||| FROM OREGON LIVE ||| REPRINT AT REQUEST OF A READER
Lincoln County residents voted Tuesday to phase out vacation rentals in the coastal county’s unincorporated residential areas.
Voters approved Measure 21-203 by a wide margin in preliminary results, with 58% voting yes. The hot-button issue drew 44% voter turnout in the county, one of the highest turnout rates in the state for the off-year election.
The measure, an initiative petition brought to the ballot by a coalition of neighborhood groups, would phase out short-term rentals in residential areas of unincorporated Lincoln County over five years and halt immediately the issue of new licenses. Vacation rental rules within the boundaries of Newport, Lincoln City and other incorporated cities would not be affected.
Boosted by online booking platforms and turnkey property managers, the proliferation of vacation rentals on the coast has resulted in complaints from neighbors about trash, noise, illegal parking and other nuisances. But the conversion of rental homes to vacation rentals has also made the community less affordable for its permanent residents, proponents of the measure said.
Opponents say that’s not the fault of vacation rentals, citing industry studies, and say vacation rentals are a boon to the local economies overall.
READ FULL ARTICLE: www.oregonlive.com/business/2021/11/oregon-coasts-lincoln-county-votes-to-restrict-vacation-rentals.html
ALSO SEE: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5012&Initiative=false&Year=2021
From reading the full article, Lincoln County sounds a lot like San Juan County. Maybe we need to have a similar ballot initiative in 2022.
Does anyone know what the likelihood is of SB5012 passing? And, if does pass, is this something San Juan County is considering?
I can honestly say that Orcas Island has a housing problem if you consider that probably a quarter of Washington would like to live here. Most of those people would like to work from home or retire. Over 78, long-term rentals have been matched since January of 2020 through one island Facebook group. That number does not include April’s Grove, the Long House, OPAL, Lavender Hollow, or Craig’s List, or rentals managed by Cherie L Lindhome Real Estate. We have a number of young people who want rentals that allow pets. If anyone would be willing to rent a guest house or a room to a single or couple with a dog or cat or both… Please let me know. As for vacation rentals, I only know of a few that used to be long-term rentals recently. The people with good credit, good references, and yes, fewer pets… Find rentals quite easily. A two bedroom newly refinished rental set empty for 3 months. We do have rentals pop up… Most landlords prefer to use word of mouth than listing publicly because they do want to choose tenants with good references. We need more people willing to move to the island that are willing to work not retire. Anyone thinking of renting their home or guest house should contact Karen Speck at Cherie L Lindhome Real Estate. I welcome conversation at wendyshinstine@gmail.com