I would like to express that I do not support the Buncombe County short-term rental proposal to ban or add restrictions to STRs in the county. There are already zoning regulations in place, and further regulation of owners’ property rights in regard to STRs is not needed.
There seems to be a prevailing viewpoint that anyone who owns property, has an STR or has managed to acquire a rental unit or two is somehow “wealthy.” This is typically not the case. For many, STRs are part of a retirement plan, provide direly needed supplemental income or represent the sole source of household income. Many owners have worked their whole lives to achieve a basic level of income security by acquiring an interest in real estate.
Many STRs allow property owners to afford to keep their homes, whereas otherwise, mortgage payments, maintenance, taxes and insurance would force them to sell and possibly leave Buncombe County. For many, many people, STRs provide a critical way to supplement their income.
I strongly recommend that Buncombe County not change the rules around STRs.
— Jennifer Bleasdale
Asheville
Agree !
Jennifer is 100% correct. We should not be punished or restricted for being smart, and able to manage our lives in a way to be successful in creating a retirement plan! Between the greed of taking and all the legalities you force on the working people, you have nearly forced our hands to fight back! I’m sure within the payroll of OUR employees within the head of our city leaders we could save a lot of money with their salary cuts, let’s start there. Always whining to budget and pour out money for the homeless and not even thinking to better their lives or even planing a simple work program they could do to feel a bit civilized. Truth is your thinking, out of site out of mind, hoping to bring back visitors for more money to stuff your own pockets. I vote for a major pay cut within our city council ! We are already regulated on how many rentals we can have in each development what more do you want, you want to put a cap on all the building you’re allowing in Asheville ? Do your job and protect our infrastructure, like water usage, sewer, limit car pollution! WE THE PEOPLE that pay you so you can eat, are sick and tired of the city councils effort to fell!
A truly wealthy person does not NEED or WANT the headaches INEVITABLY associated with getting into the STR business
Meh, landlordism is evil. Regulate it more and more until it becomes unprofitable – society will be better for it.
glad you have your own property to live in ! teach more like you!
What a selfish stance. The success and wellness of a city population can be directly measured by the quality of life of its residents. People who live here deserve affordable housing. We deserve to be able to not have to rent forever. Taking on the stance that landlords ‘aren’t that wealthy’ when there are everyday people who are living paycheck to paycheck, under a rental system that removes peoples’ abilities to save money, is entirely self-centered and disgustingly capitalist. We live in a city where there are more rentals and airbnbs than there are houses owned by people living inside them. We have people on the streets and the wealthy are arguing about how to keep them there. Landlords are arguing it’s their right to exploit people in need for their own profit, with the basis of the argument being that they’re not wealthy enough.
Thank you Tina, agreed. Must be nice to own property, who can afford it anymore?
Not all landlords are evil. I continue to rent out my Woodfin bungalow below market value. I will consider selling to some young person who lives and works in the area (not remotely). Respond to this with your contact details.
Hoarding. Capital. Should. Not. Be. A. Retirement. Plan.