For nearly three decades, HomeAway vacation rentals have provided traveling families with a place to call home while visiting Nashville-area destinations.
These travelers – the average HomeAway customer being a 50-year-old woman traveling with a family of four – love the ability to gather friends and family together for special weekends and getaways. Local homeowners and small businesses have opened their doors to families from across the nation and globe, and in turn, neighborhood economies have flourished.
When the Metro Council took the prudent step of formally recognizing and regulating short-term rentals in 2015, many homeowners saw an opportunity to fix up their own properties in hopes that the income would help to cover bills, save for their children’s education and plan for retirement.
Since that time, active stakeholder groups and a professional neighborhood association have gathered together to share their experiences with short-term rentals, their concerns with the activity and the positive impacts they have on the Nashville community. As such, local homeowners who have listed their homes are active participants in these conversations – and HomeAway stands firmly behind our partners in seeking a fair and effective ordinance.
Throughout the process, HomeAway has heard from community stakeholders and offered solutions to Council members in order to come to a workable policy for all. It’s our hope that a resolution can be reached that doesn’t call for an outright ban of traditional vacation rentals, and that can enforce a fair registration program for the city’s longstanding vacation rental participants.