In response to the June 13 rant regarding short-term rental (STR) properties, the city of Port Angeles fully inspected and approved the Type 1 STR licenses that it recently revoked in the middle of the busy summer season.
The city then demanded these property owners with bedrooms on their property who don’t have kitchens now pay for a new Type 2 license, which was originally defined as a whole home where the owner is not present.
The immediate demand for payment can best be described as extortion by a city that has grandfathered in other rule followers in the past, but refused to do so this time.
These Type 1 bedrooms do nothing to increase housing stock.
Instead, the city caused real economic harm for those simply trying to survive.
Steven Pelayo
Port Angeles