airbnb

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Airbnb has responded to a letter written by local officials who asked for assistance in stopping short-term rentals (STR) during the current Stay at Home Order. From December 28 through January 1 the vacation home rental reservation platform said they are blocking guests from booking in Placer County, El Dorado County and the Town of Truckee.

It's a great thing to call for unity. It sounds good and feels good. But for far too long hollow calls for "working together" have become excuses for bulldozing over the needs of the people who live and work here in favor of the needs of the developers, resorts and casinos.

I chose the locals.

I choose to give a voice to those who are marginalized.

And if this seems like I’m causing trouble, then it is, as John Lewis called it, good trouble.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Wednesday, May 27, El Dorado County rescinded its nonessential travel ban into the Lake Tahoe Basin, just as it did when letting the County-specific Stay At Home order expire in April.

The messaging is confusing as local orders are lifted, and state orders are still in place.

The action by the County does not mean that travel into Lake Tahoe Basin is all of a sudden okay though.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It takes a tragedy to bring people together, no matter their politics, their income or twitter handle.

Many in the South Lake Tahoe and Meyers community remember where they were at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 24, 2007 and what happened in the days that followed. The Angora Fire quickly tore through neighborhoods, destroying 251 homes and burning 3,100 acres. While it seems small in comparison with the monster fires of 2017 and 2018, it took everything from so many local families.

The community came together to help their friends and neighbors.

This week provides another chance for South Lake Tahoe to shine as over 1100 people from over 35 countries will descend upon the city April 8-14, 2018 for the 43rd Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS), the largest and longest running annual gathering of mountain travel professionals in the world.

Meeting planners, tourism bureaus, executives from ski resorts and lodging properties and many more will take part in the symposium hosted by the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (LTVA), Heavenly Mountain Resort, Harrah's Lake Tahoe and Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel.

Short-term vacation rentals in the Sierra from Truckee to Bear Valley earned more money this winter and brought in more guests than in the past, according to a report released by Airbnb.

More than 185,000 visitors booked rooms or homes from Airbnb hosts during the 2016-17 winter, up 48 percent from last winter. Also on the rise were earnings by hosts, revealing the surge of short-term rentals that have put neighbors against neighbors, and had community leaders grappling with their impact on neighborhoods.

The vacation home rental (VHR) businesses in South Lake Tahoe have joined together in an effort to address, not only issues residents have with their homes, but to address their relationship with those who control and vote on their regulations.

"Our biggest fear is that the City has changed the intent of the ordinance without the council approval," said Josh Priou, Director of Product Development at Lake Tahoe Accommodations and a member of SLTVRA, South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rental Alliance.

All candidates for South Lake Tahoe City Council were given the same questions. With just one day to go to the elections, we will be featuring their answers and a video of their interview with Tahoe Regional Young Professionals through the day.

Brooke Laine, 52, Branch Manager, US Bank, Born and raised in SLT

Discuss your interest in serving on City Council. What is your prior experience in working with civic, community or governmental organizations?

Imagine getting a group of 19 of your closest friends together to rent a large and high end vacation home in South Lake Tahoe for a ski week over the holidays, just steps from Heavenly Mountain Resort. You've found the right place, and for $8,000 for the week, it's yours. The inside elevator will take you and all of your buddies up into three floors of bedrooms, a pool table, hot tub, chef's dream of a kitchen and several living rooms and fire places. You leave San Diego for the ten hour ride to Tahoe.

Affordable housing advocates say it would open up more housing and help reduce the city's skyrocketing housing prices.

Airbnb has spent more than $8 million and hired a top political operative to defeat a San Francisco initiative on the ballot Tuesday that could threaten the growth of one of the most valuable global technology companies.

Proposition F, which would limit short-term rentals, was brought by affordable housing advocates fed up with the city's housing stock being used as rentals for tourists while residents face skyrocketing rents and evictions.

In response to noise, trash and occupancy complaints, the City of South Lake Tahoe has adopted a new Vacation Home Rental Ordinance. The vote was 4-0 in favor since Councilman Tom Davis had to recuse himself since he is part owner of Tahoe Keys Resort.

An overflowing audience of South Lake Tahoe residents, home owners, vacation home owners, real estate agents, property managers, vacation rental companies, locals and city officials were on hand Tuesday night at the Vacation Home Rental (VHR) community workshop held in City Council chambers at the airport.

City Manager Nancy Kerry ran the meeting, giving everyone a chance to speak their opinion after a short presentation.