HomeMy WebLinkAboutGambla, Len
Tsuneda, Kaci
From:Koili Point <koilipoint@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, August 31, 2026 4:23 AM
To:Council Testimony
Subject:Bill 147 Questions
Aloha,
Thank you in advance for your time. Please see the below for consideration:
1. Amend the drafted SECTION 4. Chapter 25, article 1, section 25- 1- 5 to consider that Hosts may travel
off island for any reason and/or may be hiking in a remote area -- and then would not be able to comply
with the 'amendment' as currently written. Instead of requiring both provisions be met, (respond via
phone AND be present within 3 hours) consider one or the other which seems very reasonable.
2. The penalty for being off-island or on a hike that would take more than 3 hours to get the message, hike
back to one's car, drive back to the TVR would then be $5,500 for the first penalty? This seems incredibly
high. One call from a 'neighbor' who may/not have anything to do with the rental and who doesn't like an
owner for whatever reason, but knows you are away -- and you are basically out of business.
3. Perhaps add language that if the Host is not available, they have a right to designate a co-host or
someone? Maybe this is implied but it's not clear to me. This would seem very reasonable.
4. I'm a little unclear about the right to host a TVR on an Agricultural property. I am in favor of this as long
as there is a host or co-host on site. Also, how/when/where to register as an Ag Hosted TVR?
I would ask "What is the specific problem looking to be solved by the County with this amendment?" This
would help put the amendment into context better.
There is the independent study that shows short term rentals are very popular with tourists, create a lot
of jobs for people who live on the island, and contribute a lot of money to the County -- to include
keeping the money on island unlike the national corporations such as hotels whose profits leave the
island immediately.
I am sure there are some complaints with certain parts of the island where owners are not as pono as we
all would like with their rental.I also realize it is hard to make one new law that will address the whole
island.
With that, I would ask if equal effort is being exerted to ask hotels to provide housing for their employees
on-site? Maybe hotels need to convert rooms to accommodations for some of their employees if
housing is the 'problem' this bill is intending to help solve. This happens in many countries around the
world but not on the Big Island in particular.
Mahalo again for your time. Len Gambla, Papaikou
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