WILMINGTON ISLAND, Ga. (WTOC) – As Tybee Island continues to sort out how to manage short term vacation rentals in the city, other islands are seeing the same kind of debate over residents who have lived there for a long time and new investors looking to capitalize on desirable locations.
In years past, it hasn’t been uncommon for people that work on Tybee Island to live in less expensive places nearby, like Wilmington Island. However, people that live on Wilmington say that scenario is becoming less common, because it’s becoming more expensive to live there.
“With the investments, these corporations, all these investment corporations buying up all the property and raising the mortgages and rents so high, I think it’s hard for regular people. Police, fire, nurses, waiters, I mean, how are they supposed to live?” Wilmington Island Resident Ellen Gross said.
It’s a growing problem on the Island one that Chatham County is aware of. 4th District Commissioner Patrick Farrell says they have to respect the rights of people or investment firms that want to buy property but they’re doing what they can to mitigate costs for long-term residents.
“We rolled back the millage rate in the unincorporated tax, and the countywide tax, so we’re doing our part to keep costs down for property owners,” 4th District Chatham County Commissioner Patrick Farrell said.
Even if people can afford to buy a home that doesn’t mean there’s a home to buy. Gross says her neighborhood used to be full of families but now many of the houses sit vacant.
“There are three houses on this street that I think have been bought by investors. They’ve been empty for months or sometimes even years, and I think people are just putting a little money in them and either reselling them or renting them out,” Gross said.
Some homes on the island have also been turned into short term vacation rentals.
The State of Georgia now takes a hotel/motel tax from STVR’s and Chatham County is adding its own regulations.
“The County requires anyone operating in that mode with the home to get a business license, so the County is aware of who they are and who’s the contact person,” Farrell said.
Tybee Island currently has a moratorium in place on vacation rentals, but there’s currently nothing like that in place here on Wilmington Island or any of the other islands surrounding it.
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