HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-07-11 Kristina Anderson Opposition TestimonyFrom: Kristina Anderson
To: Planning LPC Testimony
Subject: Opposed to moving Bill 147 forward
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026 12:41:20 PM
Attachments: leeward testimony.pdf
Dear Leeward Planning Commissioners:
Thank you for taking my testimony and for your service to the community.
I am writing to urge you to NOT vote for a positive recommendation for Bill 147. It’s a hot mess.
Let me explain. I just watched the Windward meeting video where the “merits” of 147 were
presented by Ms.Kimball and Mr. Darrow in a dog-and-pony show with detailed powerpoint
slides and everything. They will probably do the same with your panel.
Quite frankly, it was infuriating to hear Heather and Darrow refer to such a massive,
life-changing bill as 147 as simple ‘housekeeping,’ overtly misleading those Windward
commissioners. It’s also infuriating to hear them dismiss all the opposition sent in by us as
‘misunderstandings” even as the commissioners directly asked them why is there so much
opposition if this is just housekeeping? They seemed to want to urge the commissioners to
ignore all that opposition because those simple-minded peasants don’t understand our good
intentions. (I am paraphrasing.)
Lastly, it’s infuriating to hear Heather and Darrow lay out a mountain of obstacles and then
claim again and again they want to make this process “easy for folks” and that they don’t want
to run anyone out of business, when the absolute opposite appears to be true.
They act like there are going to be thousands of us hosted rentals beating their door down to
register when many of us long ago decided to quit because we know they are going to make
this process tedious, impossible, chaotic and expensive. I’m a 34-year resident of this island,
and single senior citizen on a fixed income whose once-upon-a-time hosted vacation rental
helped me crawl out of foreclosure and allowed me to help my twins through college when I was
days away from becoming another Hawaii Island foreclosure statistic. But now Heather and
Darrow are simply making it not worth doing anymore, along with the loss of the homeowner
exemption. I quit offering a hosted rental some time ago.
They also seem to be licking their chops thinking about all the supposed scofflaws out there not
paying taxes that they are going to nab. What they don’t seem to realize is that the State
Department of Taxation has already has found all of them years ago. You absolutely, positively
cannot do a hosted Airbnb and not pay taxes! If you don’t believe me, just try it!
Heather admitted she has spent 5.5 years of county time and resources on this sh*tshow and
has basically circled back to where she started! And for what? All to come down hard on
HOSTED rentals–moms and pops who rent out a bedroom, a suite or an ohana from their
primary residence! (Remember–unhosted STVRs in non-conforming zones were heavily
regulated back in 2018 and there is not a path forward for new ones. They aren’t the focus of
this legislation.)
I would like to remind the commissioners that at least 50 percent of the county council (and
maybe more) is going to be changing hands in less than one month. I have spoken to a number
of the candidates about this, all of whom had basically the same response. Hosted rentals
should be easy and inexpensive to do because they benefit local families and give us a chance
to participate in Hawaii’s largest industry–the visitor industry.
If this legislation passes, I guarantee it. Hundreds of hosted rentals will simply quit. The county
is making it too hard, too expensive, too burdensome and too confusing for people to proceed.
Five and a half years is long enough to waste county time and resources on this albatross. They
have had enough time to ‘simplify’ it and have failed. Again.
Enough.
I urge the Leeward Commissioners to NOT move Bill 147 forward with a positive
recommendation.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Kristina Anderson
South Kona