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From: Kathy Ooara <br /> To: W PCtesti mony <br /> Subject: Reassessing Bill 121 comments <br /> Date: Tuesday,April 2,2024 1:08:34 PM <br /> Chairman Dennis Lin <br /> Windward Planning Commission <br /> County of Hawai'i <br /> 25 Aupum St. <br /> Unit 1502 <br /> Hilo HI96720 <br /> Aloha Chairman Lin <br /> Asa property owner in Hawai'i County, and a short-term rental host since <br /> September 2017 I am reaching out to express my concerns regarding Bill 121. <br /> My wife and I are retirees who spend approximately 7 months each year in Hawai'i, <br /> the remaining 5 months we short term rent our house. The ability to short-term rent <br /> our home not only contributes to the local economy through diligent payment of <br /> TA and GE taxes, but has also played a significant role in supporting both locals <br /> who need transitional housing while buying a new home in Hawai'i, and the <br /> Hawai'i's tourism indust <br /> Hawaii is our home for most of the year, but while we are gone, my propertyhas <br /> helped hundreds of visitors enjoy their stay on the Big Island without the high <br /> costs associated with hotel accommodations. I have also hosted more than a dozen <br /> local individuals who need short-term transitional housing while they are buying <br /> and selling their homes in Hawai'i. My propertyalso contributes significant income <br /> to the local contractors who I hire to manage and clean the property between <br /> uests. <br /> The service I provide has been crucial in making Hawai'i accessible to a broader <br /> audience and to accommodate locals with short-term transitional housing needs. <br /> This, in turn, has had a positive impact on our local economy. Visitors and locals <br /> who stay in short-term rentals like mine contribute to the community by dining in <br />