The San Marcos City Council adopted a Rooming House Ordinance during its June 10, 2008 meeting.
Defines a rooming house as a property with three or more bedrooms that is rented out to five or more individuals under five or more contracts (up from three or more individuals under three or more contracts).
Rental properties with fewer than three bedrooms or multiple residents under one master lease do not trigger the ordinance.
The Ordinance is retroactive and will be enforced in late July 2008, 30 days after its final adoption. It applies to all existing rental properties meeting the definition of a rooming house.
In early in 2008, the San Marcos city council adopted new restrictions and other changes to its noise ordinance as another way to address problems from residents of rooming houses. These changes include a provision to hold both residents and landlords responsible for violations, though off-site landlords would first receive written warnings before they could be fined.
