Letter: Vacation rentals can work in South Lake Tahoe - No on T

As a full-time resident of South Lake Tahoe for the better part of 20 years, I write today to share why I am voting No on Ballot Measure T this November - a measure to ban vacation rentals within the city limits.

I love this community which is why I have chosen to lay down roots and invest here. With the career opportunities the vacation rental industry has afforded me, I have been able to stop working multiple jobs to makes ends meet for the first time in 20 years of living here. I was able to purchase my first house and aspire to buy a second home to long term rent to others who choose to make South Lake Tahoe home.

We have always relied on tourism to sustain our economy and families are now choosing to stay in vacation rental houses. I understand that vacation rentals bring over $3 million in tax revenue and over $100 million in business transactions. If we essentially eliminate vacation home rentals, families will go elsewhere. Can we afford to risk that? For the livelihood of this community, we need to give this industry a chance. We need to give the rules that have been put in place a chance to work and adjust as needed.

Lastly, I know first-hand that people, especially young people, in this town need affordable places to live. The housing crisis is a nation-wide epidemic and our town is not immune. It is a fallacy, however, to say that banning vacation rentals will suddenly create the affordable housing that people need most. Do we need to address the housing crisis in Tahoe? Absolutely. Will that affordable housing be coming from high end vacation rentals? It just won’t. Instead I would love to see part of the TOT revenue from vacation homes go towards addressing the issue of affordable housing in South Lake Tahoe.

Sincerely,
Lauren Gresh
South Lake Tahoe