I am writing as a homeowner, resident and small-business owner in Clatsop County. I have owned a home here for over 10 years, and run North Coast Public Defender for the last two years.

I am urging voters to support Measure 4-221 on the May ballot. This is a critical local issue that ultimately affects all of us in this community. The Clatsop County commission, by their vote, chose to allow short-term rentals in an expanded number of residential neighborhoods last summer. This measure pushes back on this overreach and reclaims residential neighborhoods for residents.

Short-term rentals do affect the housing stock. When I headed the state of Oregon’s public defense office, it was a common point of discussion with all public agencies was that getting young professionals to move to the coast, whether it is health care, education, or public safety — a big part of the problem is finding housing. And once a community gets a few short-term rentals, it is self-perpetuating and consumes neighborhoods.

It concerns me that in some shortsighted chasing of imagined tax revenues, we end up sacrificing the quality of our neighborhoods. Please vote “yes” this May.

Lane Borg

Gearhart