Is Sandusky facing a 'Transient Takeover?'

Not strictly by the numbers, but be sure to count the violations

SANDUSKY — If you listen to the chatter or scroll through local Facebook groups, you might think Sandusky is being swallowed whole by Airbnbs and VRBOs. The fear is real, often cited as “Port Clinton Syndrome”—the worry that our neighborhoods are being hollowed out to make room for weekend tourists.

But new data provided by city officials to StayTunedSandusky.com tells a different story. When you look at the cold, hard numbers, the “takeover” looks more like a tiny fraction of the city’s housing landscape.

📊 By The Numbers: The Housing Reality

According to the U.S. Census, Sandusky has 13,277 total housing units. Of those, 10,892 are occupied by full-time households. That leaves roughly 2,385 units used as second homes or vacation properties.

However, the number of these units actually operating as legal short-term rentals is likely lower than that.