In my little mountain town in Southern California, population ebbs and flows between 2200 and 3300 the locals are challenging people while filling gas tanks, why are you here? Don’t you know there is a stay at home order what makes you so special. Someone will get shot, likely a local by a biker.
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I’ve got some repeat guests who are having some stuff mailed to my home in a week or so. They are traveling cross country in an RV. I don’t know why and didn’t ask. They “live” in upstate NY but come across country every year. I should know more after they stop by to pick up their stuff. I probably don’t want to know. I am very glad they didn’t ask to stay here though I would have let them.
Likely fleeing, trying to stay ahead of the curve maybe. People will do what they want unless they are forced to comply, the interstate is still open. My sister in law returned from Spain 2.5 weeks ago and landed in chicago where she has a second home, she isolated util yesterday and is now driving here to her main home, she is only getting out of her little van to pump gas, she has a porta potty and supplies to make the trip.
They seasonally cross country every year so it might not be fleeing. But the dude is a resort chef in upstate resorts or something like that so I think he has no job now.
I see some of the same actions in the small town where we have our second home. People are posting on Facebook that they want “out of towners” stopped at the border/county line and the sole commissioner banned all Airbnbs, until the Georgia Governor’s order overruled him. I’m not open anyway so it’s not an issue about the Airbnb, but we planned to move to this little town in the next year and the reactions of these small town minds is concerning. They think someone will take away resources but in fact if someone is really sick, they’ll be flown to Atlanta anyway.
They also conveniently forget that “second home” owners pay taxes, buy goods and services and generally have disposable income. It’s their boats at the marina, their family reunions at the event hall, their cheeks in the seats at church on Sunday (if they aren’t on the lake already), their hunting license fees…and so on. If not for outsiders most those rural folks would be living in abject poverty or would have had to give up and move to the suburbs.
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The concern is that people shouldn’t be traveling around right now. Period.
If a rural (or any type of) area doesn’t have the virus yet then it is not unreasonable to expect people from “outside” (which is to say anyone who isn’t already currently there) to stay out so that it doesn’t get spread there or get worse there.
There are numerous regulations supporting this. “Stay at home” doesn’t mean travel to a different home in another county. Having a second home doesn’t make anyone an exception to staying home and not traveling. It demonstrates an obscene amount of entitlement and no one wants to live around people like that anyway, “outsiders” or not. I would be (and am) concerned about anyone that is willfully ignoring the recommendations right now.
Their reactions are valid. People are not suppose to be traveling around right now. Who wants a bunch of people showing up that think they are the exceptions? Do you? Would you want a bunch of new people moving onto your block from other cities right now? I sure as hell don’t. But I don’t live in a small town, so I guess it must be because of my “big city mind”.
Making this about “second” homes or small towns or whatever is missing the point. Anyone already in their second home should stay put. Anyone in their first home should stay put. Stay home. And anyone who willfully ignores this and doesn’t stay home, should absolutely be met with disdain and distrust by others.
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I got clarification. They are currently in Arizona. They are delaying the return to NY state. They come west each winter and go back for seasonal work. I’d like of forgotten which way they go at what time.
Here’s what greeted any outsiders trying to enter my town this weekend. I don’t know why they weren’t social distancing, but they’re all wearing masks and maybe just got closer for the photo.
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Well, I would certainly turn around!
Our governor has National Guard going door to door keeping track of quarantine adherence! And she personally drove around looking for people not adhering to the stay at home rules. Her tweet was something like, “you really don’t want me to find you” , lol.
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Cuomo has been pushed a number of times to make a pronouncement on second home owners and airbnbs and counties who have made bold proclamations. “The county managers can suggest whatever they like, but I have no travel ban on my agenda. The virus is already everywhere.” (Briefing, 3/26/20) For one county that tried to make it an executive action, he overruled it. Cuomo’s comments have been consistent, as have his team. Taken as a whole - and I’ve never missed a briefing - I am confident that Cuomo wanted those who can to leave the city and lessen the burden, but to say that would be chaos. He’s known from the git-go what kind of numbers the boroughs of NYC would see. We have hit a small plateau, but these numbers are not sustainable. Covid hospital patients are being driven or flown to upstate hospitals, to mixed reactions. Some are welcoming. Others not. It’s weird to see the hate of my fellow statesman as they proclaim loudly they rather see New Yorkers die then be in their unused ICU beds. So far the Upstate counties (by which I mean north of Rockland) have had a fairly consistent rate of infection and are staying fairly flat.
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uhh… not if hospitals in Atlanta are full, which is highly likely.
My small town now has 2 confirmed cases, from one just a few days ago. Short of blocking the roads like @muddy 's town has done it will just get worse. The thing is pretty much everyone knows everyone here. Every death will be felt by nearly every resident.
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Not true. It is 100% fact. There are not, and have never been, resources to support patients like these. I have family Working in the hospital and know what will happen because they’ve told me so.
You are entitled to your opinion.
That’s a really thoughtful response.
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Village mayors here are simply closing access roads. Some with proper barriers and some using somewhat more agricultural methods:
JF
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It’s so difficult when people get mixed messages about ‘stay at home’.
I do understand why people in the local community would be upset when they see Airbnb hosts encouraging people to travel into their area.
I think as hosts we have a responsibility not to encourage people to travel to stay at our listings.
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All of this stuff will be litigated for years to come.
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