I was surprised to read a recent letter to the editor suggesting that the county is somewhat hysterically blaming so-called “come here’s” and the short-term rental industry over rising property values. I, personally, have reached out several times to elected officials and county staff to share my views on short-term rental regulations. They have been responsive, engaging and welcoming to the research I’ve shared with them. All in all, they seem to be taking a thoughtful approach to a very complicated problem. A problem that has needed to be addressed for some time.
For context, I’m both a “come here” and a short-term rental owner (owner-occupied, just one property). I benefit directly from STR income. And precisely because of that, I believe we need reasonable, balanced regulation.
The reality is that when short-term rentals grow rapidly without guardrails, housing becomes harder to find and more expensive for the people who live and work here full time. In Page County, more than half of STRs are owned by out-of-town individuals or corporations. When outside investors purchase homes, convert them to vacation rentals, and send the profits elsewhere, those houses are no longer part of the long-term housing supply. The community gets occupancy tax revenue, sure, but it also absorbs the cost of reduced housing availability.
This isn’t about blaming newcomers or small, owner-occupied rentals. It’s about scale and impact. Rural communities near national parks across the country have seen the same pattern: as investor-owned STRs multiply, local workers and families struggle to find homes they can afford. We would be wise to learn from that.
A simple but important question is this: who should benefit most from housing in Page County? Local residents who live and work here year-round? Or outside investors maximizing return?
I believe short-term rentals can be part of a healthy local economy. But they need thoughtful limits to ensure they don’t crowd out the very people who make this community what it is. Recent tax reassessments combined with unchecked STR growth have intensified affordability challenges. Ignoring that connection doesn’t make it go away.
I moved to Austin, Texas about 10 years before the STR industry took off there, unchecked. I saw firsthand what happened next: housing costs rose 126 percent over the following 13 years. I was lucky enough to own my own home so that sounds like a win but not so much — now the city is so expensive my adult kids and their friends struggle to afford homes of their own. Definitely not a win and not a situation I’d like to see repeated in Page County.
Will regulating STRs solve every housing issue? Nope. But doing nothing guarantees the problem gets worse. Reasonable regulation is not anti-business, and it’s not anti “come here.” It’s pro-community. It’s about protecting balance and making sure Page County remains a place where teachers, service workers, young families, and retirees can all afford to live.
As a side note, I want to say that as a “come here,” I’ve been genuinely touched by the welcome I’ve received from Page County residents. I’ve met so many thoughtful, caring, and intelligent people. Sure, I get razzed once in a while by my “native local” buddies — and I probably deserve it — but I’ve never felt disrespected or pushed aside.
There’s no denying that I wasn’t raised here, and I can’t fully know the deep history, challenges, and traditions that longtime residents have experienced. But I’m grateful to now call this place home. I’m listening, I’m learning, and I’m doing my best to be a positive part of this community.
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