Letter: Resident says she supports Measure N to see more neighbors and residents

I'm considering petitioning to rename my road "Diana Ave". For three full blocks, I am one of only two occupied houses on my street, and the only homeowner. When I sit on the front porch of my charming little A-frame, most of the people who wave at me are either visitors or bears. That’s why I’m a vocal proponent for Yes on Measure N; I am a local who wants vibrant neighborhoods and affordable housing. 

I began skiing at two years old. When I was a little girl, we visited my grandmother near Aspen, who moved there to her quaint A-frame in the early 1950s when she fell in love with the mountains. As I grew up, she repeatedly moved “down valley”, priced out by the exploding cost of residency in that area. These days, the median home price in Aspen is a staggering $12 million. The town is now shorthand for a playground for the ultra-wealthy.

The median home price in South Lake Tahoe, in only five years, has risen from $450,000 to $700,000. This is great if you already own a second home here, visit occasionally, and see that property as a growing asset. But if you live here, have friends here, raise a family here, and try to make ends meet? It’s a painful reminder that Tahoe is rapidly becoming a luxury resort town, unaffordable to the very people who keep the town running and vibrant.

Aspen and Jackson Hole are both well known for businesses that cannot hire employees, and residents forced to move or live in cars when they can’t find housing. Do we want to put ourselves in this list of locations? Neighbors are essential to year-round living in Tahoe; we check on each other’s pipes during a deep freeze, help plow driveways, and watch each other’s kids and pets. They’re also what keeps life here connected and lively, whether it’s listening to music with fellow families on Valhalla’s lawns or recognizing friends on trails or in lift lines. 

It makes perfect sense that the National and California Association of Realtors has come out against the Vacancy Tax - their income is directly tied to high home prices. But for most of us, these increases hurt; I rent out my downstairs bedroom to make ends meet. I worked hard to afford my home, but then again, so do my friends and neighbors who rent. It's hard to say goodbye to friends who are unable to afford to become permanent residents. I understand we need space for everyone: residents and visitors, locals and seasonal workers, renters and homeowners. 

This measure is intended to increase occupancy and support SLT services. I urge you to vote Yes on Measure N to help create simple incentives that keep South Lake Tahoe a town that works for everyone, not just the people who vacation at their second (or third) home. 

- Diana Rosenberg


Diana Rosenberg is a local homeowner who manages environmental sustainability for major corporations. She also helps manage a local business and is on the board of a local nonprofit.