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How far would you be willing to drive for a place to relax and reset? For many people with disabilities and their families, that answer could range from hours to days. And while Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms boast a plethora of overnight lodging ops, a problem persists: They aren’t accessible to all.
Called to action by this need, Lorraine Woodward—a mother with muscular dystrophy whose two sons also have MD—has spent the last few years on a personally fueled mission to change this reality.
After locating a property at Carolina Beach in 2014, Woodward transitioned the home into an accessible short-term rental where more than 400 families, primarily including a person with disabilities, have since visited. “Traveling was really hard,” she reflects. “We couldn’t find anywhere that met our family’s needs—[until] we found our beach place.”
But the need persisted for more than one temporary inclusive oasis. … Enter Becoming rentABLE. Launched in 2021, the organization operates as a listing platform offering 1,000+ accessible short-term rentals that can be filtered depending on need—from cognitive to physical.
“We are the only global company taking on this task in the short-term rental industry,” explains the founder. “And we are the only company really pushing the needle forward in [terms of] expanding what it means to have accessible short-term housing.”
So, what qualifies a stay spot as accessible? It depends—there are a ream of aspects, from sensory (noise machines, muted color schemes, blackout curtains) to safety (secondary locks, anchored TVs, electrical outlet covers) that must be accounted for in each rental listed on the site. And it isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach—see the platform’s 43 individual accessibility mobility and 20 cognitive filters. Some lodging spots lean into wheelchair accessibility, while others might be better for those with Alzheimer’s or brain injury.
According to Woodward, there are ~1.5 million short-term rentals countrywide—with less than 1% deemed accessible. And with 24% of the population having a known disability—not to mention the aging boomer crowd—the need for inclusive lodging to accommodate myriad needs is expected to continue to skyrocket.
But Woodward isn’t stopping at homes. She’s also hard at work widening the inclusive nature of the travel industry, from teaming up with Expedia this spring to school the public to hosting an inclusion summit later this year. To boot, the locally owned North American-based platform has plans to go fully global by early 2025.
“It’s crazy this is where we are with accessible properties—because the need is enormous,” notes the changemaking Raleighite. But the accessible renting biz is certainly rising to the challenge. becomingrentable.com
INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES
- Marbles Kids Museum’s Family Fun Nights
- City of Raleigh Museum accessible tours
- Raleigh Little Theatre’s sensory-friendly performances
- Watch planes at the RDU Observation Deck.
- Laurel Hills Park/Sassafras All Children’s Playground (reopening spring 2024)
- The NC State Fair’s AccessABILITY Day
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