The Biggest Mistake Operators Make Before New Regulations Hit with Dana Lubner
October 14, 2026
Dana Lubner, Director of Community Development at Rent Responsibly, joins Lynell Gordon on The Vacation Rental Show to explain why property managers need to build advocacy infrastructure before a regulatory crisis puts their businesses at risk. Drawing on her background in property management, advocacy, and leadership development, Dana shares how her own experience with regulatory uncertainty in Denver pushed her to become more involved in representing the STR community.
Dana explains why operators don't need to become policy experts to make a difference, how local and state associations can help monitor regulatory changes, and why every property manager should decide how they can contribute through their time, talent, or financial support.
Dana Lubner believes short-term rental operators need to think about advocacy before a regulatory crisis forces them to. In this episode, she and Lynell Gordon discuss why regulatory risk deserves a place alongside the other risks property managers already manage. Dana shares how her own advocacy journey began after seeing STR hosts arrested in Denver and realizing that operators needed to organize, represent themselves professionally, and build relationships with the people making decisions about their businesses.
For operators who don't have time to become policy experts, Dana recommends finding a level of involvement they can realistically maintain. That could mean assigning someone on the team to community engagement, joining a local or state association, contributing a few hours each month, or supporting advocacy financially. She also explains why operators managing across multiple jurisdictions benefit from associations that already have systems in place to monitor local agendas and regulatory changes.
The larger message is that sustainable advocacy requires infrastructure. Dana explains why volunteer-led organizations can struggle with burnout and why associations need year-round funding and professional support instead of scrambling for resources when a crisis appears. For operators wondering where to begin, she offers three questions: Who's watching? Who's at the table? And how am I supporting them?
What you'll learn:
- Why Dana believes operators should build advocacy infrastructure before a regulatory crisis hits
- How her experience with regulatory uncertainty in Denver shaped her approach to STR advocacy
- How property managers can choose a level of advocacy involvement they can realistically sustain
- Why doing nothing can be one of the biggest mistakes when new STR regulations are proposed
- How local and state associations can help operators monitor regulatory changes across multiple markets
- Why relationships with policymakers should be built before operators urgently need them
- Why volunteer-led advocacy organizations need sustainable funding and professional support
- How operators can contribute through their time, talent, relationships, voice, or financial support
About Dana Lubner: Dana Lubner is Director of Community Development at Rent Responsibly, where she works with short-term rental operators and local alliances to strengthen their communities and representation. Her career in the vacation rental industry began in property management, which led to her work in STR advocacy and civic engagement. Before becoming Director of Community Development in 2023, Dana served as Rent Responsibly's Head of Advocacy and later Head of Leadership Development. She is also President of Denver's STR alliance, Mile High Hosts, and has experience helping launch and support short-term rental associations. Her work focuses on helping operators organize, develop sustainable advocacy infrastructure, and build relationships within the communities where they operate.
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