HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0675.283 2022-2024P / PrAtio
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From: Alexa Boyer ?
Sent: Friday, July 5, 2024 10:54 AM f c
To: Council Testimony = - C�-_
Subject: Written Testimony in Opposition of Bill 121, 122 & 123 t —
Aloha Council Members,_
am writing in opposition to the current proposed Bills: Bill 121, Bill 122 & BiII123. We currently live on the`ljig Island and
our children attend school in Waimea. We have had a short term rental business in Kona since 2019 which has served to .
support our family and help us pay for our kids school tuition as well as provide other local families with work. We have
also housed many travel nurses over the years which fill an important role at Kona Community Hospital and also Park
Rangers which travel between Volcano and Kona. We have and continue to fill many gaps in the short term rental market
that would not be filled by hotels and we are not interested in providing long term housing. We are located in a
residential zone (RD) however we are on Ali'i Drive very close to Kona Village, 2 miles south. Our small family business
serves as a means to support our family and offers other local families work and our neighbors love having us as part of
the community. We ask that you consider the impact that these bills will have on local families that have found work or
made a small family business for themselves which provides for not only their family but other families on island and
serves an important area in the market that makes it feasible for traveling essential workers, government employees and
other guests on a budget to afford to stay and/or visit the island. We would be happy to provide letters of
recommendation from our neighbors, essential workers and local government employees that have stayed with us and
can vouch for the importance of having us a part of the community.
To restrict local residents and property owners by approving these bills and apply more fees and restrictions on top of
the 32% we pay (14% advertising platform fee and almost 18% taxes) is making it difficult on residents to live on island
and have a business and be a part of the community and is allowing the big investors and hotels to control the short
term rental market and inflate their prices by reducing the available short term inventory and will cut out an important
part of tourism and housing for essential workers, government works, and locals traveling between islands to visit family,
etc... Short term rentals also pay better housekeeping rates and support small local repair businesses and vendors which
serves to support Hawaii's local economy better than hotels. The better pay that short term rentals offer housekeepers
allows housekeepers to earn a livable income to support their family with one job and not require them to have two
different jobs as many hotel housekeepers do to afford to live on island. Removing or restricting short term rentals and
Bed and Breakfasts for private owners will make it more unaffordable for locals and visitors and impact the local
residents, housing and Hawaii's economy negatively and only improve the bottom line of hotels.
We are currently trying to finish our B&B Certificate of Occupancy with Planning approval since 2022 and passing Bill 122
would have a very negative implication for us. If the county decides they are going to advance the bill it would be
appreciated if the Council Members would consider the current situations of local residents and at a minimum include in
the Bill that any Planning Approvals that have already been issued would be honored and grandfathered even if their
Certificate of Occupancy hasn't been issued. We are almost 3 years into the project and do not feel it is right for Bill 122
passing to have such a negative implication on us.
On a side note, I care deeply about the county needing affordable housing so I wanted to mention possible positive
alternatives to address the current housing shortage and create affordable housing without the negative implications by
passing Bills 121,122 & 123 which will negatively impact Hawaii's local economy and residents as I detailed above. A few
possibilities to address the housing shortage in a positive manner could be for local governments to partner with
developers to build affordable housing by encouraging projects with property tax breaks or tax incentives or to create a
affordable housing fund supported by a small tax included in property tax assessments or by assigning a small tax on "For
Profit" housing developments, hotels or short term rentals or even introduce a new Bill for the public to vote on to
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create a fund to support the building of affordable housing which will have a significantly positive effect on the local
economy and accomplish county goals in a positive manner and improve local residents housing situations without
passing Bill 121, 122 & 123 and putting more restrictions on local residents and small businesses owners and making it
more challenging for residents and small business owners to survive here on the Big Island.
I appreciate you considering my testimony when choosing how to vote on these Bills.
Mahalo,
Alexa
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