VHR Issue

Letter: The City is responsible for the VHR mess

Dear Editor: In the scenic city of South Lake Tahoe, vacation home rentals (VHRs) have long been a source of controversy among residents. Many argue that these rentals disrupt the peace and quiet of neighborhoods, drive up housing prices, and strain city resources. To address these concerns, voters in South Lake Tahoe decided to ban VHRs in residential neighborhoods in November 2018.

Opinion: When is a VHR not a VHR?

One would think it would be easy to answer this question. However, recently I found that a structure recently completed and to be advertise for rental was approved as a VHR even before its construction which allows 30 occupants, parking for 23 cars and has 13 bedrooms. This property is in a residentially zoned neighborhood outside the "casino core" area.

It is no wonder that residents are becoming more concerned about VHRs. It seems more and more that VHR stands for Vacation Hotel Rental versus Vacation Home Rental.

City of South Lake Tahoe newsletter: At Lake Level

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - City Manager Frank Rush writes a community monthly newsletter and shares it on South Tahoe Now. The following is the May 1, 2019 edition:

Sign Up for the Brand New City Newsletter

City unveils monthly newseltter to keep public informed

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The City of South Lake Tahoe has launched its new
newsletter - "At Lake Level." The monthly newsletter is written by City Manager Frank Rush and prepared by Communications Manager Chris Fiore in an effort to keep the community well informed about City issues and initiatives.

New Leadership

Letter: Is Measure T Really Too Extreme?

I am surprised that some people call Measure T “too extreme,” when the measure a) still allows fulltime residents to rent out their houses for 30 days per year, b) promotes the development and expansion of VHRs in areas properly zoned as commercial or part of the Tourist Core.

Do you know what is really “too extreme”?

• Local businesses struggling to fill open positions because their employees can’t find long-term housing in Tahoe.

Progress For Tahoe endorses David, Middlebrook, Wallace, Novasel, Morse and No on T

Progress for Tahoe, a grassroots group of concerned local citizens who gathered together to address the most pressing issues in Tahoe, have endorsed the following for South Lake Tahoe City Council, Measure T, El Dorado County Supervisors and U.S. Representative California District 4:

South Lake Tahoe City Council – Wendy David, Devin Middlebrook and Tamara Wallace

Meet the Candidate: Austin Sass says experience is key to serving community

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, current Councilman Austin Sass shares his thoughts in his quest for another term on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

Four vying for El Dorado County Supervisor, District 5

There are four people running for El Dorado County Supervisor for the 5th District on June 5: Incumbent Sue Novasel and challengers Kenny Curtzwiler, Norma Santiago and Jeffrey Spencer. The 5th District covers Pollock Pines to South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma.

South Tahoe Now asked each candidate the same questions, and here are all of their answers, exactly as they were presented to us.

Sue Novasel
Occupation: El Dorado County Supervisor – District V
Past political history:
2015 – Present: County Supervisor, District V

South Lake Tahoe community group attempts to get new initiative on the ballot

The "South Lake Tahoe Vacation Home Rentals Restrictions Initiative" may be added to the ballot in November should proponents get enough signatures to put it there.

Created by the Sustainable Community Alliance (SCA), a group in South Lake Tahoe, the initiative is giving voters another chance to voice their opinion about vacation home rentals (VHRs) and should be on the ballot along with another initiative that wants to ban VHRs.

Letter: A temporary VHR moratorium in the County is the answer

Editor,

We are a community divided. Even among the varying factions involved in the Vacation House Rental (VHR) issue [in El Dorado County], there is division and contention. There are those who want total bans, and those who want to buy up groups of houses to create VHR clusters. Some want to enjoy the financial benefits of renting their homes out to visitors, and others want the reassurance of a peaceful neighborhood again. We need to come together and find a solution to the problem that now plagues our neighborhoods and dominates the conversations over coffee.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

11/22

4:29 p.m. - DUI over .08 - Highway 50 - AN ENFORCEMENT STOP IN TAHOE BY A SHERIFF'S SERGEANT LED TO DUI ARREST OF 25-YEAR-OLD MALE BY THE CHP.

11/24

Sass Talk: Measure C, VHRs, Champions Plaza and more!

Its election time and the only local issue is Measure C; an increase of one-half percent in local sales tax (excludes groceries and prescriptions) for a term of 15 years to fund road rehabilitation. I voted YES to the measure because there is no long term funding solution within the current budget or the foreseeable future. And, our roads are in terrible shape.

Opinion: Who owns the 'All Year Playground?'

I read with great interest Mayor Sass’s recent editorial of how he and Wendy David have been living, sleeping, and eating the VHR issue for over 2 years. I internalized these words and reflected how we, as responsible vacation home rental managers, have been dealing with inept City Councils and City Management for over 12 years.

Sass Talk: Vacation rentals, cannabis and Martin Hollay

More than a few people have asked me if I was frustrated by this last city council meeting and the 6.5 hour discussion regarding the revised VHR (Vacation Home Rental) ordinance. I thought the City Manager's introduction on why we were looking at a revised ordinance and the staff presentation on the revisions were excellent and on point. At first I was a little confused about some of the council questions of staff but reminded myself that the VHR sub-committee made up of Mayor Pro Tem David and myself have been living, sleeping and eating the VHR issue for over two years.

Sass Talk: Sierra Boulevard, Roadwork, The Crossing, LimeBike and more

The city received some good news this week. We were successfully awarded $2.9 million in federal funds to complete all of the funding for the Sierra Blvd. Streetscape project-we are now 100% funded through construction. Kudos to Stan Hill with the City for his excellent grant application. Per Jim Marino, Asst.

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