HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0675.546 2022-2024From: Alice Hughes
Sent: Saturday, September 28, 2024 10:17 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Short term, vacation rentals
Each short term, vacation rental employs for the most part,a Manager, inspectors, cleaners, handyman, Appliance Repair,
air conditioning specialists, accountants, online marketers,.
Each short term, vacation rental on the broader side, supports the community through the HOA fees homeowner
association, fees, trans accommodation taxes General excise tax and property tax. Each one of these communities
employees, a resident manager or manager of sorts, Yard Service, maintenance people and others.
Each vacation rental pay an average of 17% in taxes that means that for a week stay over one and a half days is devoted
to Taxes.
In addition to the property itself the surrounding properties benefit such as the shopping centers, the Uber drivers, the
restaurants, the activity people.
Why would the government want to prevent a private person from doing a vacation rental? There is so much benefit to
the community, the government And the people.
You may ask why is the government doing that? my opinion is that the large hotels are impacted by the vacation rentals
and want more of their business back. The other reason is that there's some reasoning that taking away the availability
to rent a property would make for more rental units for the local people who live here the people who work here. If we
go to long-term rentals on all of our or many of our vacation rentals we will see a big reduction in price and value of
these properties. Property tax will be impacted. Businesses will go out of business.
A better solution, which I know is not popular because there are forces here that want to keep the population low, is to
open up the land, much of which is state owned and allow simpler dwellings. In areas on the mainland, there are simple
dwellings, manufactured homes where a person starting out can own a home have a roof over their heads and come
home to relax after a day work. The building requirements here are extensive and costly and time-consuming. There is no
way to legally build a simple home and get governmental approval.
In addition to all the jobs that short term vacation rentals have, they are good paying jobs. The cleaners can make as
much as $30-$50 an hour. All of the other Handyman, and skilled tradesmen make good money taking care of Vacation
rentals.
As far as the noise factor and the problem of vacationers. I believe it's just a racist opinion that our visitors are obnoxious
and ruining the island. Most of our visitors have paid a lot to fly here, and for the most part are respectful . Just because
of our geographic location we do not get a lot of Riff Raff so to speak.
I am glad that the county is getting some portion of the vacation rental taxes. That should be done along time ago.
The county should work on ways to make it easier and legal to build a simple home. That would solve a lot of problems
and solve the problem that you were trying to address by over regulating a person's right to use their hard earned
property as income property. Can't you see that we all benefit from this?
Aloha, Alice Hughes
Alice in hawaii@gmail.com
808-989-1905
Comm" N G. 5%
Ref. To:
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Ref. Pete L,