Mass Tourism Has Ruined Savannah (Pooler: real estate, hotel, home)

[2020's YouTube Vlog]

Tourists are annoying but it's better than having a downtown/city that's so crime-ridden and blighted that no tourists want to be there.

[SavannahLife]

Originally Posted by 2020's YouTube Vlog

Tourists are annoying but it's better than having a downtown/city that's so crime-ridden and blighted that no tourists want to be there.

https://www.wjcl.com/article/benjami...rpool/39841479
You're talking about Savannah? It's interesting it's so touristy given the higher than national average per capita (emphasis, per capita) violent crime. While I haven't been, I understand NOLA is a similar city in both regards. I suppose maybe tourists think, it won't happen to me. I have a hunch (maybe right maybe not) high crime is also perhaps why Yamacraw village is being demolished. They will get housing vouchers for areas like Pooler, southside etc. I suppose the theory is the crime won't be concentrated as much. I hope one day we can get crime down here to average. I always thought more after school activities and better paid cops and teachers and more of both would help.

I always thought Tybee was actually pretty good, in terms of crowding. Even in the summer it's less than Daytona or Myrtle Beach. I think because it's so far from Savannah it kind of limits the number of people that want to make the trek all the way out there. (only thing is, leaving taking so long! but solution is... stay out until late in the evening which is fun anyway) I like Tybee more each year. And on the off season it's great!

[gentlearts]

To review.
Savannah is a precious jewel. She’s been around since 1733. Tourists love coming here, and tourists are the life‘s blood of any city. Our restaurant scene has come about because of tourism. Savannah has a lot of old money, but regular middle income and poor people are now priced out. I hear that this is the same as many other cities in the country, Savannah has not acted quickly enough to combat this.

Tybee is a fine beach town. It prides itself on being an old fashioned beach town, and doesn’t want it to be anything else. I think they are doing a good job of keeping the residents property protected from the tourists, but it’s a constant battle.

My feeling for both Savannah and Tybee is that they have failed to regulate the short term rentals enough. This has caused people from outside to buy property they are not personally invested in, and the outside renters are causing the residents to be upset.

Since I’m from the north, nobody wants to hear what has already worked elsewhere. They would rather reinvent the wheel. Fine, but Savannah should start being pro active, instead of playing catch up.

[CoastalGAGuy]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

To review.
Savannah is a precious jewel. She’s been around since 1733. Tourists love coming here, and tourists are the life‘s blood of any city. Our restaurant scene has come about because of tourism. Savannah has a lot of old money, but regular middle income and poor people are now priced out. I hear that this is the same as many other cities in the country, Savannah has not acted quickly enough to combat this.

Tybee is a fine beach town. It prides itself on being an old fashioned beach town, and doesn’t want it to be anything else. I think they are doing a good job of keeping the residents property protected from the tourists, but it’s a constant battle.

My feeling for both Savannah and Tybee is that they have failed to regulate the short term rentals enough. This has caused people from outside to buy property they are not personally invested in, and the outside renters are causing the residents to be upset.

Since I’m from the north, nobody wants to hear what has already worked elsewhere. They would rather reinvent the wheel. Fine, but Savannah should start being pro active, instead of playing catch up.

The crime in Savannah has pretty much zero to do with short term rentals (maybe some public drunkenness quotient in certain parts of town). It has more to do with a tactless and historically directionless public school system not being held to account. You can trace the poverty correlation with education level. It's not good. And, being poor and also poorly educated kind of leaves few options for those who find themselves without in a consumption economy - especially young, virile ones.

Similarly, the things detracting from Savannah's unique beauty have less to do with short term rentals and more to do with a Metropolitan Planning Commission that presses residents harder than large corporations... It has to do with general gentrification and pins put to the wrong people.
I guess if you're counting "hotels" as "short-term rentals," then I might at least halfway agree with you.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

The crime in Savannah has pretty much zero to do with short term rentals (maybe some public drunkenness quotient in certain parts of town). It has more to do with a tactless and historically directionless public school system not being held to account. You can trace the poverty correlation with education level. It's not good. And, being poor and also poorly educated kind of leaves few options for those who find themselves without in a consumption economy - especially young, virile ones.

Similarly, the things detracting from Savannah's unique beauty have less to do with short term rentals and more to do with a Metropolitan Planning Commission that presses residents harder than large corporations... It has to do with general gentrification and pins put to the wrong people.
I guess if you're counting "hotels" as "short-term rentals," then I might at least halfway agree with you.

If savannah is a beautiful jewel, then I think tourism played a big part spawning all kinds of businesses. Then you need enough tourists to support them. Short term rentals allow more tourists. Most of the short term rentals try to fit in and why shouldn’t they? They are profitable only if they stay open and will do,whatever they can to do so including keeping the properties nice and staying under the radar and keeping better class of renters.

[SavannahLife]

Originally Posted by CoastalGAGuy

The crime in Savannah has pretty much zero to do with short term rentals (maybe some public drunkenness quotient in certain parts of town). It has more to do with a tactless and historically directionless public school system not being held to account. You can trace the poverty correlation with education level. It's not good. And, being poor and also poorly educated kind of leaves few options for those who find themselves without in a consumption economy - especially young, virile ones.

Similarly, the things detracting from Savannah's unique beauty have less to do with short term rentals and more to do with a Metropolitan Planning Commission that presses residents harder than large corporations... It has to do with general gentrification and pins put to the wrong people.
I guess if you're counting "hotels" as "short-term rentals," then I might at least halfway agree with you.

Great post. Biggest thing is the education, agree. I care a lot more about potentially getting murdered visiting town after dark than about rentals. Most murders or attempted murders, downplayed as shootings, are from multi-gen locals in gangs. And it seems like more than half the murders are thugs shooting young women. Tourists are not shooting people. Or robbing houses. Litter is mostly locals.

I also enjoy Air Bnb as a traveler. Air Bnb owners have more stake in the community than Hampton Inn. Rentals, sure maybe there should be some balance.. I think for example don't overtax rentals IF the owner lives in the rental or maybe if they have two or less for example. over that, some sensible guidelines. I agree also the pins are put on residents not large corporations as you say.. All the new warehouses not paying taxes for 20 years like on Veterans for example. Nuts. SCAD paying no taxes, all the hotels getting exemptions, then people not being allowed to paint their house a certain color. (as a local builder pointed out, basically you can do any color you like as long as it's beige) On the other hand, Plant Riverside turned out nice and many nice new restaurants. Always tradeoffs.

[Thundarr457]

Many cities would kill to have 15 million tourists spending 3+ billion/year. We love Savannah and its unspoiled (for the most part) architecture. We were just there yesterday and its a city like no other. Lots of great restaurants, hotels, things to see and a unique history. SACD has done a magnificent job repurposing buildings and deserves a lot of credit for Savannahs renaissance. We will go back again soon.

[beach43ofus]

I'm a tourist who is here right now, but I don't think I'm ruining anything. I'm spending money, & not harming anything or anybody. There are 6 of us, & we're here for 3 nights, then we're gone.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

I'm a tourist who is here right now, but I don't think I'm ruining anything. I'm spending money, & not harming anything or anybody. There are 6 of us, & we're here for 3 nights, then we're gone.

A while back, here was a post about the cars playing loud vibrating music with their windows wide open..."look at me"

I did hear & see some of that, & it did take away from the experience. They all had local car tags, so I assume they were locals doing it...guys.

I also saw "cruisers" just driving back & forth time after time along the same street/s near the City Market area...all guys...local tags.

We saw a lot of homeless guys hanging out in the squares and parks....not a pretty sight. They're not aggressive like in San Fran.

The main areas tourists frequent were clean, but the ally's were full of trash, so we stopped cutting through them to save a few steps.

The side walks are in disrepair. I realize its an old city, but w/ all the pedestrian traffic, & tourist dollars flowing in, they should be repaired.

Overall, its lost some of its charm, but enough is still there to make it a worthwhile visit. Great food.

I don't think tourists are the biggest problem. Its local guys & gov't. Police presence was lacking during the daylight hours, near the tourist areas.

The tourism dollars are not being reinvested into the city, that much is obvious.

[CoastalGAGuy]

This post above does so much to illustrate the casual hubris of a truly privileged tourist who feels like Savannah somehow isn't a real city, but a playground for their own impressions first and foremost. Go to a Disney park, if that's the experience you want! Savannah ain't a backlot. And, you didn't buy a ticket to enter the city gates. That much is obvious.