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About the Estes Valley Short-Term Rental Alliance
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About EVSTRA
Welcome to EVSTRA, your Estes Valley Short-Term Rental Alliance, where community matters. We’re more than just an organization; we’re your neighbors, friends, and fellow community members, committed to enhancing the Estes Valley and Larimer County communities.
Our mission goes beyond economic growth; we aim to educate the community about short-term rentals, improving the quality of life in the Estes Valley. We’re here to share the unique experience of the Estes Valley that we’ve been privileged to enjoy with our friends and family, extending it to the vacationers who choose our community as their destination.
Become a Member
The Estes Valley STRA is a membership organization. Owners, hosts, local businesses, and other affiliates are invited to join. Your membership will support our efforts to safeguard local vacation rentals, and members get access to exclusive benefits!
What We Do
Advocacy & Regulatory support
At EVSTRA, our focus is on responsible short-term rentals, a practice that not only boosts the local economy but also secures our community’s long-term future. We are proud residents, property owners, experienced hosts, local business owners, trusted real estate professionals, and passionate stakeholders, all united in our dedication to advocating for responsible short-term rental practices.
COLLABORATION & community
Join us in creating a vibrant, responsible, and welcoming community. Together, we’re shaping a future where everyone benefits, where the essence of Estes Valley is shared, celebrated, and preserved. EVSTRA: fostering connections, enriching lives, and securing our community’s tomorrow.
Our Mission & Values
At EVSTRA, our mission is to safeguard and celebrate Estes Park’s legacy of vacation rentals. We are dedicated to achieving this through proactive education, heightened awareness, and the promotion of responsible vacation rental ownership and management. Our goal is to demonstrate that tourism and residential harmony in Estes Park can be achieved through thoughtful policies and exemplary practices. We value:
Coexistence
We believe that through the implementation of intelligent policies and best practices, tourism and residents in Estes Park can harmoniously coexist.
Research and data
We rely on rigorous research, open data, and a commitment to evidence-based decision-making as the foundation for effective policy development.
Bridging Divides
We work diligently to bridge the gap between local citizens and the vacation rental community, addressing concerns and dispelling misconceptions.
Collaboration
We believe in the power of collaboration, forging partnerships and alliances to create mutually beneficial solutions.
Economic Contribution
We recognize the vital economic role played by vacation rentals in supporting the Estes Valley community, providing essential economic drivers.
Community Enhancement
Ultimately, we believe that vacation rentals add more to the community than they detract and seek to change the perception of their role in Estes Park.
Preservation
We are deeply committed to preserving Estes Park’s rich history of vacation rentals, ensuring that this tradition endures for generations to come.
Meet the board
Jane Livingston
President
Austen Bierl
Board Member
Andy Graham
Board Member
Julie Reichle
Board Member
Becky Robbins
Board Member
YOUR NAME HERE
Future Board Member
EVSTRA is accepting applications for future board members. If you share our passion for responsible vacation rental ownership and management in Estes Park, and if you are dedicated to preserving our community’s heritage, we invite you to join us.
As a board member, you’ll have the opportunity to actively contribute to our mission, working alongside a diverse and passionate team. Your insights, expertise, and commitment will help shape the future of vacation rentals in Estes Park and ensure that they continue to benefit our community.
If you’re interested in being part of this organization, we encourage you to apply. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in Estes Park’s vacation rental landscape. Join us in creating a sustainable and harmonious future for our community.
Apply to join the board, volunteer, or request more information
GET TO KNOW SHORT-TERM RENTALS
Short-term rentals are not Airbnb or a faceless corporation. Short-term rental hosts are faces you know: your family, your friends, the people in line with you at Safeway.
Short-Term Rental Operators
MISCONCEPTION: Short-term rentals are owned or managed by Airbnb, Vrbo, and other booking platforms.
REALITY: Airbnb, Vrbo, and similar platforms act as intermediaries, connecting guests with hosts. They do not own or manage any properties under local regulations. Short-term rentals (STRs) are owned and operated by individuals in our community. Consequently, regulations determined by city councils directly impact the livelihoods of these community members, not Airbnb and similar platforms.
MISCONCEPTION: Short-term rental owners are out-of-town investors or corporate developers.
REALITY: Most short-term rental owners are local residents who rent their homes to earn extra income, enabling them to maintain their homes, support their children’s education, save for retirement, and cover various life expenses.
Shared Community Economic Benefit
MISCONCEPTION: STRs aren’t taxed, giving them an unfair advantage over hotels.
REALITY: Short-term rentals in Estes Park collect and pay the same tax as local hotels.
MISCONCEPTION: Short-term rentals cause affordable housing problems.
REALITY: A recent Oxford Economics study found that nationally, short-term rentals account for a fractional .2 percentage point of the 4.3 per cent increase in real rents over the course of the last four years.
Affordable housing problems are caused by a disparity between wages and real estate market factors.
On the contrary, renting short-term helps local homeowners supplement their mortgages to be able to keep their homes.
MISCONCEPTION: Short-term rentals do not contribute to the local tourism economy.
REALITY: Short-term rentals play a crucial role in attracting visitors and boosting the economy in Estes Park. Studies show that one-third of travelers are less likely to visit a destination without short-term rental options. These rentals offer an economical choice for guests needing extra space or amenities like kitchens. Moreover, they keep tourism spending within our community, benefitting local businesses beyond the typical hotel zones.
MISCONCEPTION: Short-term rentals do not create or support local jobs.
REALITY: Short-term rentals depend on local services such as housekeepers, landscapers, maintenance technicians, pest control experts, property managers, and other specialists. Studies indicate that for each new short-term rental, four fractional jobs are generated.
Short-Term Rental Guests
MISCONCEPTION: Short-term rental guests destroy the fabric of neighborhoods.
REALITY: The average short-term rental guest is a 50-year-old woman traveling with a family of four. (1)
MISCONCEPTION: Short-term rental guests are noisier than residents.
REALITY: There is no evidence short-term rental guests are louder than long-term occupants. In fact, short-term rental guests were found to be quieter than long-term occupants 4 out of 7 days a week. (3)
Sources:
1. Vrbo 2. AirDNA 3. NoiseAware Study 4. Airbnb
Become a Member
The Estes Valley STRA is a membership organization. Owners, hosts, local businesses, and other affiliates are invited to join. Your membership will support our efforts to safeguard local vacation rentals, and members get access to exclusive benefits!
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