Blog
Opening Doors: Turning Short-Term Rentals into Long-Term Homes
When Jennifer Hutchins decided to convert her short-term rental in the Village of Essex into a long-term home, she was responding to a growing concern she saw all around her: fewer and fewer places for local families and workers to live.
Like many property owners, Jen had used her lakeside home as a short-term rental for several seasons. While it brought in steady income, it also required constant attention. Managing a cleaning service, maintenance issues, and guest needs took time, even in the off-season. As more short-term rentals appeared in her community, she began to wonder where year-round residents would find housing.
When AdkAction launched the Long-Term Rental Catalyst Project in partnership with Adirondack Roots and LivingADK, Jen applied right away. The program provides financial incentives and support to help property owners transition from short-term to long-term renting, strengthening the local housing supply and community stability.
Before finalizing the arrangement, Jen took time to get to know her prospective tenants, check references, and have in-depth conversations. Soon after they moved in, their new partnership faced an early stress test when an uninvited skunk “tenant” took up residence under the porch. Addressing the problem required teamwork, flexibility, and more than a little humor. Through it all, both landlord and tenants responded with patience, clear communication, and mutual respect, laying the groundwork for a strong, lasting partnership.
Today, Jen shares that long-term renting requires less day-to-day management while still providing a reliable income and better year-round care for her historic house. She finds that building strong relationships with tenants can make renting simpler, more stable, and more rewarding.
AdkAction created the Long-Term Rental Catalyst Project to test a simple but powerful idea: that converting existing short-term rentals is one of the fastest ways to expand housing options in Adirondack communities. This approach works alongside efforts such as land banks and housing rehabilitation to address the region’s housing crisis.
By learning directly from landlords and tenants, AdkAction continues to refine this model and share insights with partners across the region and beyond. Each successful conversion strengthens the case for practical, community-driven solutions.
Jen now says that if she can continue finding tenants like Sarah and Jason, she may never return to short-term renting. Her experience shows that property owners can find dependable renters, reduce daily workload, and play a meaningful role in keeping Adirondack communities vibrant and livable.
Putting Down Roots in the Adirondacks
For Sarah and Jason Gerhardt, finding Jen’s rental made it possible to return to the Adirondacks and begin building their future. After purchasing land in Westport to start a farm and build a home, they struggled to find long-term housing and began reaching out through short-term listings simply because so few other options were available. Stable, year-round housing has allowed them to fully invest in their community as farmers, professionals, and neighbors, demonstrating how access to long-term rentals helps working families put down roots and contribute to the places they call home.
This story appeared in AdkAction’s 2025 Annual Report. Read the full report here.