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More than 2,000 community members in South Lake Tahoe have signed the petition for a tax on houses that sit vacant for the majority of the year. Proponents say they need another 350 valid signatures to get on the ballot.
The deepening housing crisis has motivated community members in South Lake Tahoe to rally behind a petition to put a residential vacancy tax on the November ballot. The initiative proposes an annual tax on houses that sit empty for more than half the year to incentivize more occupancy of existing housing stock and raise funds to build more affordable housing, fix local roads, and improve transit.
- Related: Clear Majority of Public Supports Vacancy Tax at City Council Meeting in South Lake Tahoe, CA
2022 US Census data indicates that 7,150 houses (44 percent of all housing units) in South Lake Tahoe sit vacant most of the year while local residents struggle to find housing. Housing prices in South Lake Tahoe have doubled in the past eight years, while the population has declined by 10% since 2000. Despite the construction of more than 2,200 new housing units, the increase in vacant second homes has outpaced the new housing units since 2000, leaving South Lake Tahoe with a net 317 less homes for residents and the local workforce.
School enrollment is down 36% since 2000, resulting in massive school budget deficits, with the majority of school funding being tied to enrollment, and the Lake Tahoe Unified School District recently reported there are now more than 100 children in the school district experiencing homelessness.
“We hit the milestone of collecting 2,000 signatures today,” said Nick Speal, co-founder of Locals for Affordable Housing, the non-profit organization leading the ballot initiative. “That’s 2,000 community members who believe the rising cost of housing is a major problem in South Lake Tahoe and want to see the vacancy tax on the November ballot so we can vote as a community.”
Proponents of the Measure have reported seeing a high failure rate when validating these signatures against voter registration rolls, citing it as the reason they are continuing to gather more signatures.
“Many community members live outside official city limits, while others are not registered to vote at their current addresses – so we will be continuing to collect signatures and to help residents update their voter registration status until April 22,” said Speal.
Proponents of the initiative were informed on Friday by the City of South Lake Tahoe that they would have until April 22 to submit signatures for verification. The news was good news to the team of more than 85 volunteers who have organized to help get the initiative on the November ballot.
“We are out at grocery stores and in neighborhoods every day having great conversations with community members who support the vacancy tax,” said Amelia Richmond, the other co-founder of Locals for Affordable Housing. “The 2,000 signatures is just a fraction of the support we’ve seen in the broader South Lake Tahoe community.”
Despite having collected more than 2,000 signatures to date, proponents of the initiative report they need to get another 350 valid signatures from registered voters in the City of South Lake Tahoe to safely get on the ballot.
“We have an incredible team of smart and compassionate local volunteers, and we are confident that we can get the remaining signatures needed by April 22,” said Richmond. “It’s been an honor talking to so many community members about their housing experiences, concerns and policy goals, and we’re looking forward to continuing the conversations.”
Those interested in signing the petition, learning more or volunteering for the cause can do so at www.TahoeVacancyTax.com/get-involved.
“Without bold action, the housing crisis will continue – as it has on the North Shore, where the vacancy rate is now 70% in many places,” said Richmond. “The Vacancy Tax is the only housing and funding solution that addresses the scale of our community’s critical needs and aligns market incentives with public benefit.”
