Town meeting-floor modifications to the warrant led to a compromise solution, with a seven-member committee to be appointed by town moderator Janet Wiedner.
Tax revenue from short-term rentals and hotel stays on the Vineyard reached an all-time high last year, and the first quarter of 2024 is already off to a sizzling start.
At Tuesday's select board meeting, the housing committee proposed raising the lodging tax and committing the new funds to affordable housing.
As the short-term rental business continues to boom, planners and housing advocates are weighing everything to address the industry's impact.
The number of homes on Martha’s Vineyard registered as short-term rental properties shot up by 35 per cent over the summer, with industry professionals pointing to the real estate market in explaining the increase.
More than 2,650 properties on Martha's Vineyard have registered as short-term rentals since the state expanded its tax levy on lodging almost three years ago.