Gunnar Baldwin

We have a short term rental. It is a small unheated cabin we rent to hikers in the summer and early fall. We call it Basecamp. I insist on greeting every guest so that I can explain all of its features and I enjoy meeting people from all over the world who have come to hike in the White Mountains. We have been “super hosts” since that designation first started. This cabin is not a house that may otherwise be a home for someone wishing or needing to live in this area.  This area desperately needs homes that are affordable for local residents. There are very few jobs in this area that pay enough for people to afford to live here. This is tragic and creates a big problem when trying to hire new residents. I fear that Airbnb has become a major contributor to this problem and measures should be taken to control the conversion of housing units suitable for full time residents at affordable cost.   Also disturbing to me are the numerous reports I have heard about lack of management. Rental properties that don’t have resident supervision, as was the case when Airbnb started, result in disruptive parties and overcrowded units and parking problems. I fear that Airbnb’s policies have been a major cause of such problems. I would like to see the company establish rules that controlled misuse of rental units as well as prevent the acquisition of homes and rental properties for the sole purpose of creating short term rentals. Gunnar Baldwin