Oahu looks to restrict short-term rentals in residential areas as Hawaii struggles with housing crisis - SF Gate
The third largest island in Hawaii is expected to radically alter the limits on extended booking periods for short-term vacation rentals following a key vote of support from the Honolulu City Council last night.
Bill 41 passed with near unanimous support from council members and applies fresh parameters for rental units in residential areas on the island of Oahu.
The bill’s passage followed hours of testimony on Wednesday evening in which more than 100 people expressed their support or opposition to the new law that applies strict restrictions on short-term rentals located outside of resort areas.
Previously, the minimum period short-term rentals in neighborhood areas could be booked for was 30 days, but now the law stretches this time frame to 90 days. The bill restricts new vacation rental permits to resort-zoned areas such as Waikiki, Ko Olina and Turtle Bay.
The bill came at the behest of Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, whose administration proposed the regulations in October 2021. The ordinance requires the mayor’s signature.
Proponents of the law view this as an opportunity to curb short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods. During the pandemic, neighborhoods throughout Hawaii experienced an influx of demand from short-term renters, triggering a housing crisis and issues over parking along the street.
Councilmember Andria Tupola, whose district covers the southwestern side of the island between Ewa to Waianae, was the sole vote against the bill.
During the meeting, she expressed concern over a potential conflict of interest after Honolulu’s permitting department head recused himself from working on this legislation. Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting Director Dean Uchida’s wife, Joy Uchida, works for Aqua-Aston Hospitality, a company that owns numerous condo-hotel properties in Waikiki and could benefit from this legislation.
The Honolulu Ethics Commission investigated the matter and shared last month that it found “insufficient evidence” to prove that Uchida broke the law. Uchida told Honolulu Civil Beat that he doesn’t view this as a conflict of interest.
During the meeting, Councilmember Tupola questioned why properties owned by Aqua-Aston would be allowed to operate short-term rentals in Waikiki.
“We’re not supposed to be making laws that are preferential,” Tupola said, as reported by the Honolulu Civil Beat.
The short-term rental law follows the passage of Bill 89 in 2019, which was set to curb the amount of permitted vacation rentals on Oahu to 1,700 units.
The city was expected to enforce the rules upon issuing new permits with new enforcement positions. According to Civil Beat, the city of Honolulu neglected to fund the seven enforcement positions and never issued new permits.
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source: https://www.sfgate.com/hawaii/article/Oahu-restricts-short-term-rentals-17081527.php
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