||| FROM NIK SCHULZ |||


Dear County Council and San Juan County Community,

I’m writing in support of the Vacation Rental Permit moratorium.

I see harm by unfettered vacation rental permit issuance in these ways:

When a two-bedroom house can be rented for $2,000/month to long-term tenants or $4,500 to $7,500/month ($150–$250/night) to short-term vacationers, an incredible economic incentive to build vacation rentals over long-term housing is created. To enable this in a place where housing availability is so critically low that some businesses cannot run, or must curtail their operations due to lack of accommodation for their staff is, in my view, harmful to this community. (At the time of this writing there are no listings for rental housing available on Orcas on Craigslist, save for a spot to park an RV for $900/mo. Searching Airbnb for a vacation rental on Orcas brings up 300+ listings.)

When the average vacation rental property uses 45% more water on an annual basis, and 89% more water in July and August, than the average Orcas home, this, in my view, harms the community. (https://www.vacationrentalsorcas.org/s/Eastsound-Water-VR-Research.pdf, pg. 20)

When the economic incentive to feed an ever-increasing supply of short-term vacation rentals reduces the housing stock to such a degree that most people who want to buy a house to live in, participate, and contribute to our community are not able, this in my view, harms our community.

I urge you to uphold the Vacation Rental Moratorium in service of seeking a balanced, long-term solution to the vacation rental issue.


 

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