New poll: Michiganders are strong advocates for home sharing

A recent poll conducted by Abacus Data showcases that Michiganders are overwhelmingly in favor of home sharing and want proportionate rules that allow people to share their homes and make tax simpler.

The new data indicates Michiganders desire for clear state-wide rules for short-term rentals, their widely-held disapproval of local bans and neighborhood bans, and strong belief that local governments should be limited to licensing as long as taxes are being paid. Hosting empowers local residents across Michigan to earn extra income, provides affordable accommodation options for travelers, spreads tourism to rural parts of the state and helps support local businesses. By the end of 2021, Hosts in Michigan collectively earned over $250 million, with the typical Host earning over $14,000 in supplemental income over the year.

“Black families have for generations used short term rentals as a means to supplement income and make home ownership that would otherwise be unaffordable a real option. We need more creative ways to make homeownership a reality, short-term rentals can be that solution for people.”

-State Senator Adam Hollier

“These results do not surprise me. They show that Michiganders believe in fairness and balance; the right of fellow citizens to use their property as they choose, as long as they get licensed and make sure the taxes are paid.“

– Michigan State Representative Graham Filler

“People will follow fair short-term rental rules, and Hosts contribute to the area by creating a positive experience for visitors who spend money in restaurants and shops. That’s a key part of the local economy.”

Brian, Host in Ludington, MI. 

“Picking winners and losers through zoning or simply eliminating this important right by ban is a short-sighted approach to address a new economy. Local governments should embrace short-term rentals and create a safe and workable framework for the practice in their community.”

-2022 Michigan Realtors® President Jamie Iodice

Michigander Survey Highlights¹:

Since our founding, the Airbnb platform has helped cities use existing space to scale accommodations and absorb influxes of visitors, all while creating important economic opportunities for Hosts and local small businesses. This includes extending those opportunities to neighborhoods that are outside of traditional city centers and have not traditionally benefited from the tourism economy.

“This data shows what we know to be true: Michiganders support the freedom for community members to offer short-term rental opportunities. In order to make sure Michigan is able to compete in a 21st century economy and attract high-skilled workers who might work remotely, we encourage the legislature to act now and keep Michigan an attractive place for tech workers.”

-Tyler Diers, Executive Director, Midwest at TechNet. 

At Airbnb, we’re seeing firsthand how the spread of travel and tourism is helping rural communities:  In 2021, domestic nights booked by US guests for stays in rural areas grew over 100 percent compared to 2019, while Hosts in rural counties in the US earned over $3.5 billion over the year. In 2021, Hosts in Grand Traverse alone collectively earned $24 million, and nearly 6,000 Hosts in rural counties across Michigan earned a total of approximately $150 million². In fact, almost 40 percent of surveyed guests to Michigan would not have visited the neighborhood they stayed in if they did not book through Airbnb³.

As travel continues to spread into new areas of Michigan, we are helping to keep the important economic impact created by stays on our platform in these very communities. Thirty cities and towns in Michigan received their first-ever Airbnb guests since the pandemic started. 

Beyond Host income, tourism taxes are key revenue-generating mechanisms for jurisdictions across the country. In recent years, these taxes have become even more important as cities and towns have looked to not only recover from the financial impact of the pandemic but also embrace the opportunity of a fundamental shift in travel that has brought guests to thousands more communities around the world. Last year, this led to the collection and remittance of over $16 million in tourism taxes in Michigan.