[camp guy]

Home ownership is possibly the greatest single driver in a local economy, in that home owners are always needing something at the local hardware store, do retail and food shopping locally, generally use local trades for work to be done in and around their home, and enjoy the benefit of building equity through the passage of time. Non-home owners, renters, probably do none of the above. Renters are generally told not to drive nails into the walls, not to do home maintenance by themselves, and each month monthly rent check goes to "someone", not to building equity for them. A home is someplace to live, a rent is someplace to reside (for now). Towns should do whatever they can to encourage home ownership - it benefits not only the homeowner, but the local economy.