Throughout August, the New Orleans short-term rental industry held open community meetings with neighbors, housing advocates, rental managers, HomeAway representatives, city staff, and small business leaders in neighborhoods across the city. Hosted by the Alliance for Neighborhood Prosperity (ANP) and local vacation rental owners, these meetings sought to engage neighbors on what fair and effective regulations could look like. During these meetings, constructive dialogue brought real change to the Whole-Home, Whole Community policy roadmap recently released by HomeAway.

At the beginning of August, we invited over 11,000 residents, 140 business owners, 43 neighborhood associations and countless others through the City’s Nextdoor platform to hear what questions and concerns were most pressing to them. Through over 10 hours of open discussion, these sessions provided an opportunity for neighbors and industry stakeholders to collaborate on creative policy solutions. …

On June 14th, HomeAway joined the Alliance for Neighborhood Prosperity (ANP) for ANP’s homeowner happy hour at NOLA Brewery. Over food and drinks, leaders from both groups and over 110 local homeowners held a lively discussion about the University of New Orleans’ new vacation rental economic impact report in addition to ANP’s new video series titled “We Are The Faces of NOLA Vacation Rentals.”

The widely circulated economic impact report demonstrated the importance of short-term rentals to New Orleans, finding nearly $900 million in economic output created by short-term rentals. Overall, 595,000 short-term rental guests in New Orleans supported over 10,000 local jobs. …

Last week, HomeAway owners in Hawaii partnered up with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii to help clean up Ala Wai Harbor, the Ala Wai Canal, and parts of Magic Island in Honolulu. The amazing team helped clear away hundreds of pounds of trash and land-based debris in the canal and on the beach, both located within Hawaii’s most populous city.

The flow of trash out of the harbor and Ala Wai canal goes straight into the North Pacific Gyre — the largest ecosystem on earth — where it joins trillions of pieces of plastic in oceans across the world. …

This Earth Day, HomeAway owners in Hawaii joined with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii for an “Earth Day Cleanup Festival” to help clean up Waimanalo Beach, located on the stunning eastern shore of Oahu. Just like our joint cleanup back in November, our volunteers embodied kuleana, or one’s personal sense of responsibility, in taking the time to contribute to a safer, more sustainable future for the beach and its many visitors — both humans and animals alike.

Underneath the shade of the beach’s ironwood trees, our volunteers got down in the sand to clear away harmful pieces of plastic, metal, and dangerous marine debris. Their efforts came on the heels of the previous weekend’s flooding, which affected communities across the islands and resurfaced large quantities of trash, scattering it across coastlines. As pollution continues to affect both Hawaii and the world, it’s increasingly important to educate others about sustainability, spur communities into action, and commit to environmental stewardship. …

For more than 20 years, HomeAway’s family of travel brands and our growing team of 2,000 employees have developed innovative platforms that empower more homeowners and communities to connect with traveling families looking for a local experience and a place to stay together under one roof. We’ve made it our goal to make traveling a better experience for families across the globe. Here’s why:

At HomeAway, we believe five principles guide our engagement with local communities:

1. Vacation rentals are a powerful force for economic and societal good.
HomeAway provides a place to build community, whether that be through a traditional home rental or the many efforts we initiate to provide assistance to groups and areas in need. …

In early March, Indiana’s state legislature passed House Bill 1035, legislation authored by Rep. Matt Lehman (R-Berne) and Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) that both protects private property rights and supports Indiana’s vibrant tourism economy. Now on its way to Governor Holcomb’s desk for his signature, the bill is set to create statewide standards for vacation rentals, protecting the private property rights of vacation rental owners and hosts and prohibiting outright bans of vacation rentals.

Vacation rentals provide options for travelling families, attracting new tourism dollars and supporting local businesses. …

As Palm Springs City Council considers new vacation rental regulations, it’s important to ensure any new policies preserve the positive economic benefits whole-home rentals bring to the community.

Whole-home vacation rentals give traveling families an option to visit a new place together at the right price for them. By expanding the options for accommodations, they attract new visitor spending, bringing new tourism dollars to the local economy and supporting Palm Springs jobs and businesses. Smart regulations ensure responsible renting and protect options for travelers and residents alike.

Let’s talk about why City Council must protect whole-home vacation rentals:

· Vacation rentals are a lifeline for Palm Springs homeowners. …

Last week, HomeAway owners in Hawaii teamed up with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii to help clean up beautiful Waimanalo Beach on the eastern shore of Oahu. They spent the day in the sand learning about sustainability and doing their part to ensure the beach remains hospitable for both animals and people for years to come.

Our volunteers worked hard to remove harmful plastics fragments, metal scraps, and other dangerous material from the beach. Their work couldn’t have come at a better time, as our oceans and coastlines are becoming increasingly polluted. In fact, by 2050, there will be more plastics by weight than fish in the ocean. …