An April 29 letter to the editor opined on the local impacts of short-term rentals, arguing that they are driving families out of our community, called for greater balance, and urged new policies.

What her letter overlooks is that Summit County already has some of the most restrictive short-term rental regulations in the country: five municipalities plus unincorporated county, each with their own caps on licenses, customized tax structures and rental occupancy limits.

She also misses the fact that we have more families here than ever. Data from the State Demographer’s Office shows an increase in full time occupancy from 5,410 full-time homes to 13,406 full-time homes.

Short-term rentals are the backbone of our tourism-driven economy: supporting 9,700-plus local jobs according to state employment data. Plus, in the past year, they generated over $96 million in tax revenues and contributed $1.2 billion locally.

The pursuit of balance has resulted in a decline. Not one new short-term rental license has been issued since December 2021 in Breckenridge’s “zones 2 and 3.” Plus, any one sold in those zones cannot get a new license due to license caps, resulting in lost jobs and lost income for locals. Homes in unincorporated county are limited to 35 reservations per year.

Simply put: fewer visitors plus fewer reservations equals fewer jobs and less revenue for our community. Meanwhile, millions of dollars collected in short-term rental fees have directly funded local housing. They are not removing housing — we’re building more.

A thriving community that welcomes families requires economic growth. Undermining the primary revenue stream for that growth jeopardizes everything from road repairs and school funding to childcare centers and trailhead maintenance. Rentals aren’t a threat; they’re a lifeline.

Instead of calling for regulations that already exist, the better question is: are current policies achieving their intended goal?