The use of the homes was totally within the confines of the rules. However, if you did purchase a home in Hawaii, it would be up to you to do your due diligence and see what the rules were prior to making the purchase.
Ed
What about families that have had homes for years before these rules? Many island homes have been in the family for generations.
Why should these people have transient neighbors?
One of the many wonderful things in my Maui neighborhood is that we know each other so well. It’s like a large ohana. We look out for one another.
Short term rentals kill that. Little to no respect for neighbors. They are only there for a good time.
Chris, it is unfortunate that the ones that have been there for generations have to be subject to these rules. But what happened that allowed these rules to be instituted in the first place? Didn’t any of the people who have lived there for generations attend the council meetings that no doubt led to these rules being established in the first place? That question needs to be answered. Why did the Locals allow these rules?
Hawaii is once again going to shoot itself in the foot. Where are people traveling for work going to stay? I am not talking the week or so with a conference but people staying 30-90 days such as contracted travel hospital employees? As a travel nurse, I can tell you the pay in Hawaii is wayyyy below the mainland. The hotel prices are WAY above compared to the mainland. I don’t mind breaking even or losing a little but I will stop taking contracts if I am going to lose too much.
Chris, FYI, I just read an article on the Hawaii Living website about this bill and it said there may be exceptions for temporary workers like traveling nurses, as well as other circumstances. Here’s what it says: “ Will The City Allow Special Rental Term Exceptions?
Some rental terms shorter than 90 days in residential neighborhoods may be allowed for temporary contract workers, traveling nurses, buyers and sellers waiting to close on new homes, others whose homes are undergoing renovations, and other special cases e.g., off-island family members who care for loved ones. This is subject to an application and approval process which the city will clarify before 10.23.2022.”
Well, Hawaii is doing its best to dissuade tourists. Its just one more straw that will make people realize that Hawaii does not want their business and will take it elsewhere. Actually if you are even half sane you will be looking to go anywhere else but Hawaii. The people there hate anyone not Hawaiian and it shows. Even though they say it isn’t true. You can literally hear the grumblings almost everywhere in Hawaii, and many Hawaiians are quite vocal about it. I got married on Kauai 11 years ago, but will more than likely never go back again after the last encounter with a Hawaiian girl yelling at us to get off the beach and to go home. I had to laugh because she was driving a Chevy from the mainland…..
You bully people long enough….
” The people there hate anyone not Hawaiian and it shows.” Looking at demographics, I draw another conclusion. I’d say it’s an I-got-mine attitude.
Wikipidia: The racial makeup of the county was 43.9% Asian, 20.8% white, 9.5% Pacific Islander, 2.0% black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.1% from other races, and 22.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were: 15.7% Japanese.
Amazing how you had 3 down votes when I wrote this reply. I guess the truth hurts if you are a Hawaiian! Fortunately, we have never received any negative contacts, or run-ins with any of the locals. But that does not mean they do not happen. No matter where any of us go, we should always be respectful of the Locals and they should, in turn, be respectful to the Tourists!
Words to live by!
Hawaii wants government to control everything
I guess history will repeat itself and they didn’t learn 100 years ago not good to give up control to tyrants
This is good news. Hope it is enforced. Too many locals can’t afford housing due to investors. Hopefully this will make more homes available on all the islands and lower home values to a more realistic level
I agree with you 100% Chris S!!! I hope this is precedent-setting for the entire Hawaiian islands and for the mainland. I live near Nashville, TN and we have the same problem here – investors and huge companies have bought up so many houses in residential neighborhoods for STRs that prices have risen astronomically due to low inventory. This is not sustainable for any tourist city, and particularly a place as environmentally fragile as Hawaii. As has been discussed here many times, cheap airfares + cheap rental accommodations also bring problems Hawaii hasn’t seen in the past. Balance needs to be restored so Hawaii residents, particularly those in the middle and lower class salary-wise, can afford to purchase homes and live on the islands.
I’m confused – what in Hawaii is not tied to tourists- everything is – Hawaii has nothing to sell the world to justify any commerce to the outside – long boat ride to sell a 12pak of Pepsi to Hawaii and have an empty boat back –
I stayed at a timeshare that was on the “non Resort Mixed Use Precinct” of Kuhio last November. How are these timeshare’s on that side going to comply with this new ordinance? I’m not sure if that timeshare had full time residents or not.
Hopefully there will be some reasonable outcome for this.
I had seen a list of buildings, or maybe units in those buildings, that are excepted from the rule but I cannot find it now! We used to stay in a timeshare in Ala Wai, which was in the list. Another building is Waikiki Banyan, near the zoo, which was excepted. I’d be interested in seeing how these will be handled. They’ve been STR for decades.
I can’t say I understand exactly what is being said on the website, I think it is a list of exceptions. I would have expected it to be much larger. The building I mentioned, Fairway Villa, appears to only have two units listed and it is a huge building.
As always, I’ll be reading your articles and looking forward to more info on this topic.
Thank for looking into this issue. It’s an important development for tourists because now most of us will be limited to hotel stays… which, of course, are more expensive and don’t include cooking facilities. (Many don’t even have mini fridges these days) Please keep us informed on the future of this lawsuit. I’m wondering if they will postpone enforcement while this is under legal questions.
This is a very complex topic. I’m not for changing the rules on existing rentals unless they were started illegally, in which case it’s not changing them it’s enforcing. I do understand how it might effect the neighborhoods. I wouldn’t like it. Ruins the feel of the neighborhood. Getting to know your neighbors and in sone cases, I would expect, feeling safe in your neighborhood. I am curious about the line regarding pricing. I wasn’t understanding that. To change to long term rental, price has to come down in many cases or doesn’t help locals much in my opinion. Mahalo, enjoy Beat of Hawaii
What this means is that some owners attempt to get around any minimums by advertising, say, a month minimum, but then actually renting their place out for a shorter period of time, giving the guest a discount for the shorter stay. So, for instance, they would advertise for a month for $4000, but actually rent it out for 3 weeks for $3000. That verbiage you see attempts to prevent that practice.
I wonder how they think 90 days will be easier to enforce? I think it will send more people renting illegally. Meaning not paying their taxes on rentals. I’m not against protecting the neighborhoods and prices so families can afford to live on the islands, as I said before it’s a very complex topic.
I get this. If I had purchased a home in a residential neighborhood, I wouldn’t want a constant influx of new “neighbors.”
The use of the homes was totally within the confines of the rules. However, if you did purchase a home in Hawaii, it would be up to you to do your due diligence and see what the rules were prior to making the purchase.
Ed
What about families that have had homes for years before these rules? Many island homes have been in the family for generations.
Why should these people have transient neighbors?
One of the many wonderful things in my Maui neighborhood is that we know each other so well. It’s like a large ohana. We look out for one another.
Short term rentals kill that. Little to no respect for neighbors. They are only there for a good time.
Chris, it is unfortunate that the ones that have been there for generations have to be subject to these rules. But what happened that allowed these rules to be instituted in the first place? Didn’t any of the people who have lived there for generations attend the council meetings that no doubt led to these rules being established in the first place? That question needs to be answered. Why did the Locals allow these rules?
Depending on where the house is located you may find that Zoning could become a legal issue.
Hawaii is once again going to shoot itself in the foot. Where are people traveling for work going to stay? I am not talking the week or so with a conference but people staying 30-90 days such as contracted travel hospital employees? As a travel nurse, I can tell you the pay in Hawaii is wayyyy below the mainland. The hotel prices are WAY above compared to the mainland. I don’t mind breaking even or losing a little but I will stop taking contracts if I am going to lose too much.
Chris R., Your comment is a very legitimate concern for you and yet there are down votes to it.
Chris, FYI, I just read an article on the Hawaii Living website about this bill and it said there may be exceptions for temporary workers like traveling nurses, as well as other circumstances. Here’s what it says: “ Will The City Allow Special Rental Term Exceptions?
Some rental terms shorter than 90 days in residential neighborhoods may be allowed for temporary contract workers, traveling nurses, buyers and sellers waiting to close on new homes, others whose homes are undergoing renovations, and other special cases e.g., off-island family members who care for loved ones. This is subject to an application and approval process which the city will clarify before 10.23.2022.”
Well, Hawaii is doing its best to dissuade tourists. Its just one more straw that will make people realize that Hawaii does not want their business and will take it elsewhere. Actually if you are even half sane you will be looking to go anywhere else but Hawaii. The people there hate anyone not Hawaiian and it shows. Even though they say it isn’t true. You can literally hear the grumblings almost everywhere in Hawaii, and many Hawaiians are quite vocal about it. I got married on Kauai 11 years ago, but will more than likely never go back again after the last encounter with a Hawaiian girl yelling at us to get off the beach and to go home. I had to laugh because she was driving a Chevy from the mainland…..
You bully people long enough….
” The people there hate anyone not Hawaiian and it shows.” Looking at demographics, I draw another conclusion. I’d say it’s an I-got-mine attitude.
Wikipidia: The racial makeup of the county was 43.9% Asian, 20.8% white, 9.5% Pacific Islander, 2.0% black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.1% from other races, and 22.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population. The largest ancestry groups were: 15.7% Japanese.
Amazing how you had 3 down votes when I wrote this reply. I guess the truth hurts if you are a Hawaiian! Fortunately, we have never received any negative contacts, or run-ins with any of the locals. But that does not mean they do not happen. No matter where any of us go, we should always be respectful of the Locals and they should, in turn, be respectful to the Tourists!
Words to live by!
Here we go again…….Hawaii why don’t you just stop all visitors from coming to Hawaii…..problem solved !!!!! Hawaii you lost your Aloha.
Hawaii wants government to control everything
I guess history will repeat itself and they didn’t learn 100 years ago not good to give up control to tyrants
This is good news. Hope it is enforced. Too many locals can’t afford housing due to investors. Hopefully this will make more homes available on all the islands and lower home values to a more realistic level
I agree with you 100% Chris S!!! I hope this is precedent-setting for the entire Hawaiian islands and for the mainland. I live near Nashville, TN and we have the same problem here – investors and huge companies have bought up so many houses in residential neighborhoods for STRs that prices have risen astronomically due to low inventory. This is not sustainable for any tourist city, and particularly a place as environmentally fragile as Hawaii. As has been discussed here many times, cheap airfares + cheap rental accommodations also bring problems Hawaii hasn’t seen in the past. Balance needs to be restored so Hawaii residents, particularly those in the middle and lower class salary-wise, can afford to purchase homes and live on the islands.
I’m confused – what in Hawaii is not tied to tourists- everything is – Hawaii has nothing to sell the world to justify any commerce to the outside – long boat ride to sell a 12pak of Pepsi to Hawaii and have an empty boat back –
I stayed at a timeshare that was on the “non Resort Mixed Use Precinct” of Kuhio last November. How are these timeshare’s on that side going to comply with this new ordinance? I’m not sure if that timeshare had full time residents or not.
Hopefully there will be some reasonable outcome for this.
I had seen a list of buildings, or maybe units in those buildings, that are excepted from the rule but I cannot find it now! We used to stay in a timeshare in Ala Wai, which was in the list. Another building is Waikiki Banyan, near the zoo, which was excepted. I’d be interested in seeing how these will be handled. They’ve been STR for decades.
As someone else said, quite a complex issue.
BOH, thanks for another interesting article!
Lanell
Hi Lanell.
Thanks! Please let us know if you find that list.
Aloha.
I believe this was it:
honolulu.gov/dppstr/approved-strs.html
I can’t say I understand exactly what is being said on the website, I think it is a list of exceptions. I would have expected it to be much larger. The building I mentioned, Fairway Villa, appears to only have two units listed and it is a huge building.
As always, I’ll be reading your articles and looking forward to more info on this topic.
Lanell
Thank for looking into this issue. It’s an important development for tourists because now most of us will be limited to hotel stays… which, of course, are more expensive and don’t include cooking facilities. (Many don’t even have mini fridges these days) Please keep us informed on the future of this lawsuit. I’m wondering if they will postpone enforcement while this is under legal questions.
Hi Sue.
Thanks. Yes we will update this as soon as there’s any additional information.
Aloha.
This is a very complex topic. I’m not for changing the rules on existing rentals unless they were started illegally, in which case it’s not changing them it’s enforcing. I do understand how it might effect the neighborhoods. I wouldn’t like it. Ruins the feel of the neighborhood. Getting to know your neighbors and in sone cases, I would expect, feeling safe in your neighborhood. I am curious about the line regarding pricing. I wasn’t understanding that. To change to long term rental, price has to come down in many cases or doesn’t help locals much in my opinion. Mahalo, enjoy Beat of Hawaii
What this means is that some owners attempt to get around any minimums by advertising, say, a month minimum, but then actually renting their place out for a shorter period of time, giving the guest a discount for the shorter stay. So, for instance, they would advertise for a month for $4000, but actually rent it out for 3 weeks for $3000. That verbiage you see attempts to prevent that practice.
Wasn’t the 1-month minimum for these same short-term rentals passed previously? Is that being fought as well?
Hi Pat.
The 30-day rule for these same rentals is years-old. But Honolulu says that it wasn’t enforceable. We aren’t aware of any disputes regarding that.
Aloha.
I wonder how they think 90 days will be easier to enforce? I think it will send more people renting illegally. Meaning not paying their taxes on rentals. I’m not against protecting the neighborhoods and prices so families can afford to live on the islands, as I said before it’s a very complex topic.
Your local government at its worst.