Nantucket Residents to Vote on Short-Term Rental Rules

At the Nantucket Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 4, residents will face a critical vote on Article 1, which seeks to permit increased short-term rentals and allow traditional homes to be replaced by larger homes.

In contrast, Article 2 proposes regulations aimed at limiting the industry's growth while preserving the island's community-oriented character.

Writing for the Nantucket Current, Abigail Camp, Meredith Lepore, and Charity Benz urge residents to vote against Article 1 and support Article 2 during the Nov. 4 town meeting. Camp, Lepore, and Benz represent Nantucket Neighborhoods First, a community activist organization. 

The group decries the erosion of Nantucket's community values that could result if Article 1 moves forward: "We have seen how the fabric of other vacation communities captured by the short-term rental profiteers has been destroyed. We who live here have watched this coming ashore, understand Nantucket economics, and know its history. We can see the writing on the wall."

Camp, Lepore, and Benz explain that the rise of the short-term rental industry has significantly transformed Nantucket's housing market, making it harder for residents to find affordable long-term housing and eroding the island's sense of community.

The group said its goal of educating residents about Article 1 is essential to preserving Nantucket's community feel. "Let's finally send a message to the world that Nantucket is not a commodity. It's a community, and we want to keep it that way."