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Airbnb promises it will deter rogue New Year's Eve parties in Houston

Airbnb says no to this kind of hijinks.

Photo courtesy of The Westin in The Woodlands

With lots of fanfare, Airbnb is announcing that it's here to stop unauthorized rowdy parties on New Year’s Eve in the Bayou City.

According to a release, the short-term home rental company is enacting restrictions on certain kinds of bookings over New Year’s Eve, to deter rentals from unsavory characters whose entire mission is to host rogue events.

These restrictions include:

a ban on one-night bookings of entire home listings for guests without a positive account history
a ban on one-night bookings of entire home listings for guests with no previous bookings at all

They're also placing tighter restrictions for guests who try to book two- and three-night reservations, with an emphasis on attempts to book locally.

The restrictions will be in effect over the New Year’s Eve weekend not only in Dallas but in 11 countries, including the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, the UK, Ireland, Portugal, and the Netherlands. They're stamping out New Year's Eve debauchery around the world!

These restrictions are on top of other restrictions instituted previously, such as focusing on people under 25 without positive reviews who are trying to book a space. Young people are trouble, everyone knows that.

The 2022 rollout follows a trial they enacted in eight countries on New Year's Eve 2021, when approximately 340,000 guests globally were blocked or redirected from attempting to book on Airbnb over NYE, including more than 120,000 guests in the U.S., over 34,500 guests in the UK, and almost 13,000 guests in Australia.

Stats from last year:

In Houston, they deterred more than 1,950 people from booking entire home listings over NYE 2021
In Dallas, they deterred more than 2,450 people from booking entire home listings over NYE 2021
In Austin, they deterred more than 1,350 people from booking entire home listings over NYE 2021

They also have a 24/7 Neighborhood Support Line, accessible at Airbnb.com/neighbors, with a team that can investigate complaints.

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This Week's Hot Headlines

Houston Tex-Mex institution to close flagship and more popular stories

Courtesy of Pappasitos

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Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, from a Tex-Mex institution's impending closure to all the best steak nights in town. Read on for our most popular stories, then plan your Labor Day weekend right here.

1. Houston Tex-Mex institution's original location to close after 43 years. The original location of a pioneering Houston Tex-Mex restaurant will soon serve its last order of fajitas. Pappasitos Cantina is closing its location at Richmond and Hillcroft on September 13.

2. 12 special Houston steak nights served Monday through Thursday. Houstonians love a deal, especially when it involves a juicy steak. Thankfully, Houston's bars and restaurants are serving up a host of compelling steak night specials.

3. 2 Michelin-rated Houston restaurants teamed up for taco-fueled fundraiser. Held Sunday, August 30, the Perfect Pairing event united Tatemó chef-owner Emmanuel Chavez with The Pit Room’s Memorial location for an epic evening of tacos, margaritas, and community.

Michael Sambrooks, Emmanuel Chavez, Humberto Celis, Alexia Ramirez, Matt Harris, and Amber Kelusky. Courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters Houston

4. Award-winning Houston smash burger restaurant sets Katy opening date. The wait is nearly over for the eagerly anticipated Katy location of Burger Bodega. The smash hit smash burger concept will open at 11 am on September 19.

5. Houston home to No. 2 biggest drop in rent prices in U.S. since last year. A new report has revealed that Texas is leading the nation in annual rent declines since 2025, and Houston rent prices have fallen as much as 14 percent since last August.