HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0236.029 2024-2026 P/pcPuJIW
'ill 147
From: mark
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2025 1:20 PMc=1C)
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony AGAINST Bill 47C
The (not so) HIDDEN TRAPS OF BILL 47 �C`
We went through ALL of this with Bill 121, yet here we are again! Same thing, different day.1
-What is the sense of urgency, the entire council voted to have an economic study done, yet here we
are with the very same issue BEFORE the study is available. Again, Lava Zones 1&2 should be
exempt as there are NO other options for visitors, and our local economy depends HEAVILY on the
income from the owners to the grounds keepers.
-WHY NOW?? when most of the vacation rental owners are experiencing a financial crisis due to the
dwindling visitor numbers to Hawaii. The state just raised the TAT .75%. Why would the county now
close down the tax revenue of the state? We are all struggling, and its going to get a lot worse before
it gets better. Why the attack on families trying to survive? especially in Puna ...
-There is NO HOME OWNERS INSURANCE AVAILABLE for 'mixed-use' properties in Lava Zones 1
& 2. HPIA will cancel us immediately if we document that we are running a business on the
property. Mortgaged properties would be called in and lost to the banks. With no insurance, we will
lose our mortgages and our homes. Amendment needed for Lava Zones 1 &2
-MANY issues brought up during the conversations with Bill 121 had been worked out, or getting
worked out. Are they now to be thrown out the window?? For Example, allowing those with
contiguous lots to satisfy the requirement of'hosted' would have allowed us to maintain our insurance
coverage through appropriate insurers. Again, there are NO providers for"mixed use" coverage in
Lava Zone 1 or 2 HPIA only covers owner or long term renter occupied, business insurance will not
allow full time residency. Amendment needed for Lava Zones 1 & 2 (might I suggest implementing a
"Code Compliance"department to building dept? Most municipalities have a path to legalizing
existing structures with a basic inspection with emphasis on is it SAFE and does it WORK. This
would be monumental to helping compliance island wide, and help the building dept concentrate on
new permits) Oakland, Ca has been very successful with this department.
- asking the public to sign up and be registered ONLY to get the 'rules and qualifications" later is a
BIG ASK ... not to mention perhaps an illegal TRAP. If we register NOW ... we should be
grandfathered in and immune to ALL future regulations that would disqualify us. NOW would be the
time to set those rules and parameters, not after we have paid $1,000
- Side stepping Planning commission seems to be a political game and NOT IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC. We are still a democracy in Hawaii, no matter how the national
stage is currently playing out. Keep democracy alive in Hawaii i
Comm. i •
Ref. To: '
1 Ref. Dole — 6
This all seems like retaliation for the public going through the political process with Bill 121 which took
SO much of our emotion and time. We are financially dying out here, yet there seems to be a real
appetite council to make us SUFFER
Please DO NOT ADD TO THE SUFFERING ... we would NOT be renting our homes if we didnt have
to, but we do ...
Please think of the devastation to our communities when voting. We are NOT Oahu, we are NOT
Maui, we are NOT even like Kona side ... We are Puna ... and have very few income options
available to us. We have vacation rented out here LONG BEFORE airbnb made it popular. Its never
been an issue out here.
How about designating all of Lava Zone 1 & 2 a Vacation Destination Area BEFORE putting us out of
business? If it takes years to get the VDA's settled and in place, we would have lost our homes
already ....
Thank You
Please be leaders, and not followers of mainland politics.
Mahalo for your time
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