Prevent a Ban on Airbnb in Your City

In July 2019, Theron Lewis was in the process of scaling a short-term rental business when he read about a proposed ban on Airbnb in the city of Detroit. And his business life flashed before his eyes. Theron had no prior advocacy experience, but he knew he had to do something.Theron is the Founder of Sharing Detroit, a group of residents, small business owners and community leaders who support the fair regulation of short-term rentals in the State of Michigan. He is also the Founder and President of Capitol Rental Management, a full-service STR property management company with a portfolio of 18 properties in Detroit, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois.On this episode of Get Paid for Your Pad, Theron joins me to share his story of STR advocacy, beginning with the rocky first steps (and missteps) he took to fight the proposed ban in Detroit. He explains how to go about engaging members of City Council and why you should start building relationships with these local leaders NOW—rather than waiting until regulations are on the table. Listen in for Theron’s insight on demonstrating how STR rules will impact marginalized communities and learn how building an advocacy group can benefit your business beyond preventing a ban on Airbnb!Topics CoveredWhat inspired Theron’s work around STR advocacyScaling Airbnb business in Detroit (8 properties)Read about proposed ordinance to ban AirbnbThe first steps Theron took to start an advocacy campaignFind out who to talk to, who spearheaded banStart talking to local hostsResearch on affordable housing, property valuesBuild team of volunteersTheron’s best advice on STR advocacy in your communityDon’t view city government as ‘bad guys’Build relationships with local leaders NOWShow impact of rules on marginalized communitiesDon’t be deterred by negativityBring hosts in to tell their storiesWhat you need to know about City Council meetingsAgenda of topics to cover available to publicPublic gets time to speak (1 to 3 minutes)How Airbnb helped with Theron’s fight against the banPresence at weekly meetings for credibilityProvide framework, help keep group informedThe turning point in Theron’s STR advocacy campaignFacebook ads to let people know about ordinanceEmail campaign to build 1,000-member communityPresence of 100 hosts at City Council meetingThe right way to engage City Council membersInvite consultant to advocacy meetingsHire consultant to get in room with politiciansWhat happened at the Detroit City Council voteOrdinance thrown out completelyCity Council shift to pro-Airbnb sentimentThe benefits of STR advocacy beyond preventing a banAlternative form of marketing for businessGet ahead of issues related to COVIDConnect with TheronSharing DetroitCapitol Rental ManagementTheron on LinkedInEmail [email protected] [email protected] LegendsDetroit’s 2019 Proposed STR RegulationsGoFundMeEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.