Short Term Rental Trends in the Intermountain West and How to Craft an Ordinance to Handle Them

May 4 – 2:00-3:30PM MDT

In the last ten years, short-term rentals have dramatically altered the landscape of guest accommodations and our understanding of how they affect communities. While the new sharing economy can bring economic benefits, they can also have detrimental effects on community character and housing inventory. This session will discuss the most recent data and trends for short-term rentals in the Intermountain West and share strategies to help communities minimize negative impacts and improve compliance via their ordinances.

PRESENTERS:

Christa Watson (Granicus): Christa Watson is a Senior Manager of Demand Generation at Granicus and has been supporting communities with their short-term rental challenges since 2019. She also helps local governments across North America understand how technology can help improve their civic engagement. Her previous professional background includes leading marketing teams at several fast-growth software companies.

John Spuhler (Symliv/Garden City, UT): John Spuhler is an account executive for Host Compliance at Granicus. Previously, John co-founded STR Helper. He dealt firsthand with the challenges of short-term rental compliance as the Mayor of Garden City, Utah from 2010 to 2018. John has also served on numerous boards and as the chairman of The Bear River Association of Governments, a three-county association. During his tenure as a public servant, John helped provide best-practice solutions regarding short-term rental policy at the state, county, and municipal levels as well as for local HOAs.

Brumby Mcleod (College of Charleston): Brumby McLeod is an Associate Professor at the College of Charleston, School of Business in the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management. He is a research fellow with the Office of Tourism Analysis and the Riley Center for Livable Communities. His research focuses on overnight accommodation and revenue management.

Jordan Katcher (Utah Community Development Office): Jordan Katcher is a Community Development Specialist with the Utah Community Development Office and an Associate Instructor in the University of Utah’s Department of City & Metropolitan Planning. From a rural community in northwestern Pennsylvania, she deeply values community cultures, collaboration, and inclusivity. Currently, she is leading the grassroots initiative known as the Utah Rural Coordinating Council, which includes members from 30+ state and federal agencies, universities, and organizations. Together, they strive to enhance their communication with one another and better serve rural Utah.