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The city of La Quinta, California, has experienced a recent boom in tourism that drove a sharp increase in short-term rentals. As noise complaints escalated and the relations between the community and tourists soured, the city launched a three-month pilot program to monitor noise and occupancy using Minut and other devices. Minut data showed that 83% of noise events were resolved in 20 minutes or less, drastically reducing the number of noise complaints the city received. Plus, its events log offered proof to corroborate the claims, helping the city gauge the real extent of the problem.
Known as the ‘gem of the desert,’ La Quinta is a city in the Coachella Valley in California. With 32 square miles of land and water, it has a permanent population of more than 39,000 inhabitants and over 16,000 households. It is a popular tourist destination with 25 golf courses, 16 parks, and several miles of biking and hiking trails.
La Quinta has seen a rapid increase in local tourism in recent years, which has led to a sharp rise in short-term rentals. Complaints grew quickly as more tourists stayed in La Quinta, and relations between locals and visitors deteriorated. Local authorities decided to temporarily ban the listing of new short-term rentals and investigate how they could curb the most common complaint from neighbors: excessive noise.
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La Quinta launched a three-month noise monitoring pilot program to understand how noise monitoring devices could help it reduce complaints. As part of the trial, it installed Minut in 25 short-term rentals.
Minut data revealed that 83% of noise events had been resolved in 20 minutes or less. Minut’s real-time alerts, which notify hosts and guests when noise thresholds have been exceeded for a set period, were vital in driving this result.
La Quinta’s pilot program also highlighted Minut’s ease of set-up, with 92% of participants saying it was easy to install and 76% noting it was straightforward to use.
of noise events resolved in 20 minutes or less
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of participants found Minut easy to set up
With the increase in noise complaints that came with the boost in tourism, La Quinta wanted a solution to help it separate genuine claims from false or incorrect ones. This was the only way it could ultimately assess the extent of the problem short-term vacation rentals posed to the local community.
La Quinta experienced a sharp drop in noise complaints during the three-month pilot program, as most issues were resolved before escalation. Not only did Minut reduce the number of noise complaints in the first place— four were filed—but Minut also proved that three of these complaints were false. Minut’s log of events confirmed that excessive noise did not occur, as did the responder who checked on the nuisance reports. The City concluded that its staff could quickly determine whether a complaint was substantiated by checking Minut data.
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La Quinta plans to keep Minut on its list of trusted solutions to address potential issues stemming from short-term rentals in the future. With features such as occupancy and cigarette smoke monitoring, Minut can help La Quinta keep vacation rentals under control and ensure peaceful relations between residents and the community.
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