HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-04-30 Bill 123 Linda Sankovich OP From: Linda Sankovich
To: WPCtestimonv
Subject: Bills 121 and 123
Date: Tuesday,April 30,2024 4:25:57 AM
Dear Chairman Lin and all members of the Windward Planning Commission -
I am unable to be present for the May 2, 2022, meeting when you will continue your
consideration of the bills that will alter the short term vacation accommodations for Hawaii
Island. I was present at the last meeting and was struck by the heartfelt comments from the
audience about the real impacts that the bills, as currently written, will mean for our
friends and neighbors.
The bills seek to regulate and enforce phantom issues. The count of actual complaints against
short term rentals is low compared to the onerous and lengthy proposed legislation. The bills
also put burdens on the Planning Department that I am not sure can be handled without
additional staff being hired.
Short term rentals and their operators are being scapegoated for the lack of affordable housing
on the island. This is a simplistic and inaccurate conclusion. Many tesitifiers have said they
will not convert their current rentals to long term rentals. They have also said that their ability
to rent short term does cure housing affordability for them. It cannot be denied that current
residents rely on this vital source of income to support their living here. Furthermore, if
current operators decide to sell and move off island, they will sell their property (in many
cases their only large investment) at top dollar. This is contradictory to the "affordability"
argument.
In the case of Bill 123, I see absolutely no reason to eliminate "bed and breakfast" as a
possible short term accommodation. Further, residents and operators were told by Council
Chair Kimball at a roundtable discussion about the bills that this category of housing would be
a "safe harbor" for operators. Residents and constituents need to have trust in what they are
told by their elected officials because they make important decisions for their households
based on that(mis)information.
For these reasons and more, I respectfully request that the action that the Planning
Commission take is to refer the bills back to Council with the recommendation that an up-to-
date study be embarked upon. There are unintended consequences of the proposed legislation
that need to be fully studied and considered prior to your further action on these bills.
Thank you for your consideration -
Linda Sankovich
15-2066 7th Ave
Kea'au Hi 96749
(734) 865-0539