“”Yes, everyone hates the noise, mess, parking violations, etc., but the deep concern is that the sheer number of short term rental units will overwhelm our residential neighborhoods and thus our town, forever altering the nature and character of both. This MUST be addressed.”
Lila Howland, Full time Highlands Resident
“My family and I have been coming to Highlands and owning our home for generations. Residential neighborhoods in Highlands are the backbone of the Town. Indeed, preserving our neighborhoods is a key component of the Highlands Community Plan. A peaceful, residential environment is what makes Highlands special and desirable.”
Tom Coley, Highlands
“For a while now, many of us have new “neighbors” every weekend. But there is nothing neighborly about how they act. We generally cannot see them, and they cannot see us. But we can hear them. We can hear their music. We can hear their dogs. We can hear their many guests. We can hear their fireworks. We can hear their vehicles speeding up and down our mountain roads. We do not have ANY of these issues with our permanent neighbors. We now approach every weekend with dread.”
Cathy Henson, President, Highlands Neighborhood Coalition
“Instead of giving in to the pressure of investors, Mayor Pat Taylor and the Town Commissioners have joined a growing list of communities seeking to preserve its neighborhoods, protect its sense of community, and to ensure that affordable, accessible housing remains available for long-term renters and home buyers who value real, thriving neighborhoods over a hollowed-out collection of mini-hotels.
Join this effort. Speak up before it’s too late. This is the true effort to Save Highlands.”
Bill Long, President Dog Mountain Property Owners Association
“It has recently been said that Highlands has been built on short-term rentals. This is hubris. Highlands was, and still is, built by its full-time residents and seasonal homeowners. Over the years a small minority of homes were used as long-term rentals. These homes were rented by families for the summer months, or by our restaurant, shops, and country club work force. These long-term rental/seasonal occupants became woven into the fabric of our community. The fabric of Highlands has been diminished and the character of our neighborhoods has been damaged with the creation of STRs and their absentee landlords. Renters come and go through the revolving doors that are STRs. This does not enrich our community. It only enriches the bank accounts of the landlords and takes away the possibility of affordable housing for our workers. This is evident in our workforce shortage that many businesses in Highlands are currently experiencing.”
Kelly Cochran McDuff, Full-Time Highlands Resident