HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-06-02 Richard Testimony
From: Richard Prohoroff
To: Planning WPC Testimony
Subject: bill 147
Date: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 9:16:50 AM
Attachments: stvr letter for 6-2-26 new.docx
Aloha still not seeing any updated info on registering hosted vacation rentals. There was news article about deadline but no follow up info. Is there a deadline?The council
keeps changing the bill creating uncertainy.This is people livelihoods. Businesses that have been operating for years. For the ten years I have been hosting it’s my
understanding that until now hosted rentals were not required to register and ok on my ag land. Is there any consideration for grandfathering existing hosted rentals? I
want clear guidance on how to exactly do this process. All taxes TAT and excise have been paid state and county. There are existing forms for prior legislation but I don’t
want to make any mistakes and start a process that may be incorrect and wind up in a bureaucratic mess. Still receiving booking requests well into 2027 some from guests
who have been clients for many years. What do you suggest I do? Is there guidance for how long the permit process takes? Did they even set up a web site to facilitate
the process? Why was legislation passed with no clear path for compliance? Or is this just a hotel industry funded shut down. Last time I checked the resorts are owned by
largely foreign conglomerates, multinational corporations, or billionaires. We live here. My previous letter to the council I suggested at least a one-year extension but now I
think you need to have a two-year extension to give hosted owners (we live here vote here pay taxes here) enough time to meet the requirements and if denied to appeal.
In my neighborhood there are several hosted stvr’s and most are like myself elderly resident homeowners who have worked their whole lives to have a secure retirement.
Our extra ohana dwellings or adus often housed family for decades and as time marches on now renting to guests has become a major or only income stream. There
are vast areas of big island zoned ag that are impossible to farm. Where I am it is desert and private water cost is 10$ a thousand gallons, there is no viable farming
going on or possible. I had hoped that the county council and mayor would represent a fair approach to hosted rentals. What’s planning commission’s stance on this?
There were dozens of meetings and the overwhelming testimonies were in favor hosted rentals? How difficult could it be to check the listings on air bnb and vrbo or
any of the online vacation rental companies for the tat and ge licenses and cross reference to actual taxes paid or just verify the license is valid. End of story problem
solved. Do you have a huge list of complaints about stvrs in our district? How about complaints about hotels encroaching on our shorelines and restricting access? I have
all my records ready to apply please advise how to do so. Thanks Richard
Aloha still not seeing any updated info on registering hosted vacation rentals. There was
news article about deadline but no follow up info. Is there a deadline The council keeps
changing the bill creating uncertainy.This is people livelihoods. Businesses that have
been operating for years. ? For the ten years I have been hosting it’s my understanding
that until now hosted rentals were not required to register and ok on my ag land. Is there
any consideration for grandfathering existing hosted rentals? I want clear guidance on
how to exactly do this process. All taxes TAT and excise have been paid state and
county. There are existing forms for prior legislation but I don’t want to make any
mistakes and start a process that may be incorrect and wind up in a bureaucratic mess.
Still receiving booking requests well into 2027 some from guests who have been clients
for many years. What do you suggest I do? Is there guidance for how long the permit
process takes? Did they even set up a web site to facilitate the process? Why was
legislation passed with no clear path for compliance? Or is this just a hotel industry
funded shut down. Last time I checked the resorts are owned by largely foreign
conglomerates, multinational corporations, or billionaires. We live here. My previous
letter to the council I suggested at least a one-year extension but now I think you need
to have a two-year extension to give hosted owners (we live here vote here pay taxes
here) enough time to meet the requirements and if denied to appeal. In my
neighborhood there are several hosted stvr’s and most are like myself elderly resident
homeowners who have worked their whole lives to have a secure retirement. Our extra
ohana dwellings or adus often housed family for decades and as time marches on now
renting to guests has become a major or only income stream. There are vast areas of
big island zoned ag that are impossible to farm. Where I am it is desert and private
water cost is 10$ a thousand gallons, there is no viable farming going on or possible. I
had hoped that the county council and mayor would represent a fair approach to hosted
rentals. What’s planning commission’s stance on this? There were dozens of meetings
and the overwhelming testimonies were in favor hosted rentals? How difficult could it be
to check the listings on air bnb and vrbo or any of the online vacation rental companies
for the tat and ge licenses and cross reference to actual taxes paid or just verify the
license is valid. End of story problem solved. Do you have a huge list of complaints
about stvrs in our district? How about complaints about hotels encroaching on our
shorelines and restricting access? I have all my records ready to apply please advise
how to do so. Thanks Richard