Hilton Head Island has been voted the #1 Island in the U.S. for 9 straight years by Condé Nast Traveler. That distinction is thanks to the many wonderful visitors who choose our island year after year. But new short-term rental (STR) regulations proposed by the Town Council now put that at risk.

Instead of focusing on enforcing the rules already in place, the Town wants to impose sweeping new restrictions that will hurt families, property owners, and our local economy — without doing any economic study or presenting data to justify these changes. 

The Problems with the Proposed Ordinance

• Targeting everyone for the actions of a few - The Town’s own data shows complaints come from a tiny handful of properties, not the 7,000+ responsible STR homes across Hilton Head.
  
  
• Arbitrary occupancy caps -  The ordinance would slash the number of visitors allowed on Hilton Head by up to 9%, despite no evidence this would solve noise or parking issues.  36% of confirmed STR violations came form homes that would see no occupancy reduction under the proposed regulations.  If the caps were slightly adjusted to allow just 2 additional people per home, a full 65% of homes with violations would see no occupancy reduction at all.
•  Occupancy is not the issue.  The real issue is the lack of enforcement.
  
  
• Massive economic harm – No economic study has been done by the Town, but using an independent model, even a modest 4% reduction in STR visitors would cause a $154 million economic loss and nearly 1,800 jobs lost. At 7% the loss climbs to $269 million, and at 10% it’s $384 million and over 4,300 jobs. The impact is real, immediate, and devastating.
  
  
• Property values at risk – Reducing demand for rentals will eventually reduce real estate values, hurting all property owners — whether they rent or not.
  
  
• New enforcement tools are working – In June 2025 the Town finally gave itself an effective tool: administrative citations. Public Safety Director Bob Bromage has already reported promising results. Why not give this system time to work before rewriting the rules?
   

A Better Way Forward
 We believe Hilton Head deserves common-sense solutions, not arbitrary limits:

• Enforce the rules already on the books with the new administrative citation system.
• Add more code enforcement staff, especially at night when issues occur.
• Collect and publish better data so decisions are guided by facts, not feelings.
• Monitor, review, and adjust based on real outcomes.
   

What We’re Asking
Tell Hilton Head Town Council: Vote NO on occupancy caps.

Instead, focus on enforcement, staffing, and data — practical steps that actually address the issues without destroying Hilton Head’s reputation as America’s favorite island.

Hilton Head cannot afford for the town to make a $154 million - $384 million dollar bet without any clear data to support that occupancy caps will actually fix the noise and parking issues. 

✍️ Sign this petition today to keep Hilton Head welcoming to families, visitors, and residents alike.