Public invited to briefing about proposed update to vacation rental regulations

The public is invited to an online informational meeting next week about a proposed update to Hawai‘i County’s short-term vacation rental regulations.

The proposed update will be introduced in January 2023 by Hawai‘i County Council members Ashley Kierkiewicz and Heather Kimball, who will host the Nov. 21 meeting via Zoom from 5:30-6:30 p.m. To participate, community members must register for a unique Zoom login.

Those who want to attend can register by clicking here.

“A promise was made by the County to revisit and update the vacation rental ordinance,” Kierkiewicz said in a press release. “We are fulfilling that promise and socializing proposed changes in an effort to inform the community and gather feedback before the bill is introduced at Council.”

Kierkiewicz and Kimball worked with the Hawai‘i County Planning Department, Hawai‘i County Corporation Counsel and the Council’s Legislative Review Branch to craft the proposed measure. The proposed amendments come nearly four years after the County adopted the initial short-term vacation rental ordinance in November 2018, and would comply with recent changes to Hawai‘i state statutes, which refer to these rentals as transient accommodation rentals.

Noteworthy changes would include the regulation of hosted rentals, an update to fee structure including onetime registration fees and annual renewal fees, clear and enforceable penalties and the establishment of vacation nodes — designated areas suitable for transient accommodation rentals and currently underserved by hotel and resort facilities.

“It is still a work in progress and we recognize that the bill may still need revisions after we share it with the public,” Kimball said in the press release. “We look forward to hearing from our community.”

Monday’s presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session. Members of the Planning Department will also on hand and available to answer questions regarding the implementation of current regulations and what is being proposed.

The Zoom meeting will also be recorded and posted to the Planning Department website.