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Not the time for short-term rentals

To the editor:

My wife and I own a short-term vacation rental unit in Wilmington.

We took our rental off the market in mid March and will not be back in the short-term vacation rental business until the global pandemic we are currently all living through is behind us.

I read the recent article (April 8) concerning why short-term vacation rentals continue to be allowed in New York under current legal guidelines.

The article went on with this can only change if it’s done by a state mandate.

I truly wish Gov. Cuomo would do this.

Coronavirus has turned all of our lives upside-down — what was normal as recently as a month ago is now a distant memory.

“Stay at home” and “social distancing” are tools that appear to be working against the Coronavirus. Allowing a continuous flow of tourism via short-term vacation rentals into the area at this time is both short-sighted and a disaster waiting to happen.

These actions have potentially dire consequences that could have a long-term, devastating impact on this entire region.

Our local elected officials have stepped up and continuously expressed their concerns. Not to mention that the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism has currently ceased marketing tourism in the Adirondacks.

In normal times we are Airbnb Super Hosts. We get rave reviews, lots of rentals, we make money off tourism, and we enjoy our guests’ company.

When this is all over, we’ll welcome them back.

Unfortunately, we are all now in an extreme, unprecedented crisis that needs to be addressed proactively. Part of that should be putting short-term vacation rentals on hold until this new coronavirus reality is brought under control.

Sincerely,

Ed Burke

Wilmington

Starting at $1.44/week.

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