Case Study

How Breckenridge, CO Ensures Tax & Licensing Compliance

Town employs software to automate licensing and compliance processes, enhancing efficiency and reducing administrative burdens.

Overview

Nestled in the Colorado Rockies, Breckenridge is a picturesque town renowned for its ski resorts, charming downtown, and vibrant local community. With a population of around 5,000 residents, Breckenridge is a hotspot for tourists, leading to a significant number of short-term rentals (STRs).

By late 2021, the Town had issued over 4,200 STR licenses, representing over 50% of its 8,000 total residential units. With this rapid growth of STRs, challenges naturally followed, including ensuring compliance with licensing and tax regulations. This influx of STRs also created a significant administrative burden for the Town’s small staff.

The Town’s initial approach relied on manual, labor-intensive processes that were prone to errors and inefficiencies. These outdated methods made it difficult to manage the growing number of licenses effectively. To address these issues, Breckenridge sought a streamlined, automated solution, leading them to partner with GovOS for a comprehensive software platform.

The new system promised to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and overall management of short-term rental licenses.

Breckenridge, CO

”I can see where the active and inactive licenses and accounts are, separated by map zones within the GovOS system. This makes it very easy to sort through the data and create something that's easy to look at and compare year over year. The report itself has a whole range of customizable features that are very user-friendly, allowing me to select which columns I need and which I don't. This has been incredibly helpful.”

Bela Del Valle
Accommodations Compliance Program Manager

GovOS Suites

Licensing & Registration, Tax & Compliance

Population

~5,000

Agency Type

Town

Region

West

Customer Results

97%
of all STR payments are made online

4,200
STR licenses managed and renewed

<20
non-renewed licenses needed follow-up

The Need

Breckenridge faced significant challenges with the proliferation of STRs, which impacted the quality of life for residents due to increased noise, trash, and parking issues. Managing over 4,200 licenses with a small team was daunting. The Town’s process involved multiple disparate systems, manual mail merges, and extensive data entry, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of confidence in data accuracy.

Bela Del Valle, Accommodations Compliance Program Manager for Breckenridge, who joined the Town in November 2020, described how the previous processes were incredibly time-consuming.

“I would go into our financial software and, based on manual parameters, create a weekly report for new applications. These applications were collected on paper in person before the pandemic shutdown and later via email in various formats—some were scanned, some were photographed, and some were simple requests,” Del Valle explained. “The data went through multiple Excel spreadsheets, templates, and calculations. We had to create a mail merge, and I manually billed each license into the system. The process, while well-intentioned, left a lot of room for human error, especially for someone new to the job.”

The need for a streamlined process became evident as the Town sought to ensure all STRs were licensed and compliant with local regulations.

The Solution

Breckenridge implemented the GovOS integrated STR software solution, which automated the entire licensing and tax compliance process. The system provided end-to-end online registration, renewal, and payment workflows. Notifications and workflows were automated, significantly reducing the administrative burden and improving compliance tracking.

“We went live with GovOS in early October 2021 and as we changed our rules and anticipated limitations on licenses, our process also changed and became more streamlined,” said Del Valle. “We now ask applicants to fill out a short form on our website with their contact information and property details. Once we verify this information, we send them an invitation from GovOS to register in the software.”

This invitation includes automatic notifications, allowing Breckenridge to follow up and see when it’s opened—a significant improvement over paper or registered mail. The applicant receives instructions on how to register, connect to their property, and complete the application steps.

“Everything is time-stamped and logged, so we know who has done what and when. This process enables clients to pay immediately via credit card or electronic check,” said Del Valle. “We receive immediate notifications for all transactions and communications, integrating property and geographic information, transaction details, and reporting tools into one suite. This has significantly improved our workflow and efficiency.”

The Results

Improved User Experience

The new system made it much easier for property owners to navigate licensing requirements and ensure compliance, reducing confusion and the amount of effort required.

Accurate Reporting

The ability to generate quick, customizable reports significantly improved data accuracy and transparency, providing better insights and decision-making.

Improved Compliance

The implementation led to increased licensing compliance rates and more accurate tax collection, streamlining the enforcement process.

Breckenridge, CO

”It's very beneficial to have customized compliance settings so both we and the business owner know exactly why they are out of compliance when reviewing their status. Now that we have this data, we can clearly see where each property stands—who is in compliance, who is out of compliance, and why.”

Bela Del Valle
Accommodations Compliance Program Manager

For more information about GovOS solutions, visit govos.com/solutions/

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