HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-04-12 Bill 123 Sandy Davis From: Sandy Davis
To: LPCtestimony
Subject: STVR owners and homes benefit the community
Date: Friday,April 12, 2024 2:47:51 AM
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am writing to express my opposition to additional road blocks and regulation for Short Term Vacation Rental
properties and owners in Hawaii County.I am opposed to Bill-]21,Bill-122,and Bill-123.
My partner and I have owned one short term vacation property in Pahoa since 2012. We purchased the property as a
future retirement home and rent to about 24 guests per year who otherwise would not be able to experience a stay in
the beautiful rainforest area of the East side of Hawaii Island.From the very beginning we have followed every rile
and regulation set before us. We paid our TAT and GET taxes quarterly and made every effort to be good neighbors
in our community.When Hawaii County adopted its first set of STVR rules,we were"grandfathered"in and did all
the work of publication and forms that were required to register with the county,obtain a conditional use permit and
an STVR license.The process for the October renewal each year begins in July as we gather information and
prepare to comply with all the County requirements for renewal.The county provides no help,such as notifications
or assistance with forms so we contract that to an outside provider since it is too difficult to meet all the
requirements by ourselves.
Our home provides employment for a maintenance person and housekeepers.We purchase all supplies locally.The
people who stay at our home also shop,dine and purchase goods and services locally and contribute much needed
dollars to the Pahoa area and Hawaii Island.
We feel that we are continuously under threat of losing the ability to rent our home,which should be our right as
property owners without question or restriction. If the regulations remove our conditional user permit or otherwise
keep us from renting on a short term basis we will leave our home empty and not rent it at all. The idea that short
term rentals will magically turn into long term rentals if restrictions are tough enough is a myth. Our home is our
home and we want to be able to use is when we come to the island which we could not do if we rent it long term.
Please support the people who bring revenue to Puna and don't keep punishing them by adding to the regulation and
restriction of short term rentals. We love Hawaii Island and we hope to see it grow and flourish in the future.
Mahalo.
Sandy Davis
Lezarde Travel, LLC,a Hawaii Company