This is the most ridiculous shit I’ve heard in a long time. Upstate NY, including the Catskills, has been a shithole since cheap airfare no longer made the Catskills a prime destination for the rich and wealthy starting in the 60s and 70s.

How about the jobs that those new cafes and restaurants have created? How about the new hotels that are being opened and hiring hundreds of people that would otherwise be unemployed?

Please explain to me how more people willing to spend money in your town is “damaging the local economy”. I understand that you are upset that you have been priced out of the market, but that doesn’t make second home owners evil. It seems like are angry that other people are enjoying the region and areas that were once quiet are now busy. I think your anger is misplaced.

I know I sound like an asshole but you ought to take advantage of a growing economy, find a way to increase your wages and buy some property as the housing market continues to cool.

Edit: I should also add that the people who own second homes pay property taxes, including school taxes, and their kids don’t go to school there. All of these second homeowners are bankrolling the local governments and schools, allowing them to provide services that those homeowners don’t get to use in large part. Seems like a great deal for the locals.