|
From: Glenn Willson
<br /> To: LPCtestimony;Glenn Willson
<br /> Subject: Written Testimony for the Leeward Planning Meeting April 18,2024
<br /> Date: Sunday,April 14, 2024 4:06:14 PM
<br /> Dear Leeward Planning Committee Members,
<br /> Before we go into facts and figures, I would like each of you to put yourselves in the shoes of
<br /> all of the people the proposed bills will affect by answering a simple question:
<br /> Let's say your elderly parents bought their home 30 years ago and count on the extra money
<br /> generated by renting out their Ohana to supplement their income. They pay their taxes, they
<br /> take great care of their guests,they refer them to the local restaurants, farmers markets,
<br /> grocery stores, gift shops, coffee farms, etc in their local area, they teach them how to respect
<br /> the aina, and have earned a 4.9 (out of 5) guest satisfaction rating making a viable business
<br /> that allows them to live comfortably in retirement. Then,you, as a politician or other decision
<br /> maker is being pressured to push these bills through, essentially putting your parents, and
<br /> many other community members out of business.Now,your parents can't afford to live in
<br /> their home town, or even their home state, anymore. That is essentially the situation you are
<br /> putting thousands of responsible,tax paying,voting, local citizens in if you vote to pass these
<br /> extremely flawed bills.
<br /> While we understand the goal or"spirit" of the proposed changes are to limit absentee owners
<br /> that don't reside in Hawai'i and the issue with having STRs in incompatible high-density
<br /> neighborhoods but the proposed rule changes will absolutely have serious unintended
<br /> consequences, especially in rural, economically depressed areas such as the Kau
<br /> District/Ocean View, Puna, etc. Please keep in mind that there are very few accommodation
<br /> options in these rural areas besides these STR's and the proposed rule changes would shut
<br /> down most of these STR options causing serious, long reaching consequences for its residents,
<br /> businesses, farms, etc. Our specific concern is for the Hosted Rentals which has long been a
<br /> right of local homeowners and,while the income earned from these rural hosted rentals is
<br /> insignificant to the Kona and Waikoloa Resort districts, it is a lifeline for many residents,
<br /> Farmers, and other Businesses in these economically depressed areas that count on this income
<br /> to make ends meet.
<br /> Many of these Farms, Restaurants, Shops, Farmers Markets, etc are just now starting to get
<br /> their heads above water after the Covid lockdowns and are now starting to feel the pinch of the
<br /> recession. If these proposed rule changes are passed, these rural, economically depressed, and
<br /> food insecure areas will be dealt a final death blow to the many Restaurants, Farms, Shops,
<br /> and local homeowners that count on this income from their hosted rentals. I am sure the
<br /> "spirit" of these proposed rule changes is to limit the number of absentee owners that don't live
<br /> in Hawaii renting STR's in high density neighborhoods but the reality of these proposed rule
<br /> changes, if passed, is economic disaster for the already most economically depressed areas
<br /> including mass foreclosures (many residents count on their hosted rental income to make ends
<br /> meet), small businesses that were able to survive Covid will go out of business (not only will
<br /> they lose the tourist business but local residents will not be able to afford to eat out), Local
<br /> Farmers will finally have to close their doors, Farmers Markets that are just now starting to
<br /> pop up after Covid will be shut down, etc. All of this while not meeting the goals or "spirit" of
<br /> the proposed changes, especially for hosted rentals, and leaving these rural areas without any
<br /> accomodation options. As another note on Hosted Rentals in these rural areas, the nightly
<br />
|