Use our letter writing tool to write a letter in opposition and RSVP to attend the April 4th meeting and share your views.

New regulations that will be devastating to local homestay operators on the Big Island are headed to the Windward Planning commission April 4th.  Bill 121 will regulate thousands of local Hawaii families out of business.

If you oppose this effort to tell hosted rental operators ( families that host guests in their homes ) what they can and cannot do in their own home, please use our letter writing tool to write a letter in opposition.  It only takes a couple of minutes and will really help.

We also need 100 people to show up to the Windward Planning Commission on Thursday April 4th at 9 AM to testify via Zoom or in person.  Please RSVP for the event and share your view.

Finally, we've started a new petition that addresses the latest developments in this effort.  I know you already signed once, but please consider signing again.

The Bill:

• Outright bans the ability of Farmers to rent an ohana or secondary dwelling to guests.
• Bans rentals of less than 180 days.  Month to month leases needed for traveling nurses, construction workers and long term family visits will immediately become illegal.
• Tightly regulates families who depend on renting a portion of their home to visitors including mandating the disclosure of floorplans, documenting where the hosts sleeps.
• Limits homestay operations to owner occupied properties.  Renters will no longer be able to rent short term when they travel.
• Allows the Planning Director to shut down rental operations for minor permit violations.  Shutdowns will last until permits are obtained and closed, a process that can take years.
• Puts regulation of the industry in the hands of the Planning Department - the same department that has more than doubled the cost of housing on the Island while slowing new construction to a crawl.
• Takes away the livihoods of thousands of families who will be unable to meet the new standards and will be forced to shut down.
• Bans families from renting tiny homes, treehouses, yurts, glamping facilities, etc.

If our local families are going to survive and thrive in Hawaii we need to keep more visitor spending in the hands of local families.  This bill will destroy the livlihoods of thousands of families, damage our local economy and make it even harder for kama'aina to stay here in Hawaii.

Mahalo for your support.

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Joshua Montgomery
President, Ohana Aina Association
PO Box 59
Holualoa, HI 96725
ph: +1 (785) 840 6155
joshua.montgomery@oaahawaii.org
http://oaahawaii.org