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From: Martina Wino <br /> To: WPCtestimonv <br /> Subject: Concerns Regarding the Impact of Bill 121 on Local Communities <br /> Date: Tuesday,April 2,2024 12:47:43 PM <br /> Chairman Dennis Lin <br /> Windward Planning Commission <br /> County of Hawaii <br /> 25 Aupuni St. <br /> Unit 1502 <br /> Hilo,HI 96720 <br /> Aloha Chairman Lin, <br /> I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding the proposed measures in Bill 121. As a <br /> 26-year resident of Kona deeply invested in the well-being of our local communities, I find it <br /> imperative to voice the potential negative impacts this bill will have on our'ohana and the <br /> spirit of aloha that defines our island. <br /> Firstly, the bill's approach to regulating short-term rentals appears to lack a comprehensive <br /> understanding of the economic implications for local homeowners. Many families, myself <br /> included, rely on the income generated from short-term rentals to afford our living expenses. <br /> By imposing severe regulations without conducting an economic impact study, we risk <br /> jeopardizing the financial stability of over 7,000 households on the Big Island. In the next few <br /> years, I will retire, and my long-term plan has always been to supplement my mortgage with <br /> STVR income. Bill 121 will take this option away. This is simply not okay. <br /> Moreover, the bill's restrictions on where hosts live and where guests stay within a property <br /> seem overly intrusive and disregard the autonomy of property owners. Such regulations could <br /> transform the character of our neighborhoods, not through organic community development, <br /> but through imposed limitations that do not reflect the needs or desires of the residents. <br /> Additionally, the punishment is excessive. This is simply not okay. <br /> In light of these concerns, I respectfully request the Planning Commission to consider the <br /> following recommendations: <br /> 1. Conduct an economic impact study to fully understand the implications of Bill 121 on <br /> local homeowners and the economy. <br /> 2. Recommend equal treatment of property owners, regardless of their living arrangements <br /> on the property. <br /> 3. Reconsider the restrictions on host and guest accommodations to allow more flexibility <br /> for property owners. <br /> 4. By addressing these issues, we can find a more balanced and fair approach to regulating <br /> short-term rentals that respects the rights of property owners while addressing the <br /> commission's concerns. <br /> Lastly, after attending the last hearing and seeing the overwhelming opposition to the bill, I <br /> was struck that the council voted in favor by 8-0. It was obvious that not one council member <br />