HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0739.365 2016-2018 P/GowciI
Com. 751
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY
E OF HA6VAI'I
EIVED
KO h GOB 1- Time (I:I/OA By Or
Date 10/.51/18
RESORT ASSOCIATION
October 31, 2018
Valerie Poindexter, Chair
Karen Eoff, Vice Chair
Hawaii County Council
Hawaii County Building
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Testimony in Support of Bill 108 Draft 5—Short Term Vacation Rentals
Dear Chair Poindexter,Vice Chair Eoff and Members of the Hawaii County Council,
The Kohala Coast Resort Association(KCRA) is in full support of Bill 108 Draft 5 regulating un-hosted short-term
rentals on Hawaii Island.We believe this bill is necessary and important and thank the County Council for your
diligence in seeing it through to fruition.
There are several reasons we support this bill:
1) It will create a more equitable playing field in terms of taxation and regulations for all types of visitor
accommodations;
2) It will help protect affordable workforce and residential housing across the island;
3) It will aid Civil Defense in communicating with our visitors during natural disasters and emergencies;
4) It will help us maintain and deliver on our brand promise as an island;
5) It will provide an oversight framework to make sure that all accommodations being offered are safe, secure,
and follow our required building codes;
6) It will help us avoid bait-and-switch scams where one property is advertised,but another property(or none at.
all,or one that is unsafe) is delivered;
7) It will help us obtain more accurate visitor counts and distribution models island-wide; and
8) It will provide more comprehensive data, so that economic forecasting can be more accurate,and planning for
key infrastructure improvements can be considered.
While not specifically covered under this bill, we would like the Planning Department and Hawaii County Council to
further consider these requests in any new legislation moving forward.
1) We believe that every property that provides visitor accommodations should register with the County of
Hawaii,including those hosted by a resident in his or her primary residence.This will allow us to have the
most accurate data set for visitor counts and economic impact statements, as well as have a vehicle for
communicating with all visitors in times of emergency.
2) We would like to suggest that the County of Hawaii's registration process for this program mirror the Visitor
Plant Inventory survey forms currently used by the Hawaii Tourism Authority,to provide the most seamless
transition to add those accommodations to the overall visitor inventory.
PO Box 6991, Kamuela, HI 96743*(808)747-5762*kohalacoastresortassn(c gmail.com *www.kohalacoastresorts.com
Comm. No. 17)61 1105
Ref.To: P oundl
Ref. Date NOV 0 1 2018
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The KCRA is a bollection.of.master-planned resorts and hotels situated north of the Kona airport which represents
approximately 3;500,hotel accommodations, an equal number of resort residential units, as well as shopping,
entertainment and dining destinations. KCRA member properties employ more than 5,000 Hawaii Island residents.
KCRA member properties annually pay more than$20 million in TAT and$20 million in GET to the state, and$11
million in property taxes to the County of Hawaii.
Thank you for your consideration. We encourage your support of Bill 108 Draft 5.
Sincerely,
I ;,,, 1 • p
Stephanie Donoho
Administrative Director
•
PO Box 6991,Kamuela, HI 96743*(808)747-5762*kohalacoastresortassnna..gmail.com *www.kohalacoastresorts.com
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