Balancing Tourism and the People Who Live Here
When neighborhoods in my district asked for protection from short-term rentals, I didn’t study the issue and move on. I made the motion to rezone seven neighborhoods from R-1 to R-0 — permanently eliminating new short-term rentals in those areas. That’s not a promise. That’s done.
R-0 works because it gives residents the tool to protect their own blocks. It doesn’t ban tourism. It doesn’t punish the local islander who rents a property they live near. It draws a line that says: if your neighborhood votes to stay residential, it stays residential. Period.
But R-0 only covers the neighborhoods that asked for it. Across the rest of the island, over a thousand Galveston residents took the time to respond to the city’s STR survey — and what they said was clear. 57% said noise is their top concern. Nearly 70% support a licensing board with real enforcement authority. In some parts of the island, roughly one in three housing units is a short-term rental. These aren’t abstract statistics. They’re the lived experience of families trying to stay in neighborhoods they’ve called home for years — dealing with weekend noise, parking overflow, and the feeling that their block is turning into a hotel corridor while nobody at city hall is listening.
The council passed a new STR ordinance, and the city marshal’s office is now filing charges against unregistered operators. That’s real progress — and it happened because residents showed up, spoke up, and refused to let this issue disappear. But an ordinance is only as good as its enforcement. Consistent, fair, every neighborhood, every time — not just when someone complains loud enough or knows the right person to call.
Tourism matters to Galveston. So do the people who live here year-round. Getting that balance right isn’t a slogan — it’s the job.
“The ordinance is a start. Now we need consistent, fair enforcement focused on protecting the people who actually live in these neighborhoods.”
Where I Stand
Enforce the ordinance that was passed. The new STR ordinance is a good start. But an ordinance without enforcement is just words on paper. The city marshal’s office is now filing charges against unregistered operators — that’s real progress. As mayor, I’ll make sure that continues and that enforcement is consistent, not selective.
A licensing board with actual authority. Nearly 70% of residents who responded to the city’s own survey want a licensing board that can act on complaints and revoke licenses when operators don’t follow the rules. That’s a reasonable ask. I’ll support building that structure.
Noise and neighborhood quality are legitimate concerns. 57% of residents identified noise as their top STR concern. That’s not a fringe position — it’s the majority. Protecting the quality of life in residential neighborhoods means taking those complaints seriously and responding to them.
Keep Galveston’s tourism economy strong. STRs are part of what makes Galveston accessible to visitors who can’t afford hotels. The answer isn’t to eliminate them — it’s to make sure they operate lawfully, pay their fees, and don’t destroy the neighborhoods around them.
How We Get There
More than a thousand residents took time to tell the city what they need. Leadership’s job is to listen to that — and follow through.
Consistent enforcement means the same rules apply to everyone, in every neighborhood, every time. It means a complaint gets a response. It means operators who don’t comply lose their license.
As mayor, I’ll make sure the ordinance the city passed is the ordinance the city enforces — and that the people who live in these neighborhoods know someone is listening.
John Paul Lisowski's Priority Issues
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Keeping Galveston affordable means putting families first. Explore more of John Paul’s priorities — from local jobs to strong neighborhoods built for everyone.