HomeMy WebLinkAboutRubendall, Jesse
Tsuneda, Kaci
From:Jesse Rubendall <jrubes216@gmail.com>
Sent:Sunday, August 30, 2026 9:41 PM
To:Council Testimony
Cc:Hustace, James
Subject:Bill 147: Written Testimony in Opposition for Current Regulations
Aloha Council Member Hustace and Council Members,
Hope this email finds you well. My name is Jesse Rubendall, and I am writing to register my
strong opposition to Bill 147 as it's currently written, as it could greatly affect my livelihood and my
family's ability to live here on Hawai'i Island.
I've lived in North Kohala for six years now, and I work as a property manager, primary maintenance
manager, farmer and landscaper for short-term rental properties in our community. I am currently a
constituent of Council Member James Hustace.
Much of my livelihood — and my family's home — is directly tied to my ability to manage and
maintain hosted short-term rentals here in Kohala. I also run a small farm that is located on the same
property as our short-term rental units, of which the rental revenue is used to subsidize the
agricultural operations. The majority of the food grown here on the land goes directly to feeding our
local community of North Kohala. Additionally, we create authentic and land-based immersive
experiences for our guests by offering them insight into local agriculture. My wife and I live and work
here on the farm/rental property as the hosts, while raising our two-year-old daughter. Our
daughter's future could be directly impacted by how this bill unrolls...
While I do support (and currently take part in) the system requiring hosted rentals to register with the
County, pay their taxes, and follow good neighbor policies, I am deeply concerned about the
provisions that would prohibit existing hosted vacation rentals from continuing to operate as they
have for years, cutting off thousands of jobs, housing stability, and community benefits for people like
me, and my family.
THIS BILL THREATENS MY FAMILY'S HOME AND MY LIVELIHOOD
I don't say this lightly: the properties I manage and maintain are not abstractions to me. They are how
I support my family, put food on the table, and keep a roof over our heads. Bill 147 would prohibit
existing hosted vacation rentals with more than five bedrooms from continuing to operate, and it fails
to grandfather in properties that were built, registered, and operated in full compliance with the rules
in place at the time. These property owners built with the expectation that the rules wouldn't be
pulled out from under them retroactively — and the people who maintain, clean, service, and manage
those properties, myself included, built our livelihoods on that same expectation.
North Kohala has very limited lodging options for visitors. Family reunions, Kohala Reunions, King
Kamehameha Day, and events like the recent Kohala High School 100-year anniversary or Takata
10o-year, all depend on nearby hosted rentals, since the alternative is a hotel almost an hour away- if
visitors can afford one at all. Most resorts/hotels on island cost double or more per night for visitors
to stay, while the majority of that revenue goes straight into the pockets of large corporate hotel chain
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owners, rather than supporting those families and small businesses that reside here on Hawai'i
Island.
THE COUNTY'S OWN DATA CONFIRMS THE STAKES
This Council should weigh the nearly $100,000 Economic Impact Study it commissioned from
Hunden Partners in 2025. On page 33, that study states that existing hosted vacation rentals "are
vital to the livelihood of thousands of families on Hawaii Island," and that many Kama'āina rely on
this market for employment or help affording their homes. Page 10 puts the total economic impact
at nearly $1 billion a year, and the same page estimates that regulations put in place like Bill 147
could cost the island more than 12,000 full-time jobs and 30,000 part-time jobs. I truly don't want
my family, or the families of the people I work alongside, to become part of that number.
This bill also wouldn't accomplish its stated housing goal. Page 60 of the study found that only 4% of
current vacation rental owners and operators said they would definitely convert their property to
long-term rental housing — meaning the likelihood of meaningful conversion to resident housing is
minimal. The reality is that most of these STR properties are small family businesses, not set up for
long-term rental usage. The income they generate is essential for communities to thrive in rural
Hawai'i.
I'd also note that the bill is ambiguous about where a host must live relative to the rental. Current
regulations allow a host to live on the property without being in the same building, which matches
how 93% of vacation rentals on this island already operate, per the Economic Study. Bill 147's
reference to living on the same "building site" as the TVR is undefined and should instead reference
the Tax Map Key (TMK), so hosts living anywhere on the same parcel are clearly recognized as
compliant.
A REASONABLE PATH FORWARD
There is a clear compromise that addresses the Council’s concerns without harming
small family businesses or working farms in our region.
I am not asking the Council to withdraw Bill 147, rather I am asking for a more clearly-defined and
reasonable path forward. The solution I see: grandfather in all currently operating hosted rentals
abiding by the current rules and regulations with a proper registration system, where the host(s) live
on the TMK, regardless of bedroom count. This lets existing rentals continue providing their essential
services and countless jobs for our local community, while still allowing Hawai'i County to set stricter
bedroom limits and other regulations for new/future rentals. This is consistent with the County
previously handled non-hosted STR's.
I fully support registration, taxation, and good-neighbor accountability for hosted rentals. But I'm
asking this Council from the bottom of my heart to please, not to achieve that at the cost of my
family's home and the livelihoods of thousands of others who work to keep these properties running.
Please amend Bill 147 to grandfather currently operating hosted rentals under the prior regulations.
I also encourage you to take a deeper look at properties zoned as Agricultural land, and carve out ways
for agritourism/short-term rental operations to directly subsidize and support the high cost of
agricultural production for our local communities.
Mahalo nui loa for your time and consideration to this important matter.
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Regeneratively yours,
Jesse L Rubendall
Jrubes216@gmail.com
603-831-0179
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