Disability advocate, Conway native, and Hendrix College graduate Lorraine Berry Woodward is the creator of Becoming rentABLE: a 2021 start-up television and social media platform dedicated to advocating for and creating accessible short-term rental properties across the United States. Created with the intent of generating awareness of what makes a short-term rental property fully accessible, this platform aims to bring awareness to the barriers that impede people of varying abilities from enjoying and using a short-term rental property, and resolving those issues for short-term rental property owners. Becoming rentABLE aims to start a new wave of accessibility in the travel and tourism industry by increasing the number of accessible short-term rental properties across the nation.
With the current limited availability of fully accessible short-term rental properties across our nation, Becoming rentABLE’s primary goal is to show renovations of short-term rental properties which will be exemplary in their use of accessibility features welcoming a wide variety of people, including those with lifelong disabilities, people experiencing temporary disabilities, or any others who would enjoy accommodations in their travel stays.
Additionally, Becoming rentABLE intends to educate the general public about what makes an accessible property truly accessible for all. The show will take viewers through the renovation, construction and final evolution of accessible short-term rental properties while highlighting what makes them fully accessible.
Becoming rentABLE’s first soon-to-be industry leading fully accessible short-term rental property is currently under renovation in Conway, Arkansas. Conway natives Marianne Berry and Lorraine Berry Woodward purchased a cottage property located in Arkansas’ Faulkner County with the idea that it would become the first fully wheelchair accessible short-term rental property in Conway and in the state of Arkansas. More than just having an entry ramp and wheelchair accessible bathroom, the property will have multiple accessibility features to accommodate all tasks of daily living. Conway’s Storybook Homes is the contractor designing and renovating the property.
The property renovation in Conway is personal to Woodward, as she has not been able to come back to her hometown since graduating college due to a worsening disability and the lack of accessible short-term rental options. “I need more than a standard wheelchair accessible hotel room,” says Woodward, “and nothing more was available in a short term rental.” This is something Woodward feels resonates with millions of people across the Nation. “That’s why I’ve started Becoming rentABLE. I intend for this show to be a source of inspiration and a solution to remedy this issue. People deserve to live their best lives, and that includes people with disabilities while traveling.”
Becoming rentABLE is currently in its pilot stage with episodes 1 and 2 featuring a beach home in Carolina Beach, NC. The Conway cottage property renovation will comprise episodes 3 and 4. Future episodes are scheduled for properties in: Knoxville, TN; Raleigh, NC; and Asheville, NC. Becoming rentABLE is working with national disability organizations, including Easterseals and its affiliates in order to engage their constituents in the distribution of surveys and participation in focus groups. Becoming rentABLE has the commitment of Easterseals to promote Becoming rentABLE through their national social media channels and on its national website. “We are excited to be a part of Becoming rentABLE.” Ron Ekstrand, CEO of Easterseals Arkansas, said about the initiative. “Lorraine Woodward shares the vision of Easterseals in providing full equity, inclusion, and access for people with disabilities, their families, and the greater community in all aspects of society including travel, vacations, and short-term rental properties.”
