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March 31, 2024 <br /> HAWAII WINDWARD PLANNING OCMMISSION <br /> Dennis Lin, Chair <br /> Louis Daniele III, Vice Chair <br /> MEETING DATE: April 4, 2024 <br /> TIME: 9:OOam <br /> PLACE: Hilo <br /> RE: COMMENTS REGARDING <br /> BILL NO. 121-24 <br /> Dear Chair Lin and Committee Members: <br /> I am a mother of 4, wife, homeowner, and full-time resident of Hawaii Island. I am also a <br /> volunteer mediator at West Hawaii Mediation Center, VP of a local non-profit advocacy group, <br /> chair of the WHAR Government Affairs Committee, and Commissioner of a Hawaii County <br /> commission. Further, I am a landlord of a long-term rental as well as a permitted STVR owner <br /> since 2019. <br /> I support reasonable regulation of the legal short and mid-term rental industry and offer <br /> comments on Bill No. 121-24 to achieve more mutually beneficial and balanced legislation.As <br /> written, the bill is not a true registration, but a punitive permitting process - one which will result <br /> in a financially discriminatory impact on many residents with little hope of achieving its stated <br /> goals. <br /> Recommendation#1: Maintain the 30-day definition of a short-term rental (even if <br /> renaming as transient accommodation rental). <br /> I agree with the Planning Director, this definition is already established in law and <br /> practice within the department. Many people and businesses, including homeowners, renters, <br /> traveling workers, businesses who require seasonal employees,property managers, HOAs, <br /> AOAO's, and more, including our planning department, have relied on this definition when <br /> making significant financial decisions, creating documents and processes, employing staff, <br /> arranging travel, or creating contracts. <br /> This bill will immediately make illegal anyone who is legally renting an unhosted space <br /> for 30-179 days. (These are folks who have owned for years and travel abroad or mainland a few <br /> months a year, renting their home out when they go). <br /> This bill will immediately make illegal all condo units legally renting for 30-179 days <br /> whose CCRs prohibit any "STVR" as defined in county code. <br /> 1 <br />