by Paris Achen | Apr 10, 2023 | Advocate Engagement, Leadership, Local Government, Local Leaders Series, Partner Features, Powered by Vrbo
Jennifer Batchelder Polcyn, a vacation rental host and property manager in Montcalm County in Central Michigan, knows the power of showing up before the firestorm. Soon after she established her vacation rental management firm, New Journey Properties, she made a...
by Paris Achen | Apr 4, 2023 | Advocate Engagement, Community Engagement, Hosting and Management, Humans of Short-Term Rentals, Local Government, Property Care, Rules and Regulations, Short-Term Rental Regulation
Like many in the short-term rental advocacy sphere, proposed regulations at the local City Council brought hosts Annette Grant and Sarah Karakaian together. Both had come to speak at the Columbus City Council meeting in spring 2018 to oppose a proposal that would have...
by Dana Lubner | Mar 23, 2023 | Event Recaps, Leadership Seminars, STR Advocacy 101
“We know that data is powerful. But with a good story, it’s unforgettable.”Daniel Waisberg, search advocate at Google Members of the short-term rental community often need to engage in advocacy to highlight their value within the community. Advocacy can include giving...
by Paris Achen | Jan 10, 2023 | Community Engagement, Local Government, Responsible Renting, STR Advocacy 101, Supporting Local Businesses
More than half of the housing units in the mountain town of Truckee, California, are considered vacant, according to the 2020 Census, the most recent statistics available. The properties are largely second homes that sit empty when their owners aren’t staying there or...
by Paris Achen | Nov 10, 2022 | Advocate Engagement, Community Engagement, Organization, STR Advocacy 101
Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Black Friday, is a global celebration of generosity when individuals and businesses find ways to support their communities with donations of time, talent, and money. As a short-term rental alliance, you can harness the spirit of the...
by Paris Achen | Nov 2, 2022 | Leadership, Responsible Renting, Social Responsibility & Giving Back, STR Advocacy 101
While Jonathan Wicks lived in Chicago in the 2010s, he had a lake house in Northern Illinois that he rented short-term. At the time, the busy CEO owned a national company that cleaned homes in bank foreclosure, and because he couldn’t service his rental on his own, he...
by Paris Achen | Oct 14, 2022 | Advocate Engagement, Leadership, Local Government, Organization, Politics & Elections, STR Advocacy 101
Today’s leading short-term rental advocates learned much of their skillset from mistakes they made along the way. Two of them, COO Alexa Nota and Director of Community Development Dana Lubner of Rent Responsibly, recently shared some of their tips and shortcuts for...
by Paris Achen | Oct 14, 2022 | Local Government, Short-Term Rental Regulation, STR Advocacy 101
When it comes to operating a short-term rental business, knowing the law-making process is a must in adequately advocating for yourself, the industry, and your community. STR laws typically come in the form of an ordinance, a law made by a local government such as a...
by Paris Achen | Jun 14, 2022 | Community Engagement, Leadership, Local Leaders Series, Organization, Partner Features, Politics & Elections, Powered by Vrbo
After an abrupt loss of income in 2009, Elaine and Mark Fekete faced a choice: either short-term rent their home year-round in Sandbridge Beach, a coastal neighborhood in Virginia Beach, or leave the community. Vacation rentals in Virginia Beach had not ever crossed...
by Alexa Nota | May 12, 2022 | Advocate Engagement, Community Engagement, Leadership, Local Government, Organization, STR Advocacy 101
With just 8,300 short-term rentals across the entire state1, Vermont might not seem like an important state to watch. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Because the state is so small, it sometimes serves as a testbed for legislation other states could model,...
