Updated on December 12, 2020
Welcome
A lot of people liken advocacy efforts to a marathon, but I don’t really like that analogy. Marathons are a solo sport with a far-away finish line. The only way to do one is to start running and just… keep running.
Marathons require a lot of endurance built up over hundreds of hours of training, so it’s no surprise that just half a percent of the U.S. population has run a full marathon. Advocacy simply cannot be a marathon.
Advocacy is – and must be – a team sport. Sometimes it’s a relay. Sometimes it’s football with complex plays or hail marys or field goals. Sometimes it’s soccer with a relentless coordinated effort for just one goal that’s oh so sweet. Sometimes it’s a hodgepodge of sports.
Adding to the Lineup
This month, join us as we welcome one more player to the pitch for Rent Responsibly, Brianne (Bri) Pope! Bri joins us as the new Head of Chapter Success.
As the Director of Client Engagement with TruPlace for the last four years, Bri led the client nurture processes to ensure clients were getting the most out of their products. Prior to that, she worked in video production, giving her a unique lens on visual communications that can take STR advocacy to the next level.
She’s now bringing that creativity and dedication to chapter success at Rent Responsibly, and we couldn’t be more excited! Bri will head up all things that make local alliances effective and successful, from tech tools to training to playbooks. In her spare time, you can find her managing her friends’ film podcast, attempting to learn the ukulele, saying hello to every dog she sees, and hitting 10,000 steps a day.
Regardless of the sport of choice, the point is that advocacy is most effective (and way more fun, if you ask us) with teammates working together, with a game plan, step by step. Perhaps that’s why, in contrast to a marathon, three out of four people have come off the sidelines to play a team sport at some time in their lives.
So, when it comes to STR advocacy in your city or town, how will you get off the bench and join the huddle? Who can you help by taking the baton for the next leg of the race? How can you move the ball a few yards down the field?
No matter how you get in the game, it will one big step forward for your community. Cheers! 🥂
Alexa Nota
Executive Director and Editor, Rent Responsibly
News You Can Use
Red Shoes Talks, Episode 7
How to Rent Responsibly: Sustainable Short-Term Rentals
In this episode of Red Shoes Talks, Simon Lehmann of AJL Atelier chats with Dave Krauss and Dana Lubner of Rent Responsibly about what it means to be a stakeholder, the role of OTAs in advocacy, how to pick the right battles, what the 25th hour is, and so much more.
A Case Study in Advocacy
Santa Fe: Report shows economic impact of short-term rentals as council considers new restrictions
The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico already has tight restrictions on short-term rentals, but a lack of enforcement has resulted in a few bad apples skirting the rules. The city is now considering a new proposal that throws the kitchen sink of restrictions at responsible operators, as Santa Fe STRA President Fran Maier puts it. But that’s not stopping the STR advocacy group from pushing back – hard. Their latest ammo: a powerful economic impact report, commissioned together with Expedia Group, that shows STRs contributed $228 million to the Santa Fe community in 2019 alone.
Why This Matters: The growing group and its leadership committee have successfully made council and commission members question both the proposal and the current ordinance. As the city approaches a public hearing in December, they can’t ignore the Santa Fe STRA’s message and the data to back them up.
See how the Santa Fe STRA is making waves >
From ShortTermRentalz, Nov. 5:
What would a Trump / Biden US Election win mean for the short-term rental industry?
As the US awaited election results, ShortTermRentalz asked seven industry voices what they predicted the outcome will mean for short-term rentals.
Excerpt from Rent Responsibly founder and CEO, Dave Krauss:
… My main takeaway from the 2020 US Presidential Election was that Americans channelled their energy into voting at historic levels… Voting is the ultimate form of advocacy. Both voting and advocacy work better the more people that get involved. It is my hope that the historic levels of engagement generated by this election has primed the pump for supercharged local short-term rental advocacy efforts in 2021 and beyond.
Read Dave’s full prediction + 6 others >
❤️ Stories We Love
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 – 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! 💙
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 unique ownership and management that offers guests a special City Different experience – and throws into stark relief the lack of understanding policymakers often have about our industry.
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. 💙
Encore
PODCAST: How to Save Your Vacation Rental Business
Hosted by Dana Lubner, Rent Responsibly’s Head of Advocacy, with cohost Matt Landau of VRMB, this brand-new 10-part podcast series shows us why advocacy isn’t a side project or an if-I-have-time task – it’s an essential business practice.
Throughout the series, Dana explores the world of short-term rental advocacy and gets real with leading advocates on everything from big wins (and losses) to the power of a lime green t-shirt. You’ll hear tons of these key takeaways from some of our favorite voices in the industry.
Before You Go
Find us on Facebook and other social channels for more uplifting stories and a rockstar network of STR pros.
