HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0675.034 2022-2024 From: nancy evans
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2024 5:13 PM
To: Council Testimony H c">
Subject: Testimony for 1/23 meeting related to Bill 121 = ,
Aloha. My husband's and my second home is in Discovery Harbour, Na'alehu. Our "primary" or "principa ,
residence is in California. We spend about six months in each state.
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We have a STRV/NUC permit for vacation rental accommodations while we are in California (STVR- -363-959
and NUC 19-1479). We currently pay an annual NUC renewal fee of$250. We list our home on Airbnb. If I
understand the proposed regulations, our existing STRV/NUC would be transferred to a TAR permit/NUC and
we would be exempt from the initial registration application process and fee ($1,000). We would then renew
our TAR/NUC with the renewal application and payment of an annual TAR fee ($250) and NUC fee ($500). I
appreciate the exemption for the rather arduous application process and can appreciate the need to raise
more funds even if I don't like it.
My concerns relate to the new proposed regulations for "hosted"TARs. In addition to our STVR, we also have
a separate Airbnb listing for"shared" vacation rental accommodations for when we reside in Hawaii. We pay
State and County TAT/GE taxes on the combined income from our "hosted" and "unhosted" rentals. We might
need a separate new TAR/NUC permit for our "hosted" listing except we don't seem to qualify for a "hosted"
TAR/NUC permit under the proposed regulations. We are excluded from the "owner hosted" TAR because the
regulations require that the owner be a Hawaii resident and the rental property be the owner's primary
residence. Our property taxes reflect our non-resident status. We might quality for TAR/NUC as "operator-
hosted" rental (since we own and operate the rental) but I don't understand the definitions of where the
"owners" or the "operators" reside. We live in our home and share common spaces with our guests. We don't
have an "ohana." Are "shared" accommodations the same as "hosted" accommodations? Perhaps we don't
need a permit for"shared" rental accommodations.
If we need a separate "hosted" permit as non-residents for"shared" accommodations, can the proposed
regulations include non-resident property owners who reside in the rental accommodation during the rental
period under either "owner" or "operator" hosted TAR permit? If so, can language be added to exempt
"hosted" rental properties which already have a STVR/NUC from the application process (the County already
has the layout, neighbors already received letters, etc.), if not the initial fee?
If non-residents can only get a "hosted"TAR/NUC as an "operator," can language be added that allows a non-
resident owner to convert an existing operator-hosted TAR to an owner-hosted TAR if the owner becomes a
permanent resident (the proposed regulations have a transfer provision if there is a change in owners)?
I don't know if we are unique among Hawaii's part-time residents and vacation rental property owners. We
don't do a lot of business being in such a remote location. We are retired and enjoy providing affordable
accommodations for one group of guests (up to 6 people) at a time in a lovely home in beautiful Ka'u. We've
met many wonderful people through our "hosted" listing and want to continue to host visitors. Our guests are
very appreciative. Our guests this past year included guests from the mainland here to work on the South
Point satellite,geologists from Maui, people doing missionary work in Ocean View,house hunters, families
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with children, relatives visiting family here, and young people. I think we provide a valuable option for visitors
to Ka'u.
I appreciate your consideration of my concerns. Mahalo.
Nancy Evans
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