Dana
100+ Posts
This was posted yesterday in the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/w..._20141020&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=261957&_r=0
and I've just had a discussion about it with a landlord friend of mine who goes to Barcelona twice a year because he loves it so much. He completely agrees it would be a tragic loss if all the independent, historic little shops in the Barri Gòtic had to close because of soaring rents, but as a landlord he says it's not fair to property owners, either, to have to subsidise character and charm.
Again it's the age old dilemma of a destination's popularity destroying what made the destination popular to begin with. Visitors love all the old family run businesses. Property prices have soared because of Barcelona's huge popularity with visitors, and only chain stores can afford the new rents. But who wants more of those?
Any ideas? Perhaps a small city hotel/apt bed tax that no one would really notice? I wonder...
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/w..._20141020&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=261957&_r=0
and I've just had a discussion about it with a landlord friend of mine who goes to Barcelona twice a year because he loves it so much. He completely agrees it would be a tragic loss if all the independent, historic little shops in the Barri Gòtic had to close because of soaring rents, but as a landlord he says it's not fair to property owners, either, to have to subsidise character and charm.
Again it's the age old dilemma of a destination's popularity destroying what made the destination popular to begin with. Visitors love all the old family run businesses. Property prices have soared because of Barcelona's huge popularity with visitors, and only chain stores can afford the new rents. But who wants more of those?
Any ideas? Perhaps a small city hotel/apt bed tax that no one would really notice? I wonder...