Saturday’s Letters to the Editor

Vacation rentals

EDITOR: Pacaso’s arrogant executives have made a serious mistake by trying to elbow their way into Napa and Sonoma counties. They think they can purchase homes in quiet residential neighborhoods without pushback from those who live there. They don’t realize that residents won’t tolerate the unregulated proliferation of commercial vacation houses.

Pacaso buys houses on the sly, hoping neighbors won’t have time to organize opposition. But homeowners have begun to post “red alerts” as soon as they discover what is going on. Soon anti-Pacaso signs festoon homes and lawns, which makes it awkward for realtors to show these properties. At any rate, most realtors want nothing to do with this outfit — even though Pacaso tells them it will be the easiest money they’ll earn all year. And few buyers want to vacation in a house surrounded by resentful neighbors.

Meanwhile, the billionaire bullies believe they can counter the onslaught of negative PR by donating token sums for affordable housing. Will $100,000 make up for the houses that are no longer available to local families?

Opponents of Pacaso have been inspired by the remarkable outpouring of support in the fight to preserve our sense of community.

CARL SHERRILL

Sonoma

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.