Editor,
Billy Fried’s article in favor of allowing private homes to become hotels is personally offensive.
First, he connotes derogatory meaning to his opponents calling us “retirees ensconced in their mortgage free-home.” In his “limousine liberal” world it is a bad thing to have worked your entire life and become rich (I am sure he considers “rich” a four-letter word).
Furthermore, his idea that Laguna Beach is a resort town (or should be) is ridiculous. We have 13,000 residences and about 25,000 residents. Most of us live here year-round. Most of us have jobs somewhere in Orange County, but not in Laguna Beach unless we work from home. This is a fantastic place to raise children.
Yes, we have tourists, but mostly they are “day trippers.” If you look at the map, there are already plenty of places for tourists to lodge. We do not need to turn the entire town into a hotel.
Finally, I would like to know who or where are all of these poor wretched souls who are eating cat food and are on the verge of having to sell their million-dollar home just to make ends meet? Mr. Fried’s solution is to allow them to turn their house (our village) into one big hotel. My solution is simple. If you can afford to live somewhere, live there. If you cannot afford to live somewhere, don’t live there.
Bill Welch, Laguna Beach
Mr. Welch,
Your exaggerations are childish and offensive.
Laguna Beach has always been and alway will be a world destination. Yes, a resort town! I welcome these families that want to stay in our neighborhoods, rather than a hotel. Thank you Billy Fried for saying it how it is.
I agree with Lydia. My own house in The Village was built in 1935 as a vacation home. I enjoy meeting people on vacation. They’re always so happy to be here and help remind me how lucky I am to live here year-round. I don’t mind in the slightest the seasonal renters next door to me. Sometimes I like them better than my actual neighbors!
Billy Fried article just touches on the evident. It is amazing to see the Village Laguna gray hair community trying to turn back time and negate the reality of our community and how as residents we co-exist with the millions of visitors that have the same right as any of us residents to enjoy our beautiful coast line.
The notion that we are turning Laguna into a motel is ridiculous and anyone looking at the facts can see this. We are now faced with a ban on what has been a permanent facet of our city. If it were up to this loud minority and their fear tactics there will never be a home exchange, a summer rental, or homesharing of any kind. If our City Council yields to this, we will continue to drive a net decrease in population… yes the gray hairs will pass away, our homes will be bought by those who can afford to have a second home empty most of the year (as are 22% of the homes in Laguna today) and everyday we will have less and less of a community.