The list of Honolulu hotels in development is larger than anything we can remember. That, as the future of Honolulu vacation rentals remains uncertain.
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115 thoughts on “Twelve New Honolulu Hotels Planned As Vacation Rentals Vilified”
The list of Honolulu hotels in development is larger than anything we can remember. That, as the future of Honolulu vacation rentals remains uncertain.
State on the take to big hotel corporations, selling out the local vacation rentals..
Happening everywhere, first 30 days then 90. Bad enough most land owned by foreign interest.
Keep da country country !!
“There go the neighorhoods”
More crowds,more traffic .
What kind of Green Policy Chaos are they creating.
Happy I lived there in the 80’s 90’s
What happened to Honolulu 😪🤔😎
This is crazy, I taught our legislator was saying after covid we need to deverfied from tourism. The recession new yr going to dry up our main of revenue, going in circles again. Look at kakuaaku park city can’t even provide sprinkler water t that park I was shock to see the hill are all red dirt hill now, no grass. These are tourist paradise promise we can’t even keep it withwaling distance from Waikiki. I don’t expect this yr tourist to return as most said it over rated nothing to do. And too expensive. Today news, food land worker threatening to strike, isn’t grocery expensive enough? Of our governor call it a recession gov, workers / union can’t get a raised. Lead by example. Then the private sector follow, no raises, inflation stops
There’s only so much money to go around and when the State can toss 2 Billion Dollars at the Homeless Problem with absolutely nothing to show for it I call that Fiscal Irresponsible. That money could have been spent on affordable housing and much more. What else have they wasted money on that no one knows anything about? Everyone should keep their eyes on the Elected and Unelected Officials that run the State and Local Governments. It’s for your own good!
Ugh…I just checked out of the Moana Surfrider yesterday after a conference and felt that Waikiki was too busy and crowded to be enjoyable… Can’t imagine that adding more room capacity will make anyone’s trip more enjoyable.
What a scam. The hotels bought off the politicians so now vacation rentals are being driven out of business so the big hotels (with their outlandishly high prices) can flourish.
you are absolutely 100% correct, big hotels buy politicians, the politicians get the public down on Short Term Rentals, creating hate in the communities, so the hotels can take all business and make more money. Classic – the public gobbles it up like sheep, and the hotels just smile.. sad sad sad
100%.. politicians get locals to hate the mom-and-pop short term rentals, then pass laws so they go away, and the hotels make more $$ .. classic
You’re Absolutely Correct and the Voters just gave the Politicians the Thums Up Okay to continue what they’ve been doing. Everyone Wants and Needs Better but keep the same people, and party, that’s failed them for 10 years in power, there’s some non “Critical Thinkers” for you. Even “Common Sense” would have pointed this out after a short time. I’m guessing that the outlook on Hawaii is lots of hotel rooms that Hawaiians can’t afford to stay in and the eventual reelection of the same people. BTW, how many Affordable Housing Units have been built so far? Just Wondering.
Bingo! My thoughts exactly!
This is utter and complete nonsense. Hawaiians, are you ok with all of this?!
Must be..
They absolutely must be Sue, they have just reelected the same people into office knowing that this was happening. If only Common Sense and Critical Thinking could be taught in school Hawaii might be a much better place. 🤔 Have you seen the Rail System in Operation? No one else has either!
As Oahu punishes Existing short term rentals they allow more new construction to absorb the tourists that can no longer rent outside of the city. If no one can see the problem with this they must be on Council. In much of America this would have been met with Lawsuits but in Hawaii there’s no stomach for fighting the status quo. The only hope is that a Judge will rule in favor of the STR Owners and not in favor of Council. I don’t hear Native Hawaiians fighting over the construction, why? Money?
typically they don’t know about the new construction, all they hear is the rhetoric about the short term rentals, then they complain about to many cars, and have no idea why, other than those darn short term rentals.. crazy
I have come to the realization that the verdict will not be in favor of the STR Owners, Why Else would all of this construction be happening? Why would all of the Money be Invested? Figure that the STR Market is about to be destroyed. I really hope that I am wrong.
Well, if not destroyed, building STRs is certainly being stopped in its tracks. On Maui, no more STRs, either built or converted, will be permitted. Passed unanimously by council last week.
Pat thanks for the information, in “some ways” and at least for the foreseeable future I agree with the moratorium on New STR Construction. I truly believe that ANY New Construction should be aimed solely at the Affordable Housing Market for Hawaiian Residents. It should be Single Homes for Sale and Multi-Unit Rentals and all of this across Every Island. I have absolutely “No Skin” in this other than the intended Benefits for the people of Hawaii. Until Enough Pressure is felt at the State and Federal Level Politicians nothing will materialize. Phone Calls, Write In, Text and Email Messages all without ending until they get the Pressure of the Weight of the People to Do This! Grassroots Campaigning to the Max! It Can Work.
The only one I found intriguing was Wo Fat…..many years ago, when I worked on Fort Street, we all ate lunch at Wo Fat 3-4 times a month. I think it would be a blast to stay downtown and just spend 4-5 days walking around. I Hawaii in 1969 —- kits if visiting but ignored downtown and Waikiki.
Wo Fats developed properly can and will be a Wonderful Boost for the Local Businesses and Thus the Community as a Whole. The memories of those familiar with the area from 1969 will be an incentive to stay there and for a Revitalization of the Entire Area. I wish that all of this interaction will be beneficial for everyone!
Vacation rentals take apartments, & houses out of the inventory for locals to rent. The $$ for the owners is in short term rentals vs a year long lease. That leaves potential renters scrambling for the limited housing that is available. Also, vacation rentals change the character of the neighborhood and locale. Our friend has a townhouse on the Northshore by Turtle Bay, which is zoned for shore term vacation rentals. The people that live there year around , are so unhappy. New people coming and going every week, trash strewn around the compound, speed limit not adhered to, loud parties. They say it’s a nightmare. Some of these people bought these units, retired to Oahu and are now have no other options.
Why don’t they sell?! They can sell for a ton of money right now and move somewhere else. Their griping and complaining is just for the sake of griping and complaining. They couldn’t possibly have moved to Turtle Bay and expected not to be surrounded by tourists.
Not all vacation rentals are bad, not all guests are bad, and many vacation rentals were built as vacation rentals decades ago. And vacation rentals definitely aren’t the problem with not being able to find rentals. The lack of development of affordable housing is what is causing that. Developers don’t have enough incentive to build average-cost housing. The government should subsidize the builders, and I wouldn’t mind at all if my tax dollars were used for that purpose.
Why should they sell? They bought with the intention of retiring there. If they sell where will they buy? Hawaiian real estate has gone through the roof.
Again, short term vacation rentals in certain parts of non-tourist Honolulu neighborhoods shouldn’t be allowed!
Because you stated with conviction that your friends were living a nightmare. They can easily sell, move to one of the thousands of luxury residences on the island that don’t allow short-term rentals, at the same price as they are selling theirs. Anyone who is living a nightmare who can easily do something about their torturous lives is just whining for the sake of whining.
Short-term rentals should be allowed where they have always been allowed, but should be capped to inhibit unfettered growth. That is the fair and decent compromise.
In “certain areas” I wholeheartedly agree. Enforcement is Key to keeping things on the up and up, Landlords need to be held Accountable, Property Managers too. Many of the STR’S have not been a problem and operate properly. Some have been purchased as part investment, part time residence in areas that have Real Estate Worth in the Millions of Dollars, it doesn’t effect the Average buyer that couldn’t afford it! Hawaiians need to wake up and see what is Actually behind all of this!
Requiring Contractors and Developers to build affordable housing to receive their permits is used in many other States, do it in Hawaii!
And the Upscale STR Market that doesn’t cause any problems, that isn’t affordable and is only available 8 or 9 months a year? If it was available for 1 year lease the price would be $12,000.00 per month minimum, do you have that???
You’re absolutely right. Those properties you mention would not be accessible to long-term renters, because of the price of rent, and if the market dictated that rents must come down to meet the needs of the average long-term renter, the owners would just sell to national and international 2nd home buyers, who wouldn’t rent them out at all. They would just sit vacant for most of the year.
Focusing on legal, short-term rentals to attempt to solve housing issues is barking up the wrong tree. Affordable housing MUST be built, with the permitting process simplified, and with incentives and subsidies provided by the government. Thousands and thousands of new properties must be built to satisfy the housing shortage.
its hard to live in a complex that is short term rental, you hear suitcase wheels all the time. These complexes are expensive to own, and are not conducive to long term tenants because of the cost to own there. limited parking, storage, high property taxes, high condo dues, mortgage payments, assessments to owners all not cheap. Its typically not the vacationers that are loud, it could be a neighbor with 3 kids. The good thing about living in a vacation resort, is the neighbors aren’t there long term. If they were and you didn’t like your neighbor,, oh well they’re not going anywhere, which happens everywhere.
🤣😂 Turtle Bay is not a local renters market..
The potential termination of the STR Properties will not put that many units back as Affordable Housing as everyone has been led to believe by Council, it’s a proven. For Council to attempt to Force property owners to significantly reduce the cost of renting will not work, the Best that could be offered would be “Subsidies” to offset the rent paid directly to the Owners IF the Owners are willing to Accept It. Too often those who rent under these terms effectively destroy or severely Damage the property, unless fully compensated why would an Owner want to constantly be effecting repairs? Screening potential tenants is paramount to make a decision.
Love it…..would try most, especially wo fat and mandarin….we use bus exclusively so downtown rejuvenated is a great appeal…..stock up at costco many times and love, if still there, suschi place off dillingham (YOSHEI?)and little noodle house. GreaT locations for bus patrons.