🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Stowe, VT
Stowe Digs Into the Data: Who Really Owns These Rentals?
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Stowe Digs Into the Data: Who Really Owns These Rentals?
Turns out, most of Stowe’s short-term rentals aren’t run by your neighbors – they’re owned by folks from out of town. Thanks to the town’s new STR registry which launched in May, we now have hard numbers to back up what many locals have been saying for years.
According to data collected by late May, only 22% of the 891 short-term rentals in town are owned by people who list Stowe as their mailing address. That means the majority are owned by folks living elsewhere in Vermont, Massachusetts, or even farther afield.
This registry didn’t appear out of nowhere. It came after intense debate and a voter-backed ordinance passed in 2024 that required all STR owners to report key information to the town. The ordinance was met with strong opposition from property managers and absentee owners, but when the dust settled, residents voted 435-240 in favor of making the registry official.
Assistant Town Manager Will Fricke noted that around 90 owners haven’t registered yet, so more data is on the way. Still, with nearly 900 properties already logged, it’s enough to start asking questions especially with a housing crisis looming and the town’s housing task force preparing to release a much-anticipated report in August.
The registry also sheds light on property concentration. A small number of owners manage multiple listings – some for hospitality businesses, others for investment. Chuck and Jann Perkins, who live primarily in Burlington but spend weekends in Stowe, own 10 STRs in The Lodge at Spruce Peak. Others, like Ryan Rabidou and Colin Moffatt, use their properties for business, while Puerto Rico-based Jose Saavedra still operates five STRs even after scaling back from 17 units.
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What happens next? That’s up to the selectboard which is waiting for a full year’s worth of registry data. Chair Paco Aumand now says the registry is doing exactly what it should: shining a light on ownership patterns and helping the town make informed decisions.
The upcoming housing report won’t focus solely on STRs. It’ll offer broader solutions like deed restrictions, housing funds, and new development. But many, including Rep. Jed Lipsky, warn against villainizing short-term rentals entirely.
“There’s no silver bullet here,” said task force chair McKee Macdonald. “STRs are just one part of the housing conversation.”
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