I thought this title was so cute! Although the situation in many cities when it comes to short term rentals has us not feeling so pretty. Regulations surrounding short terms or STRs in various popular destinations and cities have been a hot topic since the Airbnb Gold Rush and we have seen communities respond in various ways. While some see it as a revenue potential others see it as intrusive and a nuisance. With parties keeping full time residents up and the in flux of homes in communities become more saturated with short term rentals, local decision makers have been pressured to bring order to the disorderly. We need to create the win-win solution
It’s tough, personally I can see all the sides involved and could make an argument for each side. In extremes anything can be a bad idea, but I believe there is a win-win solution in any situation. It may take time and creativity to come up with the solution.
So what would a win-win solution look like? It helps to look at the results. Happy hosts, happy neighbors, thriving communities. Then reverse engineer it. In my opinion a happy host is one who brings in a flow of good guests with no issues. Happy neighbors feel as they can enjoy their quality of life and not be impacted negatively by their neighbors. A thriving community would consist of, in my opinion, a healthy flow of visitors spending money in town and engaged residents.
That is definitely a simplification and we could get very much detailed on each of those topics, but I am keeping it short and sweet to encourage thought. As Jesus says, “Blessed are the peace makers” and I am definitely one of those. It would be amazing to see balanced approach to short term rentals that truly creates the mutual benefit for all involved.
I have heard it said that compromise leaves the participants all feeling a little unhappy with the results, but I would prefer to work towards a win-win where everyone is happy. And I know what some of you may be thinking, but an optimist can definitely give it a try. I have definitely gone before zoning and lost and lost, then won a little, then lost big time, lol. There is a way and possibly it involves finding the windfall that is hard to say no to. When I figure out what that is, ill let you know.
In the meantime, my current and personal assessment is that it truly is about who you know and how involved in the community you are. That is where change takes place. It is all in the politics and prayer. I do what I can and ask God to do the rest.
I know, it may not be what you want to hear, but like with many political situations, the roots run deep and it is a miracle that usually brings forth change and lots of hard work for those who persist. If we look at other historical changes we will see it took multiple very brave people working together for a common goal and wiling to take appropriate risks to reach their aim.
Other than praying for guidance, personally, I am not sure the direction. But I do know God had big plans for the world when it comes to short term rentals and I for one am excited to see them unfold. We undertook a very unexpected endeavor back in 2019 when we as a family bought our first Airbnb or short term rental and went full time on the road with our family of small children and 2 dogs. We have been Suit Case People ever since. See our podcast recap on the topic.