This week’s letters to the editor.
June Johns
Short-Term Rentals
I can certainly understand the concerns raised in your report on short term rentals. We all love our Gulfport exactly the way it is, just as I loved it exactly the way it was 20 years ago when I first moved here. We do need to curtail the obnoxious temporary resident who disturbs the neighborhood. Fortunately, that is the exception and not the rule. Consider also that a balance needs to include our other neighbors, whose homes welcome the people bringing prosperity to our restaurants, merchants, and their employees. These visitors enjoy our lifestyle, shop in our markets, support our artists, and also make Gulfport special. Airbnb homes aren’t owned by faceless corporations, but by struggling families and retirees who also must supplement their incomes to pay for soaring prices. Their guests are usually folks just like us, except they only have one or two weeks to enjoy what we have all year. With love for Gulfport –David Johnston, Gulfport’s Marina District
Team Gabber brought back the print version of the newspaper, and we’ve redesigned our website to make it easier for you to get the news. We’re not out of the woods yet, and every little bit helps pay our reporters, printer, and other expenses. Support local news and families — donate now to keep The Gabber Newspaper serving the community it loves!