HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0739.051 2016-2018CQUNTY Cl.. _-.
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Aloha from Volcano,
NIS APR 26 PHOv 57
Please continue your work on Bill 108 to begin a regulation of vacation rentals in our beloved Hawaii. I
see that this business has really gotten "out of hand" in terms of knowing by our county and state who
owns these rentals, who runs these rentals and the vast numbers of them being NOT being registered as
vacation rental and thus paying the required GET & TAT.
I myself with my husband Jeffrey operate a small vacation rental out of our house, "Volcano Village
Serenity Suite". I am registered with Hawaii State, pay all GET & Tat as well as have extra insurance for
my guests when they stay here. It is a nice bonus to our retirement income and our guests comment
upon the ALOHA they receive by the personal greeting by my husband and I. The main attraction here of
course is The Volcano National Park. We are happy to share this most wonderful natural treasure in our
community.
All that said, I am amazed at the number of houses being bought and built for the sole purpose of being
a vacation rental. Often the guests are given a code to open the house and there is NO local contact!
Also I know many of them are NOT registered with Hawaii State (Alas, the majority as a recent article in
our own local paper reported! On Hawaii Island 8,647 advertised vacation rentals, (with duplicate listing
perhaps 4,849 and ONLY 2,037 registered!) and thus DO NOT PAY GET or TAT.
Also and importantly, often the owners live in another state which sends most of the rental money
elsewhere. This is money not staying here in the hands of our own residents to help our own economy.
Where are our own Hawaii residents to live? Rent or own? And my own now young adult children, how
are they going to buy or rent if these houses are kept in vacation rental status? This is of continuing
importance. Let our educated children have a home to buy or rent so they can continue to live,
contribute and work in Hawaii. Our two children have not left this state, but contribute to our islands
economy and health/
I hope you will continue with this bill ...IT IS OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE!
I received a form letter from a vacation rental company that would have been so easy to send to you
titled "Take Action To Protect Vacation Rental In Hawaii"...if you receive one of these (they will be
similar, already composed by the lobby) please know it is an effort by this lobby to disrupt your
continued and important attention to this matter!
If not regulated now this issue will get bigger and bigger. It is already out of hand!
With my sincere caring and aloha,
Sally M Mermel
Volcano Hawaii
Comm.
Ref. To:
Ref. date�;PR l 4
POST SCRPT: On Oahu my friends daughter in Kailua lives next to a vacation rental that charges $8,000 a
week and the owner lives in China. Please bring Hawaii back to its own residents and families. We do
need vacation rentals regulated NOWM