After visiting Lake Placid for over 50 years, I recently had the opportunity to purchase a home in the village. We obtained a short-term rental permit and have occasionally rented the home utilizing local realtors, a management company and improved the home with local professionals.

The current STR laws have been very effective in reducing the noise complaints and the loss of affordable rentals. The data I received from the village and the STR public information session report, shows complaint calls from July 2021 through June 2022 were down 84% compared to June 2020-June 2021. Of the 115 complaints from March 2020-April 2022, two STRs accounted for 35% of all calls, the other 471 STRs only had 75 complaints. The current system is effective and can effectively target the “bad apples.”

The 90-day limit for unhosted STRs has slowed the conversion of single-family homes into STRs. Buying a home that you can only rent 90 days per year does not make economic sense. This is another success although not without negative impacts to some owners.

The proposed STR law goes beyond the original goals of preserving quiet living and preventing the loss of affordable rentals and home ownership.

The regulations for hosted STRs (14% of permit holders) and those for unhosted/condos (86% of STR permit holders) are significantly different. As an unhosted, local owner, you are treated as if you are an out-of-town owner. You cannot transfer your permit. Your home will decrease in value.

The proposal to prevent the transfer of compliant STR permits will produce a slow reduction of employment in real estate, management and improvement businesses. The law will create vacant second homes that provide no employment for residents or tourist businesses. How is this a better option than STRs with compliant owners?

The proposed minimum fines of $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000 for STR violations far exceed the fines for the same violation at a hotel or private residence. Is STR noise somehow worse than other noise?

The law creates a new position, an “STR compliance monitor.” Based on complaint data, that person will investigate about 1.5 complaints/month. The law is addressing a problem that does not exist. The position will be funded by an increase in fees which are already over $200,000/year. We should know the cost of a law before it is passed.

Lastly, visitors will vote with their feet. Families and groups do not want to rent two or three hotel rooms for a gathering. Many STRs supply housing to this demographic. These groups will go to other municipalities to the detriment of local tourist and entertainment businesses. Why should the state support events if the town and village do not want to host the guests?

The current law has been successful. The proposed law is punitive on both local and non-local citizens.

As an STR holder, the village never notified me of any proposed changes to the law. It is hard to gather public input if you do not notify the public.

Mark Sertl

Rochester, New York