Desperate for Housing Options, Communities Turn to Ballot Initiatives
The New York Times
Cities and counties will vote on measures, like tax increases and curbs on Airbnb, aimed at creating more affordable housing.
LEADVILLE, Colo. — A small-business owner in a town fueled by vacationers is an unconventional proponent for a tax increase on tourists. But Marcee Lundeen sees few other choices.
Gearing up for ski season at her restaurant along the main drag of this fabled mining town perched at 10,000 feet between clusters of resorts, she is going to have trouble finding workers, she said, because few of them can afford to live in Leadville anymore.
“I don’t look at this politically, I look at it economically,” said Ms. Lundeen, co-owner of the Golden Burro. A sign in the window promotes a ballot measure on Tuesday that would charge visitors staying at hotels, motels and short-term rentals a 3 percent tax, earmarked to create more affordable housing. “I have several potential employees not able to work for us because there is no place to live. That was a motivating factor,” she said.
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