HomeMy WebLinkAboutMacres, Jeri
Tsuneda, Kaci
From:Giselle Thompson <gisellephoto@gmail.com>
Sent:Thursday, November 5, 2026 11:51 AM
To:Council Testimony
Subject:Testimony Bill 147 from Jeri Macres
Aloha council members,
My name is Jeri Macres, and I am a senior resident of Kona. I am testifying today about Bill 147 to urge
you to protect compliant, local vacation, rental owners. At my age, being able to operate a vacation
rental is not a luxury—it is a lifeline. The income it generates allows me to survive the astronomical cost
of living in Hawai ʻ i and stay current on my skyrocketing property taxes. Like many local families in our
community, this income provides the financial stability we need to keep our homes and spend
meaningful time with our loved ones.
Our properties do not operate in a vacuum. We actively pour money back into the community by
providing reliable jobs for local cleaning, landscaping, and maintenance professionals. Furthermore,
vacation rentals make longer stays affordable for visitors. These tourists spend their money directly in
our neighborhoods, supporting our local restaurants, shops, and small businesses.
Taking away vacation rentals or enforcing overly punitive burdens on compliant owners will only hurt the
local community. If the county wants to solve the housing crisis and regulate the industry, the solution is
enforcement, not elimination.
The county needs to crack down heavily on unpermitted, unposted properties and those who actively
evade paying their taxes. Please do not penalize the community members who are doing everything right,
paying their fair share, and following every rule.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Jeri Macres
1