VRMA Administrator
The Honolulu, Hawaii, City Council has passed a bill that extends the minimum booking period for some vacation rentals on Oahu to at least 90 days, effectively disqualifying almost all short-term rentals on the island, other than those in specific resort areas. Zones that remain unaffected include Waikiki, as well as the towns of Ewa, Kahala, Koolina, Kuilima, Laie, and Makaha. The ordinance will come into force on Oct. 23, 2022, and units that previously qualified as minimum 30-day rentals may continue to be rented as such until April 23, 2023. Meanwhile, rentals to which the new ruling applies must state: "This property may not be rented for less than 90 consecutive days. Rental prices will not be reduced or adjusted based on the number of days the rental is actually used or occupied." Furthermore, guests must park on-site and not on public streets near the rentals. Under the ordinance, "Short-term rentals are disruptive to the character and fabric of our residential neighborhoods, [and] are inconsistent with the land uses that are intended for our residential zoned areas and increase the price of housing for Oahu's resident population by removing housing stock from the for-sale and long-term rental markets. The City Council finds that any economic benefits of opening up our residential areas to tourism are far outweighed by the negative impacts to our neighborhoods and local residents." However, the Hawai'i Legal Short-term Rental Alliance has gone to federal court, alleging that the City and County of Honolulu have violated the rights of its members who have been legally renting their properties "for years, and in some cases, decades," under statutes and protections afforded under the Hawai'i and US constitutions.
Beat of Hawaii (07/10/22)
