Updated on December 12, 2020
Welcome
For many folks, October is usually the shoulder season, a time to reset for a winter unlike any we’ve seen before, or a slow wind down to close up shop until the spring.
At Rent Responsibly, it’s a different kind of shoulder season. Advocacy and ordinance discussions don’t have seasons, but we do have shoulders: those of our peers stepping up to lead advocacy efforts. The shoulders of giants.
A Giant in Advocacy
This month, please join us in welcoming Rent Responsibly’s brand new Head of Advocacy, Dana Lubner! You may recognize her name from her appearances on several industry podcasts and webinars this year.
Previously, Dana led Effortless Rental Group, a Colorado-based property management company, alongside her brother. When Denver created an ordinance that stifled the future of STRs in her community, she jumped into action with her local advocacy group, Mile High Hosts, of which she is now the President. She also serves on Denver’s short-term rental advisory committee (STRAC) with members of City Council.
Dana’s passion for advocacy is contagious in the best way, and she has made it her mission to help protect responsible short-term rental operators everywhere. We are beyond proud and excited to welcome her to the Rent Responsibly team!
And ICYMI, Dana also recently launched a brand new podcast series she’s hosting with Matt Landau called How to Save Your Vacation Rental Business. Keep an eye out for new episode announcements and so much more from Dana and co.
🥂 Cheers!
Alexa Nota
Executive Director and Editor, Rent Responsibly
News You Can Use
New Podcast:
How to Save Your Vacation Rental Business
The days of no STR regulations are long behind us, so the only options now are to create regulations yourself or be regulated, as host Dana Lubner puts it.
This new series shines a much-needed spotlight on advocacy as an essential business practice and how you can pull a chair up to the table.
Industry Continues Crack Down on Party Houses…
With Covid-19 keeping bars and event venues closed in many regions, would-be partygoers have resorted to sneaking parties into STRs. In recent months, Vrbo and Airbnb have instituted a string of party prevention measures, including months-long blocks of one-night rentals across Arizona (Vrbo), a global ban on party houses (Airbnb), and the takedown of hundreds of problem listings across the country collectively. Airbnb’s latest move blocks all one-night rentals on Halloween, which falls on a Saturday this year.
👉 Why This Matters: Even if party incidents are still a tiny percentage of STR stays, it’s a major problem for the industry as every party house headline can put your city on a fast track to an STR ban or overregulation. We’re already seeing increased regulatory efforts focused on reigning in this complex issue.
It’s also a headache for our neighbors – and that’s not ok. But as we know, the innovative STR community does not sit idly by. We are interested to hear of any steps you’ve taken to prevent parties or unauthorized gatherings at your rentals. If you’d like to share any tips or tricks, email us at info@rentresponsibly.org!
+ Get ahead of a potential party problem with this free guide:
Fostering Good Neighbor Relations & Preventing Nuisance Issues
Before we are STR hosts or managers, we’re neighbors. That must hold true now more than ever as Covid-19 has increasingly pushed partygoers into STRs to flout gathering restrictions.
Be a responsible and respectful neighbor – and keep your property out of the bad news headlines – with our Good Neighbor Relations guide. Inside, you’ll find helpful tips and worksheets for creating noise, parking and trash management plans, plus a printable welcome sheet to convey your house rules in a firm but friendly way.
❤️ Stories We Love
Casa De Grandview: A Safe Haven in Hampton Roads for Underserved Travelers
Linda and Ned Popovich use their short-term rental, Casa de Grandview, as a safe getaway space for those who might otherwise struggle to find rest and relaxation, including those with PTSD or developmental and sensory disabilities.
Why We Love This Story: Short-term rentals are about more than income, and this is a perfect example. Linda and Ned originally sought a vacation home for their family, and when they realized it could benefit others, too, they turned to STRs to help fund their goal to give back. 💙
Campanilla Compound: Welcoming Visitors Like Family
Campanilla Compound has welcomed visitors to “live like a local” in Santa Fe since the ’80s. This enclave of traditional desert homes has a seldom-seen ownership structure and community management that offers guests a unique experience in the City Different – and throws into stark relief the lack of understanding policymakers often have about our industry.
Logan Humphrey:
Finding the Meaning of Life in Short-Term Rentals
What is the purpose of life? It’s a heavy question, but one that Logan Humphrey felt compelled to answer. So, in 2016, he decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Philosophy at the University of Arkansas. Before classes began, he began renting his 400 square-foot apartment for supplemental income. Within two years, that side venture became Cohobnb Properties, a property management company with unique and luxury short-term rentals around Fayetteville and Northwest AR.
Why We Love This Story: Logan never wrote his Master’s thesis because he had already found his answer to the meaning of life through short-term rentals, and it’s something we think we can all relate to. We won’t spoil it for you here – you’ll just have to read his story to find out what it is! 💙
Before You Go
+ Find us on Facebook and other social channels for more uplifting stories and a rockstar network of STR pros.
