Don't Price Out The Island's Working Class From Home Ownership

To the editor: As a lifelong summer resident of Nantucket, I strongly oppose the passage of Article 59. Despite all the noise about how restrictions on short-term rentals will ruin local businesses, cause job losses and take away islanders’ property rights, there is no justification for allowing island-wide STRs. A compromise article that allows island residents to rent their property while discouraging corporate and off-island investor ownership of housing, is certainly possible.

Let’s not promote conversion of our year-round housing to short-term rentals and continue to price working families, nurses, teachers and first responders out of home ownership. Please vote to reject Article 59 and pursue a thoughtful compromise approach.

William S. Brenizer