Letter to the editor: Short-term rentals damaging

What is it like to use a short-term rental? Simple. You look for a mega corporation site (VRBO or Airbnb or similar – one that advertises units in a location you wish to visit and then sign up for a rental of choice. (They are usually expensive once all the charges are added in, which doesn’t happen till the final page of your agreement.)

Financial advisors suggest that people “put their money to work” by buying property in a place where said client might want to hang out. Easy money for the owner, they say. A contract is signed with AIRBNB or VRBO etc., which then sets up the contract, the cleaning people, the advice for the owners – and the contract restrictions. (In La Conner there are a couple places that are legally permitted bed and breakfasts that use the corporate entities to advertise –which is fine.)

The last place we stayed at was so darn cute. We could imagine living there. We could imagine a family in the darling little home. There was a whole street of the little homes. We felt that they loved us. They left a bottle of wine. Snacks, soap for the washing machine. Menus. Why, these owners must be Super Hosts! (a real thing) (and they were)

What’s the problem?

A family was displaced. The school population decreased. Low income housing evaporated. The schools lost population. Hotels lost business.

In La Conner short term rentals are allowed in commercial zone only – primarily on Morris and First streets. The same places as hotels. Bed and breakfasts on the other hand are allowed in owner occupied residences in the residential zones.

Will the renters eat out? Possibly. So do residents. However, the kitchens are quite complete. Are the actual owners part of the community? No. In our example, the owners were permanently three states away. The unit runs on remote.

Do you want to live in a neighborhood where you have no idea who the neighbors are and where party houses are a possibility?

We don’t need to subsidize this investment tool.

Linda Talman

La Conner