South Lake Tahoe split over proposal to tax property owners who leave homes vacant
LOS ANGELES — Owning a vacation home in South Lake Tahoe could get more costly if residents approve a ballot measure that imposes a tax of up to $6,000 on housing units left vacant for more than half a year.
The measure, dubbed the "South Lake Tahoe Vacancy Tax," aims to penalize homeowners who leave thousands of homes empty in the mountain resort town; the tax penalties would go toward affordable housing, road repair and public transportation. The measure is an attempt to incentivize homeowners to rent properties out rather than leaving them vacant.
Locals for Affordable Housing, the nonprofit leading the initiative, said it collected nearly 2,500 signatures to place the tax measure on the November ballot — more than the 1,159 needed.
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