unrelated people are allowed to live in a home for rent. They said they all have to be friends and know each other beforehand, and that you can’t throw random people in a home to rent out. I told them I’m providing safe affordable housing with rooms at $650/month which includes all utilities and wifi. And I told them I’ve taken in several former homeless people and people living only off social security over the years I’ve been doing this. They didn’t seem to care. They call this a “Lodging House” in a residential neighborhood which isn’t allowed. And told me the city is going after landlords like me and shutting us down.

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Rental Property Investor · Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2018 · 112 posts · 68 votes
11mo

Shame. Time to invest in a friendlier city or lawyer up 

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  • Investor · Get yourself trained before doing something inadvisable. · Member since 2024 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11mo
    Quote from @John Morgan:

    I’ve got 3 co-living properties in Fort Worth and the city is trying to shut down all co-living investment properties. Code enforcement officers walked my 5 bedroom 3 bath home with me and told me my tenants have 90 days to vacate. They said co-living homes where you rent by the room are not allowed in Fort Worth. They found my homes with individual rooms to rent listed on Roomies.com. They told me they took Pad Split to court over doing this but the owner didn’t show up in court. Anyone else have issues with this? I showed them that I didn’t add any bedrooms to my house and told them 5 unrelated people are allowed to live in a home for rent. They said they all have to be friends and know each other beforehand, and that you can’t throw random people in a home to rent out. I told them I’m providing safe affordable housing with rooms at $650/month which includes all utilities and wifi. And I told them I’ve taken in several former homeless people and people living only off social security over the years I’ve been doing this. They didn’t seem to care. They call this a “Lodging House” in a residential neighborhood which isn’t allowed. And told me the city is going after landlords like me and shutting us down.

    Interesting take by the city. It's a new one to me. It's time for a $300 consult with a local real estate attorney.

  • Rental Property Investor · Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2018 · 112 posts · 68 votes
    11mo

    Shame. Time to invest in a friendlier city or lawyer up 

  • Member since 2018 · 1 post · 1 vote
    11mo

    I have information that may help about a similar situation, I faced if you want to private message me.

  • Jay HurstBusiness Member
    Lender · Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11mo
    Quote from @John Morgan:

    I’ve got 3 co-living properties in Fort Worth and the city is trying to shut down all co-living investment properties. Code enforcement officers walked my 5 bedroom 3 bath home with me and told me my tenants have 90 days to vacate. They said co-living homes where you rent by the room are not allowed in Fort Worth. They found my homes with individual rooms to rent listed on Roomies.com. They told me they took Pad Split to court over doing this but the owner didn’t show up in court. Anyone else have issues with this? I showed them that I didn’t add any bedrooms to my house and told them 5 unrelated people are allowed to live in a home for rent. They said they all have to be friends and know each other beforehand, and that you can’t throw random people in a home to rent out. I told them I’m providing safe affordable housing with rooms at $650/month which includes all utilities and wifi. And I told them I’ve taken in several former homeless people and people living only off social security over the years I’ve been doing this. They didn’t seem to care. They call this a “Lodging House” in a residential neighborhood which isn’t allowed. And told me the city is going after landlords like me and shutting us down.



    A lot of cities have zoning against more then 4 unrealted persons living in the same house. A LOT of college towns have this rule for obvious reasons. Do they all enforce it? Doubtful, but if neighbors complain? and I actually have heard that FTW is pretty serious about this ancdetitely and I guess that proves that true. The rules are the rules so they are not going to care about the stories. Obviosuly hindsight etc, but before executing a padsplit starget make sure you understand what the municipality thinks about it.

    Hurst Real Estate, INC4.989 Reviews
  • John MorganPro Member
    OP
    Rental Property Investor · Grand Prairie, TX · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    11mo

    @Jay Hurst

    The code compliance officers who walked my house with me while taking pics and videos told me up to 5 unrelated people can rent a house from me in the city of Fort Worth. However, they all must be friends when they move in and sign a lease together. For example, college kids etc. They said pad split and people like me doing co-living is popping up everywhere and they don’t like it. Mine is the nicest house on the block by far and is located in a war zone with homeless people all over. So they appreciate what I’ve done to the house to improve the neighborhood. But they said the city is shutting us all down and they’re finding us on roomies.com, fb marketplace, pad split etc advertising rooms for rent.

  • Barbara GoodwinPro Member
    Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2014 · 35 posts · 4 votes
    8mo

    John Morgan,

    Have you  been able to resolve this problem. Did you try using the "membership" way around the problem?

  • Barbara GoodwinPro Member
    Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2014 · 35 posts · 4 votes
    8mo

    Have you been able to resolve this problem. Did you try using the "membership" way around the problem

  • Contractor · Pensacola, FL · Member since 2017 · 311 posts · 156 votes
    7mo

    Have you read the code or ordnances in Ft worth?  In Escambia County fl its readily available online and each zone has its own land use regulations.  Group living is usually permitted in High density zones but not low density.  

  • Barbara GoodwinPro Member
    Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2014 · 35 posts · 4 votes
    7mo

    how did you resolve this?

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