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From: Doug Thompson
To: CouncilTestimonv 2019 JUNI
—3 AN la t
Cc: Poindexter,Valerie;Chung,Aaron;Lee Loy,Sue;eileen.oharahawaiicount1,g0v;
ien.ruggles(ohawaiicounty.gov; David,Maile;dru,kanuha(ftawaiicounty,gov; Eoff,Karen; Richards,Tim;
hilifemedia,buzz(aomail.com
Subject: Bill 108
Date: Sunday,June 02,2019 1:08:03 PM
To the Hawaii Council,
My wife and I recently returned from a trip to the Big Island where we stayed at several
vacation rentals by owner. One was a tiny house in Volcano that was absolutely magical, and
the other was a stunning house on the shore in Milolii. In both cases we corresponded with
the owners, getting advice on things to do and places to go that we would not have otherwise
known about. If we had stayed in Hilo and in Kailua we would not have visited many of the
local establishments and attractions we went to during out trip.
When we travel, which we do extensively, whenever possible we stay in what I world call
"traditional" vacation rentals by owner: properties that are owned by people who have only a
few places that they rent, are directly involved with the rental and the people staying in their
homes, and go out of their way to make the experience unique and special. In the last few
years we've stayed in the "jelly bean" row houses of St John's Newfoundland, a 16th century
walkup on the royal mile in Edinburgh, a converted warehouse on a quay in the inner
Hebrides, and quaint cottages in places as diverse as South Tahoe and Calumet, MI. And of
course Hawaii.
We were saddened during our stay to read about Bill 108, which presents such high standards
to hosting a vacation rental by owner that it effectively puts the exact type of rental that we
search for out of business. Reading Bill 108, it appears that the goal is in fact to eliminate this
type of rental, as there does not appear to be any way for a new properties to enter the market,
and once an existing property leaves the market for any reason it is not able to reenter.
My wife and I frankly are not interested in staying in large hotels or resorts in crowded tourist
districts or enclaves. We want to get a feel for the actual place we are staying and interact with
the folks who live there. If this were the only type of accommodation in Hawaii, we would not
visit.
I would urge you to consider amending Bill 108 to take into account the different options for
accommodations across the spectrum, and to look at things from the point of view of someone
truly interested in providing a unique experience for guests looking for something out of the
ordinary. I believe that it is possible to reasonably regulate guest accommodations of all kinds
without eliminating those that don't fit the large corporate mold.
Sincerely,
Doug Thompson
Plymouth MN
Comm. No.
Ref. To:
Ref. Date JUN 1 9 2019