If Hunter S. Thompson’s “Red Shark” crossing Nevada defined the American Dream in the ’70s, the Desert Yacht Club of Joshua Tree may be defining it in 2022.
Joshua Tree, a high plateau in the California desert, was once a haven for the misfits. It’s now the way to Byron Bay in Australia, with some residents complaining that short-term rentals and high-end buyers are wiping out affordable housing and killing the community vibe.
Many of these short-term rentals are an advertiser’s wet dream. From gorgeous glamping tents to glass domes with stunning views, there is a wide range of accommodation on offer.
There is also flying saucers, pastel buildings, silver bullet airstreams and yachts. Go figure.
Other residents, like American Psycho producer Chris Hanley, don’t mind the change, saying a journalist the new demography stimulates creativity.
“It’s the future look of the American West.”
Chris Hanley
He has a house where you can swim from the kitchen to the bedroom in an indoor pool. Oh, and the whole place is covered in mirrors, giving it its nickname “the hidden house”.
There are 1,818 Airbnbs in Joshua Tree, not to mention all the Vrbo listings and hundreds of private campgrounds.
According to Airdna.codemand for short-term rentals in Joshua Tree has increased by 54% between 2019 and 2021. This makes Joshua Tree the second fastest growing market in California.
According to The New York Times“In March, there were 2,043 listings in Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley on Airbnb and Vrbo, more than double the number four years ago, according to AirDNA.”
The New York Times also reports: “A real estate agent who works in Joshua Tree said plots are now selling for four times 2019 prices.”
Some people worry that it will push families away and create a ghost town atmosphere, while others love the profits and parties.
Although they don’t indicate how long residents spend there (some residents may be away most of the year while renting their homes), statistics show that Joshua Tree’s population has actually increased over the past decade.
The population of Joshua Tree was 7,414 at the 2010 census. As of 2019, 7,581 people are believed to live there.
In response to this Airbnb “light bubble moment”, parts of the area have introduced noise monitoring devices and started limiting the number of homes that receive short-term rental permits.
Like The New York Times reports, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors is expected to announce changes to its policies soon, and “a debate is heating up about what all the building and the rules are doing to the beautifully weird trees and the spirit of place” ( Legislation to protect endemic trees when people build or alter their properties is also being discussed, as many Joshua Trees are found on private property).
Humorous Instagram accounts like @fuckyourairbnb have also sprung up, just to keep the new wave of investors and hustlers on their toes, poking fun at the clichéd “Joshua Tree aesthetic” of “desert bohemian” and Etsy decor.
This coming together of interests – of tech-savvy creatives, advertisers and postmodern knowledge workers crowding out and gentrifying what were once affordable spaces for hermits and hippies – has been seen around the world, from Byron Bay to Barcelona.
As the work-from-home revolution continues, prompting more affluent and enterprising people to start living further away from the big cities, expect this story to repeat itself soon.
Aside from all this gentrification talk (there are valid concerns about the rising cost of housing and the homelessness crisis), it’s also worth pointing out that part of the reaction to this kind of change is often unfairly radical.
While some entrepreneurs can be arrogant and disrespectful, others can be deferential, helpful, and inspiring.
As we have seen in Australia, there is also often an element of the tall poppy syndrome related to (some) people complaining about change. And some of these boring, forward-thinking people end up putting their money where they say they are and creating something awesome that we could all learn from and benefit from.
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