Updated on March 17, 2023
The short-term rental industry is not about properties. It’s about people, and celebrating their success stories is at the heart of all we do. We started 2020 with the launch of our Humans of STRs series, stories and interviews of those who have changed their lives and the lives of those around them for the better through private accommodations. Then, when Covid-19 struck just two months later, we witnessed the STR industry do what it always does best in a crisis – step up to help our communities – on an unprecedented scale. Our limited-edition #FindtheHelpers series documented the innovation, quick thinking, and resiliency that would come out of the darkest days in recent history.
As we wrap up the year of all years, we looked back at these short teem rental success stories and rounded up the 10 that resonated with our readers and staff the most.
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Mermaids & Tool Belts: How Hosting Brings Jessica Abrego Closer to Her Daughters
Temecula, CA
On its surface, there’s not a lot that’s particularly unique about this story. Woman discovers joy of short-term rentals as a guest, decides to buy one of her own, and grows private hosting into a small family business. But looking closer, it’s no surprise why Rent Responsibly’s very first Humans of STRs feature, Mermaids & Tool Belts, became one of the top read stories of the year. Air National Guard refrigeration technician Jessica Abrego (now Hinton) discovered not only an occupation she loved and a reliable source of income as a then single mom, she also found the freedom to spend treasured time with her daughters, Aurelia and Audrey, and bring them into the business at just 9 and 10 years old. Read their story.
Philadelphia Cancer Patients, First Responders Find Respite and Recovery with Ur Home in Philly
Philadelphia, PA
In the middle of a pandemic, it’s easy to forget that millions of people still need healthcare and isolation for non-Covid illnesses. But for Daniele Parker and thousands of cancer patients like her, this need is a constant. Thankfully, people like Steve Patterson and his short-term rental company, Ur Home in Philly (UrHip), have long been at the ready and serving local hospital patients and their families with clean, isolated accommodations to keep them safe. As Daniele calls it, having STRs as an option during cancer treatment has been a lifesaver. Read Daniele’s short term rental story.
STR Manager Sara Alper Speaks Up for the Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs in Sedona
[Alexa’s Pick]
Sedona, AZ
While the Covid-19 pandemic has stifled tourism, there remains perhaps a more insidious threat to short-term rentals that can’t be prevented with a vaccine: mistruths a community tells itself about STRs. In Sedona’s case, there pervades a false narrative that the retirement community has been overrun by tourism and, with it, vacation rental homes. In reality, tourism and private accommodations were a cornerstone of Sedona for 70+ years before it became a retirement hotspot. Today, STRs are a lifeline for the community’s next generation – it’s survival. So, when STRs came under threat of the axe with two state bills in consideration pre pandemic, local property manager Sara Alper took to the mic in the capitol to set the record straight.
Alexa says: Sara was a personal favorite interviewee of mine – I left our conversation energized, empowered, and ready to fight even harder for what matters: the truth about short-term rentals. Sara’s story hits home that deep-seated misconceptions about STRs’ role and history in a city grease the path to ineffective and unfair legislation, so operators have a duty to correct mistruths head-on as Sara does – not only with our elected officials but with our entire communities. Read Sara’s story.
Local as it Gets, Part 1: Maureen McLoughlin
Vermont
One of the things we love most about the short term rental industry is the ecosystem of adjacent businesses, services and jobs it creates – seemingly endlessly. Maureen McLoughlin brings to light the beauty of this community prosperity domino effect. Maureen covers the Vermont territory for Stock the House, a concierge service for STRs across the Northeast. Maureen was born and raised in Vermont, an expensive place to live but one she loves nonetheless. While short-term renting enables many of their property owner clients to keep their expensive Vermont homes, it also creates flexible jobs perfect for retirees like her and others who don’t fit the corporate boilerplate, as Stock the House Founder Domenica Mastroianni puts it. So, too, does it benefit the local businesses Maureen drives guest spending to. Read about Maureen’s Vermont experience with short term rentals.
Michael and Krysten Sjogren: Creating Quality Time for What Matters Most
Massachusetts and New Hampshire
When their son, Caiden, was born with Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease, Michael and Krysten Sjogren spent countless days at Boston Children’s Hospital with him over his first 18 months. One day, after having been at the hospital for over three weeks, Michael realized he had burned through all of his vacation and sick time, but the hospital bills were continuing to pile up. When he realized he would have to leave his wife and son to go back to his work as a CPA, he made a declaration to earn income for his family without sacrificing their most precious asset: time. Over the next year and a half, Michael and Krysten found their financial independence through short-term rental management. Read Michael and Krysten’s story.
On Their Shoulders: The Housekeeper Relief Fund Becomes a Lasting Nonprofit
[Dana’s Pick]
Nationwide
When the panic of Covid-19 upended the U.S. tourism industry in March, Cliff Johnson’s first thought went to his short-term rental housekeeper and the thousands like her around the country. When guests began canceling reservations en masse, he recognized that this would immediately impact housekeepers and how much it could hurt them to miss a single paycheck. So, Cliff and five friends threw together the Vacation Rental Housekeeper Relief Fund to bridge the gap between dwindling paychecks and government assistance. Within weeks, the fund had raised enough to support all applicants and ultimately became a permanent nonprofit providing financial sustainability support services to last long beyond the pandemic.
Dana says: Housekeepers are an integral part of the operation of STRs and sometimes have the toughest job in town. Witnessing the generosity to look out for others spurred from the pandemic hits me in the feels and speaks volumes to the character and spirit of our community. When tragedy strikes, it’s easy to turn inward and reflect on how it impacts our own lives. While it’s understandable that we do this, it usually takes your mind for a ride that sometimes ends at a dead end. Looking for ways to be impactful creates opportunities to bestow generosity to those hit hardest. I believe we find ourselves in more beautiful destinations when we set our GPS on others in a time of crisis. Read more about Vacation Rental Housekeeper Relief Fund.
Danielle Dirks: Detroit STR host helps medical workers get the housing they need in a crisis
Detroit, MI
When Detroit became one of the U.S.’s first Covid-19 hot spots, front line medical workers were put in a precarious spot: to go home and risk exposing their families to the virus, or to isolate away from home where they may not be able to recover in between shifts as well as they would need to in the midst of such strenuous conditions. Danielle Dirks embodied the city’s “hustle harder” mentality and immediately stepped into action. She offered her CozyHaus properties to medical staff at a significant cost cut plus extra Covid-safe services to ensure they felt at home while also supporting local businesses while she was at it. As STR hosts often do in times of crises, Danielle put it simply: “Given that we have these resources, if we can help, we should.” Read how Detroits STRs support medical workers.
Chattanooga Property Managers Donate Personal Savings to Laid-Off Employees
[Bri’s Pick]
Chattanooga, TN
Two years ago, Christina Thoreson gave her husband, Christian, an unusual Christmas present: paperwork to form a nonprofit. The couple wanted to create a foundation that could help fund personal and professional development for employees at their short-term rental management company, Chattanooga Vacation Rentals. Then came COVID-19. In March, the Thoresons realized that the pandemic would force them to put the business on hold for at least a few months and they would have to lay off 15 of their 17 employees. They helped their staff apply for unemployment, but that only covers 60% of previous earnings. So, they dusted off their nonprofit paperwork and relaunched the Fly Foundation, funding it with their personal savings, with a new mission: to supplement what unemployment does not cover so their laid-off staff could receive their normal level of income even while the business is down. Read more about this incredible success story.
Bri says: This story speaks to the ripple effect STRs have on the economy. Many people benefit financially from the existence of STRs that are not solely tied to the properties themselves. This story highlights the people behind the homes, and shows how a catastrophe like Covid-19 can upend their lives. The Thoresons’ story is truly the definition of giving the shirt off their backs. It was painful having to lay off their staff, but their selfless act enabled their community – their workers – to withstand an unstable time.
Logan Humphrey: Finding the Meaning of Life in Short-Term Rentals
Northwest Arkansas
Say what you will about Millennials, but this generation has unlocked what it means to find love, joy, meaning and identity in work perhaps better than any other. Much of discovery lies in its widespread entrepreneurial spirit and the prioritization of passion and purpose equal to – or above – prosperity. In his search for an answer to the question What is the purpose of life?, Logan Humphrey found his solution not in the notes of history’s greatest philosophers but in today’s modern incarnation of a practice that dates just as far back: private accommodations. Read Logan’s Story.
Local as it Gets, Part II: Stock the House, Stock the Community
[Dave’s Pick]
Northeast U.S.
During the Covid-19 shutdowns in March, April and May, Domenica Mastroianni refocused the work of Stock the House’s year-round concierge team to keep them employed and the business running. The team came together to adapt the business for the Covid world, launching new services and creating ways to serve their clients and local businesses better. The result: Doorstep Delivery, a new online ordering service and contact-free delivery for local businesses that don’t have an online shopping presence.
Dave says: For me, this story captures the essence of the STR community: it’s really just a bunch of entrepreneurs who are committed to (and in love with) the cities they call home. All we want to do is share these cities with the world! The businesses and services that have emerged in this ecosystem are becoming forces — and important opportunities for many folks who don’t fit squarely into the traditional workforce.
This article shows us that our industry is more resilient, more resourceful and more humane than most any other. Switching gears and creating new services at a moment’s notice during the pandemic solved two problems at once: keeping employees employed and meeting the touch-free delivery needs of the new normal. In this case, Stock the House pivoted their usual concierge activities toward Covid-safe services like Doorstep Delivery, which enabled their clients to shop from in-destination local businesses online and have their goods delivered to their vacation home touch-free.
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