In response to a request from a tourism consortium including the Summit Alliance of Vacation Rental Managers, the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA), and Expedia Group, RRC Associates conducted a study on the housing impacts and economic contributions of short-term rentals (STRs) to Summit County, Colorado. A partnership with the Business Research Division at the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business further assisted RRC’s work.

The research aimed to answer key questions with clear, quantifiable data. Examples of questions answered by RRC’s research were “to what extent are STRs impacting Summit County’s housing costs?” and “are STRs impacting the availability of housing for Summit County residents?”. Work also examined the broader role STRs play in the county’s economy. Since many STRs in ski resort communities like Summit County double as vacation homes for part-time owners, the study highlighted the need for future research into how vacation homeownership as a whole contributes to workforce housing challenges. Together, RRC and the Business Research Division delivered findings that helped the tourism consortium and local residents better understand Summit County’s housing landscape and the influence STRs have within it.