WI-AD73: Candidates for 73rd Assembly District sound off on housing

Democrat Angela Stroud and Republican Frank Kostka are vying for the 73rd Assembly seat after Rep. Angie Sapik, R-Lake Nebagamon, said she would not seek reelection.

Stroud said the growth of short-term rentals, known as Airbnbs or VRBOs, has put pressure on the market in the district. She said one of the biggest problems is that the Wisconsin Legislature reduced local control surrounding short-term rentals. In 2017, lawmakers limited the ability to restrict short-term rentals, preventing municipalities from barring short-term rentals that last seven days or longer.

Stroud said that’s been a huge problem in tourist destinations like the city of Bayfield and Bayfield County.

“It makes no sense that lawmakers in Madison would be able to control short-term rentals and not the city council or the county board, who are most responsive to local issues,” Stroud said. “So reinstituting local control is one important thing in terms of short-term rentals.”




https://www.wpr.org/news/candidates-northern-wisconsin-affordable-housing-73rd-assembly-district