No impact on long term housing:​
 

• Alt rentals do NOT take up any traditional housing.  
   

• Alt rentals have no effect on the availability of homes for long term rentals.
   

• Shutting down Alts creates more demand for Short Term Rentals in traditional, long-term housing.

 

Low environmental impact:
 

• Alt rentals have a low environmental footprint and can be set up with minimal impact to the existing property.
   

• Hosting an Alt provides an economic incentive for local residents to keep their land largely undeveloped or avoid being sold off and turned into a subdivision. 
   

Well-managed properties:
 

• Small, well managed Alt rentals are an asset to local residents. Having a host on-site typically attracts guests who value their privacy and quiet and are not interested in throwing parties or other disturbances.
   

• Alts can be well-managed and safe.  Any sanitation, trash, campfires, and parking concerns are easily addressed by hosts who live onsite, prioritize safety, and take pride in our area. 
   

Economic impact for local hosts:
 

• Alt rentals have been a way for locals to support themselves and their families. Alts help locals pay property-taxes, their mortgages, maintain their property and to live in an increasingly expensive area.
   

• Alts allow locals to participate in and benefit from tourism. Many hosts use supplemental income they earn from hosting to keep their land in local hands and stay in their homes. 
   

Economic impact for the County and local small businesses:
 

• Alts also financially support others in the community, like local housekeepers and small businesses where hosts recommend their guests go.
   

• Alt rentals have economic benefits for the county too. Most Alts are listed on Airbnb where transient occupancy tax (TOT) is collected automatically and remitted to the county on hosts' behalf.
   

Affordable option for respectful visitors:
 

• Alts provide an affordable option for visitors. Overnight stays in Alts are often much more affordable and accessible for working families and visitors than staying in a hotel or commercial campground. This provides a greater opportunity for people to visit our area and have a quiet outdoors experience than other accommodation options.
   

• Alts keep the area interesting by offering not only affordable but unique experiences for guests. Small Alt sites are also a preferred choice by guests that are wary of larger more crowded accommodations.
   

Relieving pressure on public lands:
 

• Alts take pressure off our already overwhelmed public lands. Annual visitation has more than doubled in the last ten years but camping infrastructure has not kept pace. Joshua Tree National Park admits that “all park campgrounds are usually full on weekends October through May” and Alts provide a well-managed alternative. 

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