ABSTRACT

Second home use and ownership are closely linked to various sets of political and property rights and obligations. These rights and obligations, of course, vary by jurisdiction. In this chapter we examine a framework of political and property rights that apply to second home owners in Canada, Finland and Poland. In these countries with very different political regimes and heritage, second homes are an increasingly important part of contemporary lifestyles and rural landscapes. In particular, we focus on two key issues: property rights with respect to the use and development of the property, and community rights with respect to participation in land-use planning and voting in local government elections. Based on the comparison, we discuss the consequences of different political systems to second home ownership