​RENTALS: Create community — not just profits

Re: Losing our City to Short-Term Rentals (Feb. 28). 

As a Coeur d’Alene local who owns a short-term rental (STR), I want to remind readers that not all STR hosts are big corporations. I am not a company — I am a resident who simply hosts to earn extra income, and I care deeply about the health and spirit of our neighborhoods.

There’s a persistent story that STRs are only about absentee owners and rowdy, out-of-town guests. This just doesn’t match my experience. My guests are not party-goers or troublemakers; they are loving families and couples who often rely on STRs for more affordable and practical options during important transitions. Twice in the past five years, we have hosted couples who were moving to Coeur d’Alene and needed a furnished place while searching for their forever home. Each couple stayed with us for three months, and over time, they became not just guests but dear friends. 

In an era when neighbors often keep to themselves, I am grateful that our STR has brought wonderful people into our lives and turned new arrivals into lifelong friends. Rather than “selling out” our city, STRs have allowed me to share the best of Coeur d’Alene with others, to support people in transition, and to build meaningful connections. Short-term rentals aren’t just businesses; they are opportunities to welcome new neighbors and show off our incredible community.

JIM and ANNE PATTERSON
Coeur d’Alene