March 18 – Small Towns and Rural Planning Division – The New “Cottage” Industry: Housing, Lodging, and the Sharing Economy – Speakers: Jessica Garrow, Phillip Supino, Brian Duffany.  1.5 CM credits approved

The new Sharing Economy has enabled the availability of private short-term rental properties like never before. Web-based clearinghouses for short-term rentals, such as VRBO and AirBnB, have changed the economic and regulatory landscape of short-term rental markets. These changes are felt in municipalities of all sizes. While some communities experience strains on the availability of long-term rental housing, others value the short-terms rentals as a supplement to traditional lodging options. This session will explore the relationship of the short-term rental sector of the sharing economy to land use and tax regulation and social and economic factors in resort and destination communities. Sponsored by the Small Town and Rural Planning Division.