TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (WSAV) — With summer winding down, so is vacation rental season.

However, that hasn’t done anything to calm the ongoing debate about them in the area, specifically on Tybee Island, a popular tourist destination.

Since the most recent update to Tybee’s short-term rental (STR) ordinances, new STRs are restricted in residential areas.

However, data from the city shows almost half of the housing on the island is being used as STRs as of this year.

About one-third of the housing in residential areas is still short-term rentals.

Some residents say it’s too much.

They say many long-time neighbors and friends have been forced to leave because their rented homes were turned into STRs.

Yet, others tell me there are homeowners on the island who rent their houses to pay the bills.

Keith Gay, CEO of Tybee Beach Vacation Rentals, says the ordinance hurts them.

“There are people who live outside of the area who want to own a summer home and they come to stay and visit themselves, and then when they’re not here, they allow it to be used to generate revenue to support it. Once that ordinance passed, it took that option away from everybody else, and that’s unfortunate,” Gay said.

The controversy about vacation rentals isn’t just happening on Tybee.

Residents in other areas of Chatham County say they are also looking into strengthening regulations on rentals in their communities.