The vacation home rental initiative being backed by the South Lake Tahoe real estate community did not qualify for the ballot.

The effort was an attempt to counter what is a more Draconian measure that has qualified for the November election. That proposal would create a gradual ban on vacation home rentals in the city outside of the tourist core area.

The goal of the real estate group was to continue to allow VHRs in neighborhoods, but with constraints. They also wanted to create a commission that would have some oversight on the industry.

The real estate group submitted more that 1,800 to the county elections office. In the random, fractional count officials found a large number of those who signed were not actually registered voters in South Lake Tahoe. It would take 1,005 signatures to qualify.

Officials with the South Tahoe Association of Realtors could not immediately be reached for comment.
It is not known if they can push the county to count more signatures to see if there is the requisite number.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report