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April 4, 2024 <br />Windward Planning Commission <br />Re: Bill 121 <br />Aloha, Members of the Windward Planning Commission. <br />Thank you for the opportunity to submit opinions regarding this proposed bill. My name is Joy Dillon and <br />I am testifying as a private citizen. I am submitting testimony in opposition to Bill 121. <br />There are many reasons to oppose this legislation but I will focus on a few: <br />1. Private property rights will be violated. The County has no right to mandate which rooms or <br />buildings a private property owner may live in or rent out. The many requirements just to register <br />for a hosted rental are not required of long term rental owners. Why not? <br />2. No enforcement of current legislation. The County is not enforcing Ordinance 2018-114 re STVRs <br />now. Why should more regulations be imposed on short term rentals? A quick look at online <br />vacation rental sites will come up with multiple examples of illegal short term rentals. It's been 5 <br />years since that bill passed and yet County enforcement is lax or non-existent. <br />3. Egregious registration fees, fines and reporting procedures. The County is totally out of line trying <br />to force private property owners and business owners to submit onerous monthly reports. Initial <br />and yearly registration fees and fines that have heretofore been unheard of, even for criminal <br />activity are burdensome and should not be imposed. <br />4. Not a solution for long term housing. The County has no statistics, studies or proof that further <br />legislating short term rentals will result in more long term housing. If the County is truly interested <br />in providing much-needed housing they should be focused on solving our wastewater problem, <br />finding ways to increase infrastructure and changing outdated zoning codes and land use <br />regulations. <br />5. Lost income for our County and State. Visitors want a choice in where they stay when they come <br />here. The short term rental industry contributes $4.8 billion in visitor spending and $720 million in <br />tax revenues. That money stays here, on our island and in our state. Money spent on hotels goes to <br />large international corporations or to the mainland. We need this revenue here. In addition, the <br />short term rental industry provides many jobs for local residents which they depend on. Don't kill <br />the goose that lays the golden eggs. <br />Thank you for your consideration. <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />Joy DOU&W <br />Joy Dillon <br />1302 A Ainaola Dr; Hilo, HI; 96720 <br />808-640-2544 <br />joy@joydillon.com <br />