EDITOR: Most of residential home sellers and buyers agree with the mantra, “location, location, location!” When applied to the home in question, location can drive the sales price way up or way down.

Now on to fractionalized homes. I and most people I know are not opposed to them as long as they are in a location, most commonly referred to a “resort,” versus a quiet, residential neighborhood where people who live there go to school or to work early in the morning.

Lots of folks who can’t afford buying a second home are happy to have a timeshare-type arrangement, especially if it is located at a beach or mountain “resort.” There they can join fellow vacationers to enjoy amenities resorts often provide like dining, outdoor sports, equipment/boat rentals and perhaps a handy shuttle bus for transportation.

Now compare that to several Pacaso homes, especially those now in quiet, residential neighborhoods in Sonoma and St. Helena, where homeowners and long-time residents are signing petitions and protesting. They are putting “Not

here, Pacaso!” signs in yards and on streets everywhere you look! Why?

Simply put, neighbors don’t want timeshares to change everything they hold dear about their neighborhood. They don’t look forward to having eight new Pacaso buyers (plus family and guests) on their street, rotating in and out for a minimum of two and a maximum of 14 day stays throughout the year. When occupants end their vacation and depart, the cleaning crew, pool-keeper, yard and home maintenance personnel descend in the morning to prepare for the new arrivals coming later that same day.

And, since most who come are on vacation, parties (late night, noisy ones in the hot tub), are known to regularly occur. Acknowledging that owners can “gift” a stay to anyone they wish, a crop of strangers coming and going could become the new normal. “No problem?” Only if Pacaso doesn’t come to your street.

In the Sonoma neighborhood on Old Winery Court residents enjoy their peaceful, quiet, residential cul-de-sac and look out for each other when there’s an emergency. Residents have exchanged emergency contact information and when a prior year’s firestorm threatened, neighbors took turns staying on watch throughout the night to give evacuation alerts as needed.

On Old Winery Court, not a single neighbor opposes fractionalized housing when/if it is located in a resort. They do strongly oppose Pacaso’s purchases of residential homes, as well as its questionable business practices and misleading advertising.

For the full story on Pacaso please visit one of the currently impacted neighborhood’s websites, StopPacasoNow.com.

Your or my neighborhood could be next. Let’s stop Pacaso now.

Kay White

Sonoma