TheSquare expands leadership team with three hires. Reading Time: 2 minutes UK: Global serviced apartment provider TheSquare has expanded its leadership team with three appointments in its commercial and acquisition divisions. Mark Houston joins TheSquare as associate director, commercial operations. He brings more than 20 years of experience to the role, previously serving as director of sales and operations at Urban Chic and senior client programme manager at SilverDoor. At TheSquare, Houston will focus on enhancing business performance, operational efficiency, and customer experience across TheSquare and its MySquare owned and leased property portfolio. He will also lead the account support team which services travel management (TMC), relocation (RMC) and corporate clients. Eliana Lisuzzo will lead the development of TheSquare's luxury serviced apartment offering as senior commercial manager. She joins from Accor's luxury private home rental brand onefinestay, where she spent more than 3.5 years as regional sales director. Andrew Davis joins TheSquare as head of acquisitions, bringing experience in real estate growth, investment and operations across the serviced apartment, BTR, matched lease and on-demand rental accommodation sectors. Formerly head of UK real estate and general manager at Blueground, Davis will focus on growing TheSquare's core inventory in key markets. "Over the years, TheSquare has built a strong global foundation, and we are now focused on taking the business to the next level," said Sid Narang, CEO of TheSquare. "That means continuing to invest in the best industry talent, cutting edge technology across eCommerce, SaaS and AI to strengthen its offering and meet the evolving needs of its clients. "Mark, Andrew and Eliana each bring valuable industry experience and a fresh perspective to the business. I'm delighted to welcome them to the team as we continue to expand and enhance the accommodation solutions we provide." TheSquare has more than 500,000 vetted properties across 900 cities worldwide on its platform. Highlights: * Global serviced apartment provider TheSquare has expanded its leadership team with three appointments across its commercial operations, luxury, and real estate acquisitions divisions. * Mark Houston joins as associate director of commercial operations to lead operational efficiency and oversee account management teams for corporate, travel, and relocation clients. * Eliana Lisuzzo joins from Accor brand onefinestay as senior commercial manager to oversee the strategic development of TheSquare's luxury serviced apartment offering. * Former Blueground general manager Andrew Davis joins as head of acquisitions to drive real estate growth and expand core portfolio inventory in key global markets.

Los Angeles accused rental startup Blueground of price gouging following the city’s wildfires.City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office filed a civil action against the company, alleging it drove up the prices of its rentals by more than 10% and up to more than 50% in some cases, in violation of Los Angeles’ anti-gouging law, according to a Tuesday (Feb. 4) press release. The law is automatically triggered when the city declares a state of emergency during a natural disaster.“It is not only unconscionable for Blueground to take advantage of Angelenos when they are at their most vulnerable, it is illegal and must stop immediately,” Soto said in the release. “Our prosecutorial offices at the state, county and local levels are united in this effort to fight price gouging and hold accountable individuals and businesses who prey on our residents during this unprecedented emergency.”Several Blueground rental properties’ prices rose on or after the emergency was declared Jan. 7, per the release. For example, one apartment that had been advertised for $2,000 per month on Dec