Primary-Residence-Only Rule
Corpus Christi does not require every short-term rental to be the owner's primary residence citywide. The residence test applies only to a "Type 1" (owner-occupied) permit: the owner or operator must have their legal residence on the same property, proven by homestead exemption, voter registration, or vehicle registration. Non-owner-occupied "Type 2" rentals stay lawful, capped at 15 percent of a block face.
Corpus Christi Short-Term Rental Primary Residence Rule
Some RestrictionsCorpus Christi Code of Ordinances Sec. 5-37, Sec. 5-43(a)
Type 1 short-term rental (owner-occupied) means a residential dwelling unit, a portion thereof, which is either occupied by the owner, as reflected in title records, or an operator as reflected in a valid lease agreement, and with the express permission of the property owner. ... The owner or operator shall make his or her legal residence on the same property, as evidenced by homestead exemptio...