Be Skeptical Of The Short-Term Rental Surveys

To the editor: Two STR surveys have recently been conducted and released to the public and the media. Both claim to be ‘scientific’ and ‘independent’. In order for both to be true, the questions must be “direct, unambiguous, simple, and unbiased” and the sample respondents randomly selected; at least one was not. How can someone who is deeply involved in the process with publicly stated opinions on the survey topic, (despite how well-meaning and how hard one tries), create a survey and come to unbiased conclusions of the results? We humans are not very capable in that area and it is dangerous to base conclusions on that hope.

Questions loaded with gaslighting language and undefined terms are meant to guide the respondent to desired responses. For example, ‘investor-only STRs; who exactly is included in ‘serving the business of STRs? Is that a euphemism for real estate agents or does it include electricians, plumbers, builders landscapers and/or the hospitality industry? Undesired responses are completely ignored in the conclusions (92% of respondents believe homeowners have the right to rent their homes). And right to rent, how? Year round? Part-time? Right to rent less (or more?) than they live in their home?

Being ‘shocked’ that over 70% of respondents (not ‘residents’ as one article leads with) believe STRs should be regulated is pretty amusing since they are already regulated by the state and town with 2 STR articles already passed to define the restrictions that voters support; including a ban on corporate rental operations. Maybe they will vote for more but maybe voters are fine with what already exists? The surveys do not touch the main source of the day-one debate (which restrictions and how strict?). Can anyone name any island-based organization that supports no regulation of STRs?

People ‘believe’ many things – some true/fact-based and some purely opinion-based but these surveys speak to theoretical topics. Why not use that energy and funding to create a survey that is completely independent and contains unloaded questions on the exact components of the articles that appear in the currently approved STM town warrant? Why not take the language of each of the stated restrictions in Articles 1-7 and put them in a survey of expected voters, voters in general and property owners who cannot vote but own most of the island’s residential property? That might yield some useful dialogue regardless of the STM outcome.

Kathy Baird for Nantucket Together