Rich Greene advocates for short term rentals

By James Windell

Rich Greene has always found himself in an advocacy position. Whether it was when he was in the Persian Gulf as a Navy Hospital Corpsman, as a special education teacher in Chicago working with the impoverished, or, currently, fighting for the rights of Short Term Rental owners.
“I’ve been lucky to gain a wealth of experience across various fields,” Rich Greene said in a recent interview. “My role as a Hospital Corpsman in the U.S. Navy during the Persian Gulf War would be one of the biggest influences in my life. It inspired in me a deep respect for discipline, compassion, and the defense of democratic values – all of which shaped my commitment to advocating for others.”
Even as a Special Education Vocational Instructor in Chicago, he was honing his skills as an advocate. “This role taught me to build coalitions, lead with empathy, and ensure that every community member’s voice is heard and respected,” he says. “It reinforced my commitment to social justice and equality, principles that guide me in every professional decision I make.”
As Advocacy and Development Director for Shores Vacation Rentals, which manages 68 STRs, he advocates for the rights of property owners, especially those who own Short Term Rental (STR) properties. He and his life partner, Amber Burger, had to take over Shores Vacation Rentals three years ago when family members were no longer able to run the business. Although Greene didn’t expect to take on the role of advocate, Amber and he saw a need for this.
“We kept hearing from STR organizations that we had to get into advocacy,” Greene says. “So, we created this role. It was decided that I had the background, I designed the position, and I’ve got the gift of gab.”
While he says he tries to look at both sides of the controversies that surround STRs, he says that he has come to believe that STR owners in South Haven have been “brutalized pretty badly by the city.”
He thinks that the rules are applied in an unjust manner and as an example he points to the effort to get a three-strike rule in an STR ordinance. “I brought this up with City Councilwoman Mary Hosely,” Greene says. “They were trying to put this three-strike rule in the ordinance, that any three violations within three years would result in their right to be an STR owner stripped. That would even include such things as a renter parking across a sidewalk. If there was a complaint about that, that would give that homeowner a strike, even if the renter was only parked that way briefly. There’s no rule like that for residents.”
Although many South Haven residents are opposed to the city allowing so many STRs, Green says that they should understand who STR renters are. “A lot of our renters are the same people every year,” he says. “They come back to the same house at the same time every year. They want to be a part of the community. They don’t want to be disruptive. They love the community. That’s why it’s so hurtful to watch them being villainized.”
Greene says he supported Hosley’s recommendations for an STR ordinance and he has been dismayed by the STR moratoriums imposed by the City Council. At a recent City Council meeting he threatened to file a lawsuit to force the city to rescind the latest moratorium and pass an STR ordinance.
“We met with our attorneys to discuss our options,” Greene says, “and we are currently waiting to see if the City can produce and pass an ordinance that is fair and balanced on February 17, 2025. If the City fails to move forward and continues the moratorium, we will look at all the legal options we were presented with and decide a path to take.” 
But he remains optimistic that the City Council can take the report from the STR workgroup that was appointed in January and pass a revised STR ordinance.
“It is unfortunate that they didn’t include anyone from the public that would be part of that workgroup,” Greene says. “I hope they have made meaningful changes.”
And he adds one more thing. “After they pass a fair and equitable STR ordinance, I really hope the City Council starts to focus on the things that really matter in South Haven. Things like creating affordable housing and developing sustainable jobs that pay a living wage for families so more people can afford to live here.”