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IN OPPOSITION OF BILL 121 <br /> To Whom IT May Concern, <br /> I truly hope someone is reading this. I truly hope that someone, or many people, are <br /> reading the hundreds of opposition testimonies to Bill 121. Because it doesn't feel that way. It <br /> seems that all of these hearings and Zoom conferences are just political theater to push <br /> forward an unpopular, harmful bill for the benefit of the few against the harm to thousands <br /> upon thousand here on the Big Island. <br /> Why would a bill like this be pushed so hard when the short term rental industry does <br /> no harm? How are HOSTED short term rentals somehow the cause or a main ingredient in the <br /> housing crisis? Do you really think that someone that built an Ohana for the sole purpose of <br /> short term rentals wants to provide long term housing on their land? Because I can tell you that <br /> my family's Ohana unit isn't even capable of long term tenants. We are off grid. The solar isn't <br /> up for it. It is also tiny. There is no storage space. And on and on. Do you think that someone <br /> renting out a room in their home now wants to risk heavy penalties due to some permitting <br /> infringement or all of a sudden be forced to have a longterm roommate? But somehow <br /> situations like these are lumped into causing housing issues here on the Big Island. Could it be <br /> the economy? Nah. Could it be interest rates on real estate? Nah. Could it be the insanely long <br /> wait on getting permitting and the codes being enforced while construction supplies continue <br /> to be inflated? Nah. It's us. It's gotta be the folks that welcome visitors for a fraction of the cost <br /> of hotels, and invite them to leave their money here on the island while enjoying the spirit of <br /> Aloha. Yes, that's it. We're the problem. <br /> We are the ones that invest in this island. We attract people to visit and stay in areas <br /> that they would have no ability to do so otherwise. The money they pay us, we are taxed on, <br /> which goes back to the island. The money they pay us, we spend in local stores, gas stations, <br /> and markets. The money they pay us we spend on school supplies for our children and their <br /> food. And guess what else? The visitors that stay with us ALSO spend their money at local <br /> markets, restaurants, stores, gas stations, etc. They help keep our small, local economies alive. <br /> If this dumpster fire of a bill actually passes, and nobody with power to stop it does so, <br /> and hundreds if not thousands of short term rentals close their doors forever- I am so curious <br /> as to what the next step is? What will fill the void? Besides the mental aguish so many will go <br /> through, and are already going through just having to fight for our right to make a hard earned <br /> dollar, is there a job creation bill to follow? Is there some sort of stimulus package for small <br /> communities that currently benefit from the tourist cashflow due to short term rentals but don't <br /> live around hotels? When hard times are made harder for no reason, what are we as the people <br /> supposed to think about those that were voted in to represent our best interests? People that <br /> now want to extend their terms an extra 2 years. If it wasn't so destructive it would be comical. <br /> But there is nothing funny going on here. <br /> Do you all think we make hotel type money? Do you think we sit around all day and just <br /> throw the keys as the visitors arrive and they throw us blocks of gold in return? Let me tell you <br /> that this method of making income will not make you rich (in my experience) and is not easy. I <br /> did it in the hopes of establishing a small, humble, family business that I could pass on one day <br /> to my 2 small children and maybe make their situation a bit easier. But if you think I'm going to <br /> plan a future for them based on politicians that want to change the rules whenever they want <br /> and threaten my family with fines we can't afford, I'm telling you now that I can't and I won't. <br /> AirBnB is a review based platform. If we don't provide a safe, clean, healthy experience <br /> then we receive a bad review. Maybe you are unaware of this, but if you receive just one, ZERO <br /> or ONE star review, AirBnB gives us a single chance to either state our case as to why that isn't <br />