(Editor’s Note: Jim Floraday responds to comments that Kelly Clark, candidate for Township Supervisor, made on the NextDoor app here, in response to Jim’s opinion piece posted yesterday. “The answer is No,” writes Kelly, in response to Jim’s note about short-term rentals on the Old Mission Peninsula: “Will it be a haven for investors who swoop in and purchase homes once the short-term rental ordinance is changed? Investors who have no desire to maintain their property and have no need to follow ordinances, who simply want the exorbitant short-term rents?” Read on for Jim’s thoughts below, including a document he assembled on the impact of STRs on communities, which made it into the hands of the committee working on House Bill 5438. -jb)
I appreciate Kelly Clark answering my “fear inducing opinions.” While I did provide specific geographical locations in my summary … Outer Banks, Finger Lakes, Napa Valley and Foley Beach … Mr. Clark simply shares his opinion “no” on my concerns.
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Foley Beach was not something I pulled out of a hat. Indeed, Foley Beach was included in a document I assembled during the summer of 2023. At that time, the state legislative bodies were considering placing short-term rental (STR) responsibility under the wing of the state (HB4722 and SB880). That initiative was lobbied heavily by AirBnB and the Realtors Association.
In reading articles and talking to various individuals around the state, I felt that no one had a handle of the impact STRs were having on communities. After extensive research, I composed a document summarizing studies, newspaper articles and data related to the negative impact on communities. I then forwarded the document to organizations and individuals opposing the bills, with a request to push the document into the hands of the legislatures. Fortunately, this document made it into the hands of decision makers, and the bills never passed.
In April 2024, I was contacted by the committee working on a new STR bill, HB 5438, which suggested leaving control of STRs in the hands of the local communities. The committee wanted to attach my document, as an addendum, to HB 5438, and needed an original copy. Read my document here.
I don’t expect everyone to read it; however, if you want your eyes opened and need concrete information regarding my fear, then please take the time to read it. As you will see, my fear is substantiated.
Neither Mr. Clark nor I have a crystal ball to accurately predict the future of the Old Mission Peninsula, but that future is uncertain if certain events occur, similar to the specific examples I included in the document on STRs. Being that the document is so large and that I think your time is better spent reading that document than my rebuttals to Mr. Clark’s other concerns.
I will leave you with one final thought … Who is providing you with actual data verses their opinion?
-Jim Floraday
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