By Jonathan Sprague, Sedona Resident
(April 3, 2021)
I’m here to bring you some reality. Everyones bitching about tourist volume, and such. Blaming the city. You’re ridiculous. This is ducey’s fault, and the collective greed of over 1000 home owners right here in Sedona. I said it. It’s out in the open. Talk about it. Deal with it…
The cost of living in 3 years has risen 400%. Who’s to blame? Your neighbors. Get with it. Our traffic has increased 300% in two years. Who’s to blame? Your neighbors that put an extra 3000 rental beds into the market. Be real about it. And put the blame where it belongs.
I chat with city council, more than you’d think because this is my home, my community, my childrens future and i’m upset about a lot of things, as i’m sure many of you are as well. But in the end? It’s our community that is causing a lot of this.
Now ive enacted real world plans to remove up to 200 cars a month off our streets so thats coming. And soon. The city has a park and ride initiative their planning, but you have to help and not hinder. You get it? Their funds are not as vast as you think, and like most in this nation, much gets tied up in the details. It takes time…
As for the shit? It rolls uphill in this case. With the cost of living rising as it has? The cost of materials, labor and repairs is rising exponentially. So stop glamorizing locals that own 3,4,5 air bnbs. Their part of the problem. Seriously. So when your roof repair costs 65% more, or your plumbing job is 120% more than state average? You now know why. Grow a set and put that blame where it belongs. Not on some lowly contractor whos trying to make ends meet. But the very people in town you talk up that quite honestly do not deserve it. And are destroying our city.
This is valley wide. Its an issue, a way of life Thats unsustainable for even the elite, if Thats what youd call the dragons that live in town, hoarding gold as they do and screw the rest. Thats their disposition.
I for one stand behind my city council on this issue. And i will use every available avenue to aid them in restabilizing our small mountain town that I can. You dont have to agree with what im saying here, but its the truth. Otherwise you can expect all company’s here to keep rising their prices with no real alternatives available.
This is already affecting our critical infrastructure. Police, city, fire, and schools…what will you do in your life, your retirement if response time slips to 30 minutes? You will die. Ems will not get to you in time, SPD will not have the man power to protect you. Wether you agree or not? We as a city are quite literally an island. With a sliding response infrastructure because noone can find a place to live.
Something to think about, talk about, debate about. Most air bnbs here are owned by out of state conglomerates. Look it up. Im not after someone renting a room in a home they live in. Theres one man here in town that lives here that own 19 homes and he air bnbs them all. 19 families dispossed…. and I for one am sick of watching my friends forced from a city they helped build. Its disgusting. The scales are tipping.
And This needs to be talked about.
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16 Comments
100 in agreement four years city Council kept a lid on expansion by hotels Then overnight places to sleep over night short term double . The Sedona city Council fought short term rentals tooth and nail. I think it’s better to support our local government then to throw stones. if you want to place blame then look at Governor Ducey And our Republican state legislature, and most of all the Goldwater Institute The Republican far right thank thank they wants to take power from the local government and centralized it Phoenix.
Always political Steve.
The legislature just canned a recent Air bnb supported bill because it wasn’t restrictive enough. Try to make a comment without politicizing it. It’s much more effective and we might listen.
Amen. This cuts across party lines and we should be able to unite about something so impactful on our community.
The 19 ‘dispossed’ (sic) and others that sold their homes did so out of greed, taking advantage of the ever rising home prices. Those that rent them out as Airbnb’s, same thing. Now we have the problems you described that impact us all.
I live in a neighborhood that now has over 70+ airbnbs. 80% of homes sold in my neighborhood (Chapel Area) since 2018 became Airbnbs. And more are selling out, or building STRs from scratch. We have a planned 3 home STR with each holding up to 10 master suites. They are mini hotels in a residential neigherbhood. I hold them all accountable when there are infractions. I use the STR hotline, city hall, or go straight to the owners. All are out of state or corporate owned. It is not a neighborhood any more but a hotel zone.
I applaud the Council’s efforts to move Sedona in the direction of advocacy to slowing the short term rental tsunami. Our commuting workers deserve all the help residents can give them by supporting increased public transit with reduced fares for workers. Another way is to advocate fo funding to make local the existing housing more energy and cost efficient and by supporting circular economy initiatives such as the Tool Library sponsored by NAZCCA.org.
Sedona’s Council is aligned with the national movement to provide more affordable housing stock. Residents can help by advocating for national infrastructure legislation which will help with this funding need.
So, Sedona seems like an isolated situation – NOT! Cottonwood is trying to annex their way to Spring Creek Ranch. I contacted Sedona officials and was told it was not in their interest, as Spring Creek Ranch is so far away. Really?
No traffic increased in Sedona from the proposed 1500 mobile homes and 800 RVs rolling down 89A for groceries (still no grocery tax?) or for doctor visits or to catch a movie or any other myriad reasons to gaze at the lovely red rocks?
As far as responsibility – the park and ride has been proposed by people like Mike Bower for decades.
Sedonans didn’t approve the plethora of timeshares (complete with kitchens to cook the food they get from the grocers without paying tax and denying the city a chance to recover revenue through restaurant taxes on food)
Sedonans aren’t responsible for the housing industry bubble or the low interest rates or the greed of those wanting to capitalize on renting Sedona homes for outrageous amounts.
Perhaps Sedonanas could help prevent the unchecked sprawl that will definitely affect their lives and future generations by looking at the Verde Valley as one community and use their clout, like Clarkdale and Jerome representatives have and stop the Cottonwood plan to build all along 89A.
If everyone gets involved, things may improve. But if they continue to cower in their crimson hued ivory towers, well, I guess we can ALL get used to the bogus term Sustainable Tourism.
Mr. Sprague’s numbers, which he cites are alarming. But what is the reliable source for them ??
Those many bnbs are causing major problems and the city council’s efforts to control proliferation are the right thing to do . I applaud them for it.
Yes our wonderful governor, Dulcey, appears more interested in the political and maybe also campaign funds than in the Sedona resident well being and comfort. The sooner he gets the ” boot ” the happier we’ll be. Our legislators are hardly better. After all they are professional politicians aren’t they.
However let us also consider those Sedonans who rent a room or space to make ends meet while they remain in the home also to make sure the neighborhood is not beset with noise, garbage and cars parked all over the place. In sum they behave like other decent and considerate neighbors. So, give them space to operate as we set up the mechanism to eliminate the odious bnb issues.
John, 30 year resident
In spite of all the unrest by residents,Mrs Mayor and her blind followers hand out $2.4 Mil to the Chamber to advertise for more unruly Traffic,more STR and more homeless.
Fix this first and the other issues will fall in place.
Defund the Chamber
R
RJ Wachal: Your accusations are false. Look them up.
And your counter facts are non-existent.
We are searching for forward thinking residents to ask sedona Leaders to take some real action on Curtailing the jammed traffic,STR’s and homeless vagrants/beggars.Are you one?.
Don’t worry about tourism, Jonathan. In about 2 weeks we’ll start seeing those who have taken the CoVID vaxx begin to die off — ex-FEMA employee, Celeste Solum recently predicted 300,000 per month will go to the great beyond.
Of course, Tony the Rat Fauci will blame these deaths on a new mutated strain of the China Virus, but those who have been following the science know better. Citizens who have masked up have compromised their immune system and will be very susceptible to the disease. Geoengineered food will also play a role in weakening the immune system, so the only food you will be able to trust is the food you grow yourself.
Plant a garden. Forgive others, mend fences. Avoid those who have taken the jab because they will become super spreaders. Keep your family close. Humanity has very little time.
Pray.
R.J., I have decided not to engage in responsive communicating with the Jasons, Archies, the outraged,etc. because they are much too stupid being ignorant of facts, hiding like two year olds behind slamming the real folks ( doers in town ) with their verbal version of sticking their tongues out at you . They haven’t an inkling what the subject is and want only to be ” in print ” to satisfy their enormous egos.
Just ignore these jerks and thus pay them the tribute they have earned. It’s wasting your valued time.
Be kindly and allow them to wallow in the muck they create.
John
You’re incapable of even following the conversation and rear kissing someone that disagrees with you (although that’s most everyone about everything) as usual.
Two First Names takes high road and drives off a cliff. You’re denseness is comical.