2024-04-02 PL-CCI-2024-000003 Bill 121 Jason Green Testimony

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From: Jason Green To: WPCtestimonv Subject: Urgent Call for Reevaluation of Bill 121"s Impact on Local Communities Date: Tuesday,April 2,2024 10:43:56 AM Chairman Dennis Lin Windward Planning Commission County of Hawaii 25 Aupuni St. Unit 1502 Hilo, HI 96720 Aloha Chairman Lin, I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Jason Green, and I am a resident of Pahoa. I am writing to express my concerns regarding Hawaii Bill 121 and its potential impact on our local communities. While I agree that there is a problem with current STVR's on Big Island and understand the intention behind the bill is to regulate short-term vacation rentals, I believe there are significant issues that need to be addressed to ensure fairness and effectiveness. Firstly, the bill's current form seems to overlook the importance of enforceability. Without a clear and practical enforcement plan, the regulations may become ineffective, leading to continued non-compliance and further issues. It is crucial that we find a balance that respects private property rights while addressing community concerns. Secondly, the bill appears to create inequity among property owners. It is essential that all property owners, regardless of whether they live on or off-sight, are treated equally under the law. This ensures fairness and prevents any undue advantage or disadvantage to specific groups. Rules can be imposed, such as. • Must be a resident of the state of Hawaii • Cannot own and/or operate more than 2 STVR's in the state • Must operate under a state registered business name & license which will also mandate yearly business reports and utilize an existing system owned by the state Lastly, the lack of comprehensive data to support the bill's provisions is concerning. Without proper studies, such as an economic impact study or an affordable housing study, it is challenging to predict the bill's effects on our community. The known impact would be: • Vacationers will be condensed to designated accommodation areas which would only support the large corporations. • Small businesses (House cleaning, maintenance workers, landscaping, restaurants, small shops, the list goes on), owned and operated by local families in our communities, will collapse. • Housing prices will plummet as the market will be saturated with vacant homes as owners sell.