Protecting Folly’s rights, values, and livability
About Folly United
Folly United is committed to supporting sustainability on Folly Beach by helping the community members understand the synergies between our full-time residents, our property owners, our short and long-term rentals, our property rights, our local leaders, and our future.
The proposed ordinance putting a cap on STRs has not been thought through and will have major impacts on our taxes, and property values and will imperil Folly’s future.
Join us to KEEP FOLLY FOLLY!
Short Term Rental homes on Folly beach are overwhelmingly family vacation homes or planned retirement homes. Many have been in their families for generations and are now threatened by this ordnance. Imagine losing the vacation rental that your family has been coming to for decades because you can no longer rent it out when your parents pass it along to you and you can’t afford to keep it without a STR license. Or imagine planning for your retirement home on Folly Beach but being unable to keep the home because your spouse passes away and can’t transfer the STR license into your name. These are just a couple of examples of how this ordinance will impact Folly homes, residents and businesses.
Join Us to:
Preserve Folly Businesses
Keep Jobs on Folly
Limit Government Overreach
Many Folly businesses rely on short-term rental guests to remain open for business. Restaurants need short-term rental guests to remain open and profitable all year round. These and other businesses like landscapers, handymen, plumbers, and electricians rely on short-term rental owners for a large amount of their business.
Folly Beach has always been a place for free independent people to live, work, and retire. Don’t let this government overreach destroy Folly Beach!
Join Us to prevent:
Higher Taxes
Loss of Property Rights
Lower Home Values
Short-term rentals contribute millions of dollars in sales and accommodations taxes to Folly Beach including about $1 million a year for beach re-nourishment. The beach re-nourishment program is vital to Folly’s future. There is no plan in place to replace this lost revenue should this ordinance pass. Either our taxes go up or programs will be cut leading to a lesser quality of life in Folly Beach.
The ordinance will impact all resident’s property rights. The short-term rental market keeps the real estate market vibrant and healthy. Removing this element will reduce property values for all homeowners and limit their sales potential in the event they are forced to sell their homes.
Let’s push the pause button and see if the new enforcement mechanisms put in place by City Council in September have positive results before adopting the draconian ordinance capping short term rentals.
Testimonials from Residents and STR owners
“My husband and I manage several long term rentals and currently live on the property (not owners of these properties). Last year we were able to purchase a condo at Marsh Winds that we use as a STR and a place for our family to stay when visiting the area. The income from the STR doesn’t even cover our costs but it’s an investment in our future. We just want to have a place to live when our gig here is up. I also love living in a vacation community and I truly enjoy the visitors. We have numerous STR’s very close to us and I have never had an issue, as a matter of fact I get to make new friends every couple of days.”
“A real life example… STR is really about fighting costs outside of our control like taxes and hurricanes, fighting the property damage that comes with living right on the water. I have four kids, I’m hoping they keep the homes over the course of their lives as well, but there are costs outside of their control.  Today, right now, I really love 38 Meeting Street in downtown. I’ve toured the house, the owners lived there for 30 years and now they’re in their 80s. They went to the same college I did, we are alumni. I really want to buy their house and keep it up and love on it during my lifetime. However 38 meeting Street does not allow any short term rentals. So instead of my family buying it, beginning the love on it, replacing my Cornell rocker with their Cornell rocker when they moved into condos, it just sits there. Empty. Because I’m scared of it and so are other well meaning adult couples. It’s a $4 million house that can never help me pay for itself. So instead of something I love it’s some thing I’m currently afraid of. I just checked yesterday it’s still up for sale without any family, without any laughter, without any love. That’s what overregulation ends up with; that’s what taking away peoples property rights does.” — FOLLY RESIDENT
“Hello - my husband and I are full-time residents on the island since 2014. We don’t rent our home or own an STR but when we built the house one of our considerations was that we would be able to STR it if our life circumstances changed. I am fully in support of increased enforcement of and improve regulations of STRs. But I am not in favor of the city restricting my property rights, whether it is to rent as 4% taxpayer or 6%. Thankful for this group forming to unite our voices.”
Don’t Cap Folly’s Future
Did you know?
Accommodations Taxes from Vacation Rentals (STR’s) contributes over $1.5 million a year to the Folly Beach beach re-nourishment program and another $1.5 million to the City’s General Fund.
Cutting STR’s will force the City to raise other taxes to replace these lost funds.
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VENMO HANLDE: @FollyUnited
follyunited1@gmail.com
Folly United, Inc. has applied for tax exempt status with the IRS. When the IRS approves a timely filed exemption application, exempt status is recognized back to the date the organization was created. Thus, while an application is pending, the organization can treat itself as exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3). However, contributors to Folly United do not have advance assurance of deductibility because the organization’s exemption is pending. If Folly United ultimately qualifies for exemption for the period in which the contribution is made, the contribution will be tax-deductible by the donor. Alternatively, if the organization ultimately does not qualify for exemption, then the contribution will not be tax deductible. There are no assurances or guarantees that your donation will be tax deductible.
