Smart City Policy Group due to hold virtual regulations conference
US: Consulting group Smart City Policy Group, which works to bridge the divide between the innovation economy and local government, is hosting a three-day virtual short-term rental regulations conference next week, through from Tuesday 15 December to Thursday 17 December.
The second annual Conference on Short-term Rental Regulations will feature speakers worldwide who have worked on short-term rental rule-making, from city government leaders to travel industry professionals and vacation rental managers. Attendees will learn about leading solutions for tax compliance, nuisance controls, quality of life, safety concerns, and more.
Speakers include: His Excellency Khurram Shroff; Council Member Ricardo Valente [Porto, Portugal]; Eduardo Miranda – president of the Portugal Short-Term Rental Association; Shomik Panda – Secretary General of the UK Short-Term Rental Association [STAA]; mayor Sandy Moriarity [Sedona, Arizona]; Bryson Frazier – CFO Galveston Park Board; Candace Carr Strauss – CEO of Visit Big Sky; Council Member Paula Blackmon [Dallas, Texas]; Council Member David Blewett [Dallas, Texas]; Claire Reiswerg – Galveston Association of Rental Managers; Commissioner Peter Murphy [Glynn County, Georgia]; Kris Maichle – Georgia Vacation Rental Alliance; Council Member Chris Hinds [Denver, Colorado]; Scott McQuade – CEO of Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau; and mayor Bryan Barnett [Rochester Hills, Michigan and immediate past president of the United States Conference of Mayors].
Matt Curtis, CEO and founder of Smart City Policy Group, said: “As communities grapple with the impacts of Covid on the local economy, the short-term rental industry is a bright spot as many professionally managed properties are seeing increased usage. There are very few examples of communities that achieve compliance with local rules and taxes.
“We bring all sides together to understand the evolving industry, traveller trends, and compliance solutions,” he added.
In the past ten years, thousands of cities worldwide have discussed and created regulations for short-term rentals – sometimes called vacation rentals and often identified by well-known industry brand Airbnb. Concerns vary from city to city, but the core complaints focus on tax remittance, housing and zoning impacts, noise and parties, and more.
Last year during the first annual Conference on Short-term Rental Regulations, over 200 policy makers, travel industry leaders and short-term rental stakeholders from around the United States and Canada gathered in Austin for a day of discussion around best practices and creating rules that achieve compliance.
A European Conference on Short-term Rental Regulations was scheduled for March 2020 in Lisbon but was cancelled due to Covid-19. The conference featured a keynote address by European Minister of Parliament Jose Bauza, and a re-scheduled version of the conference is now set for October 2021.
Jennifer Hosterman, former mayor of Pleasanton, California, said: “Matt is well-known to local governments everywhere. He is known for engaging all stakeholders and finding local solutions that work.”
Founded in 2017, Smart City Policy works closely with both corporate and community leaders to collaborate on systems that deliver the broadest benefit to all stakeholders.
More information and details on how to register for the summit can be found at this link.
