I am writing in support of Ordinance 86 passed recently by the Tillamook County Commissioners to collect a quarterly fee on short term rental owners to support workforce housing.
I am a short-term rental owner. I’ve lived in North County for over 40 years and during those years have started and worked at a number of community-based non-profits both as staff and volunteer. Similar to many I have also pieced together an income from various forms of self-employment. None of this work has provided anything for me to live on in these, my later years.
Thus the good income from the vacation rental I own is the bulk of my retirement income. And it does indeed take a house out of the reach of folks who live and work here. The data shows that this is true of other such vacation rentals.
While I don’t like the idea of paying an additional fee (and don’t look forward to the hassle of additional quarterly reporting), I do like the idea of a tax supporting housing for folks who live and work here. In fact, it is an issue I’ve long been passionately active on behalf of over the years. I’m pleased that the ordinance provides for 75% of the revenues to go towards housing. The other 25% goes to enhancing law enforcement necessitated by the visitors to our community. These visitors are a vital resource and their stays here are enhanced by the quality of our communities and our care for each other within our communities.
I am happy to do my share. And I hope other jurisdictions will do the same.
I thank the County Commissioners and the Housing Commission for their continuing efforts to ease challenges of housing shortages.
Lane deMoll
Nehalem, OR