Measure N has been proposed for the City of South Lake Tahoe that will be on our ballots in November. The measure will add taxes of $6,000 or more on homes that are not occupied at least 183 days out of the year, affecting those owning second homes and seasonal rentals the most. They are not offering exceptions for anyone even ‘summer’ style cabins. They are promoting that taxing vacant homes will create more housing and affordable housing. Funds from the campaign are not dedicated exclusively to housing: If you read the proposal carefully, you will find that there is no guarantee in this measure that one penny of new funding will go to housing programs. And there is no guarantee that the funding from this measure will produce a single new unit of affordable housing in the City.
While we agree that affordable housing is an issue this is not the answer. Housing affordability is a Tahoe Basin-wide and indeed statewide issue in California. The issue is further challenged by environmental constraints in the Tahoe region. That said, the State of California just awarded South Lake Tahoe as one of the few communities in the state with the coveted “Prohousing Designation” which gives us access to additional grants and incentives to further address our housing needs. And we’re all excited to welcome the first residents into Sugar Pine Village this fall, a 248-unit mixed use and affordable housing development. We all want to address housing affordability, but a bad proposal like this tax is not the answer. Collectively, the organizations in the No on Measure N campaign have done more to bring new homes into South Tahoe than the backers of the Vacancy Tax.
As a homeowner in the city of South Lake Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, and the unincorporated area of Lake Tahoe this is very important for you to understand in full. At this point in time it will only affect South Lake Tahoe but if successful it could become something that is pushed to other areas.
If you have friends or family who resign in South Lake Tahoe we urge you to help educate them on why they should vote No. We as Realtors and as your local property managers are working tirelessly to spread the word to VOTE NO on Measure N. The opposition includes Realtors, both the Tahoe Chamber and South Lake Tahoe Chamber, the Restaurant Association, Lodging Association, South Tahoe Taxpayers, the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association, plus many community leaders and residents.
If you are in South Lake Tahoe there will be a Town Hall on July 17th at the South Tahoe Association of Realtors office, 2307 James Ave, SLT CA – 6pm to 8:30PM
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