Businesses in beach towns have difficulty hiring staff to meet the demands of summer tourists.Fourth of July weekend travel could surpass pre-pandemic recordsThe affordability crisis in popular tourist destinations has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.Check out more stories from Insider's business page.Lauren Belvin and her husband own Belvin Built, a design-construction firm located in Point Harbor, NC. They are situated across the bridge from Outer Banks.This company can do everything, from flood restoration following hurricanes to designing new homes. Based on the job, Belvin pays her employees anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per day. Two teenagers that they found power washing the neighbor's home were their only reliable employees this summer.This company faces the same challenge as many other small businesses in coastal towns. A combination of factors have left 'Help Wanted" signs at storefronts all along the coast, from the Outer Banks and the Hamptons.Ayelet Sheffey, an Insider reporter, reported that the nation's labor shortage could be caused by a combination of four factors: unemployment benefits and COVID-19 health concerns, care responsibilities, low wages, and caring responsibilities.Due to J-1 visa restrictions, many seasonal workers from abroad that depend on summer towns were unable travel to the US. The affordable-housing crisis is another challenge facing vacation destinations. These factors collide during the busiest weekend for travel, when tourists flock to the beaches to celebrate Independence Day.Tom Ruhle, East Hampton Office of Housing and Community Development director, said that "Before the Pandemic it was terrible." "Now it is dismal."Ruhle stated to Insider that although the Hamptons housing market is booming, there is very little affordable housing available.The New York Times reported on data from Douglas Elliman (a real estate company) that showed that there was a decline in Hamptons house availability, while prices and sales soared.Insider reported that Belvin said, "It's forcing everyone to live farther and further away." "And then, rising gas prices and unemployment make it almost impossible to find skilled labor right now."An estimated year-round resident of the Outer Banks was forced to leave their rentals by landlords who wished to take advantage of the real estate market."I knew a friend who had lived in Kill Devil Hills for over 20 years. Belvin explained to Insider that her landlord had given her 30 days to leave in April, as he was selling the house. "She now lives in our warehouse apartment.Many restaurants in beach towns don't have enough staff to keep them open during normal business hours. They often close for a few days each week. The winter tourist season is only three months long, so closing restaurants can have a negative impact on the revenue that seasonal businesses rely on to survive.Sandbars Raw Bar and Grill in Kill Devil Hills, NC closed Friday. Michelle Shafer and Mark Shafer posted a touching video on their Facebook page, citing the lack of labor as the primary reason for the closure.Mark Shafer stated in the video that "there are not many people looking for work out there" and said it was becoming extremely difficult.Citarella, a well-known gourmet market, offers a $2,500 bonus for hiring at its Bridgehampton location. This is in addition to continued employment.Blue Moon Beach Grill sign in Nags Head, NC. Lauren BelvinLynn Jones-Hoates, owner of Healthy Environments Child Development Center, Kill Devil Hills, stated to Insider that she has a waiting list of families who want to enroll their children in childcare so that they can go to work, but she doesn’t have enough staff to fully reopen.Ruhle stated that the question is "What it's going look like year-round here?" "Depending on the work from home scenario, if there's more of an economy that year, there's going be more demand for workers year round, which will exacerbate some of our problems. No one knows what is going to happen.
