Solutions

Step 1: mobilize with your neighbors

Walk the streets and build a coalition, both with near neighbors and those along neighboring streets - this is a non-partisan issue. Talk with your local HOA, if you have one. Share personal stories of disturbances. Use information from this website. Collect email addresses and phone numbers to create a mailing list to which you can send updates and requests for action, like mass attendance at a City Council meeting in which STR legislation will be discussed.

Step 2: Collect data and report disturbances

Make reports to police, code enforcement and the STR companies. Report disturbances such as noise, parking, trash, etc. to local authorities to establish an official record of problems. Every time there is a reported disturbance a data point is created. Data that citizens might record include: noise decibel readings, recordings of disturbances, days and times of disturbances, screenshots of online listings, etc. The city government may have and share data on the number of STRs in operation, their owners, and records of code violations.

Commercial market data companies, such as AirDNA, provide the number of listings and properties in the area, which can be useful in identifying an STR in your community.

Step 3: Contact the City Council and the Newspaper

Speak with the mayor and the City Council member who represents your area. Provide them stories and data with the support of neighbors. Attend and provide a public comment at City Council meetings (see sample talk 1 & talk 2). Alternatively, provide a written comment to the City Secretary to be included in the official record. Also contact your state-level representatives and ask them to vote favorably.

Support elected officials and candidates for office who wish to act against STRs in order to protect your neighborhood. Become a candidate for elected office yourself or support a neighbor in doing so.

Contact the local TV, radio and newspapers to discuss the issue and see if they wish to run a story on the topic. Write about your experiences and opinions to be published in the Letter to the Editor or Commentary section of your local newspaper.