Northwest Houston Works Forum – The Sharing Economy Explored

HOUSTON, TX -- April Mims, senior public policy manager at Lyft, the popular ridesharing company, is one of the speakers at Northwest Houston Works! Economic Outlook Forum on March 31 at Southwestern Energy hosted by Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

She will share her expertise on the current landscape of the ridesharing business and cover the regulatory issues that surround companies like Lyft and Uber in the age of the sharing economy.

“Growth in our state does not stop at the city limits and neither should ridesharing policy. Ridesharing provides safe, affordable and reliable rides for Texans and we should be promoting a regulation that encourages connectivity across our cities and helps the industry flourish throughout the state,” Mims remarked.

Texas cities are known for inconsistent regulations, particularly with Lyft and Uber, which create real challenges for a connected transportation eco-system. The Texas legislature is considering a statewide ridesharing regulation to encourage cities to innovate while nurturing this industry with consistent and predictable regulations.

Companies like HomeAway and Airbnb, which offer accommodation-sharing marketplaces, encounter a variety of challenges. They are perceived to compete with local hotels while bypassing the hotel occupancy tax which funds local sports venues, and convention and visitor programs.

“The Super Bowl LI was a good example of how these home-sharing marketplaces can quickly meet the needs of tourists,” explains Barbara Thomason, chamber president. “While we celebrate the emergence of innovative business, we are concerned that they carry their fair share of the tax burden, which we hope is not too great of a burden.”

Photo Courtesy of Houston Northwest Chamber