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Workers describe housing instability in Yachats: 'everyone is on vacation except for us'
Summary
Local workers and volunteers said high rents, frequent moves and long commutes force service employees into unstable housing arrangements, imperiling small businesses that rely on seasonal labor.
Workers and volunteers described housing instability that they said makes it hard to live in Yachats while working there full time.
"Everyone is on vacation except for us," said Zachary Qualli, describing peak‑season pressure on service workers who often continue to work unglamorous, demanding shifts. Qualli said he has moved repeatedly, spent time couch‑surfing and shared a small home with extended family despite working locally and volunteering in town.
Pastor Bob Barrett said he had lived through repeated rent increases and that his family and others had faced rents of $2,000 to $2,500 a month — figures he presented as evidence that local salaries do not match housing costs. Several speakers noted that service‑industry employers in town have dozens of employees but that many cannot find housing nearby, prompting long commutes that affect both quality of life and the town’s ability to staff critical services.
Speakers framed the housing problem as an operational issue for employers and the town alike, not only a personal hardship: long commute times and lack of nearby housing complicate emergency call response and continuity of services, they said.
