Looking for advice on how to encourage HOAs to adopt Airbnb

[Erin Spradlin]

We have recently encouraged our HOA to adopt Airbnb as a benefit to the condo building. Our thought is that it can actually be more desirable for some buyers, and also that the HOA could take a cut (say 5-10%) of the profits. Does anyone have experience with an HOA doing this? Any suggestions for how to sell it?

[Ken Dillard]

I have a couple of thoughts:

1) Ground up - talk to neighbors and gauge what the interest is and if there are enough people interested the get the HOA to call a vote.

2) Some HOAs are small little pockets of power and will do only what is in there interests and if one board member refuses you are stuck. Giving the HOA a cut is a good idea but that money goes to the Association's use not the pockets of the "politicians". Could you offer to Host their properties and give the owner a cut or something to make it a benefit to the individuals?

I have a condo in a student area around UT Knoxville.  Virtually every unit is a NON-owner and we all rent to students.  In this situation more owners would see a benefit of AirBnb'ing the rooms during the summers as well.  If there were a lot of full time residents I could see a larger battle.