Corpus Christi Short Term Rental Alliance

Hi, my name is Zachary Buford. My wife (Michelle) and I purchased a vacation home in Corpus Christi in 2021 that we rent on Airbnb & VRBO to help pay the bills for our property.

We have formed the Corpus Christi Short Term Rental Alliance (CCSTRA) to help fight the unconstitutional ordinance effective March 15, 2022, for Padre Island & Flour Bluff, with the rest of Corpus Christi effective July 11, 2022.

CCSTRA spoke with attorney J. Patrick Sutton on Monday, 2/28/22. He has an extensive background in fighting STR ordinances in other cities. Mr. Sutton took the Austin STR case to the Texas Supreme Court and won. He has also won numerous other cases involving STRs. Mr. Sutton has advised us to put together a group of 4-6 other STR owners who want to join together, share their stories, and help share the expense. This official alliance, CCSTRA, has been submitted to the State of Texas and takes 6-8 business days to approve and it has already been formed with the IRS.

Short-term: Mr. Sutton advised we immediately apply for an injunction, and in the short term, we can also apply for a temporary restraining order while we’re waiting for an injunction. He estimated the initial cost to get to the point of having an injunction at around $25,000.

Long term: Mr. Sutton believes with the state judges in our jurisdiction, we should take this case to federal court. He said we need to have $100,000 in available funds to be prepared to do this. We wouldn’t want to go in and not have the funds to complete our case.

Mr. Sutton said that no other city that has gone down this path has eased up until being forced to by the court.

We must get on this as quickly as possible to get the temporary restraining order filed before this ordinance goes into effect for Flour Bluff and the Island on 3/15/22.

The funds raised will only be used for court costs, legal fees, and expert witnesses. They will not be used to cover any expenses of the Corpus Christi Short Term Alliance, nor the expenses of any named plaintiffs (such as the travel expense to attend court).