| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
bubba
Akahai
72 Posts |
 Posted - 02/19/2008 : 12:54:20 PM
|
In last Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle travel section there was an article discussing how Maui County, including Lanai and Molokai, had closed an estimated 1,000 bed and breakfasts & vacation rentals. Only an estimated 21 such rentals still exist. The story states/implies that the locals don't want tourists staying in their neighborhoods with one person saying that tourists "come and go at all hours partying". The same person states that tourists should stay in the areas designated for them.
What's this all about? Seems like a big deal with a large group of people who are trying to pay their mortgages. Are the big hotels behind this? Is there talk of this spreading to other islands? Do I get a smell of racism and wealthism as it would seem that most of the affected people (tourists) would be fair skinned folks on a somewhat limited budgets.
What do you aloha loving beings think?
(Norm - if you can add the link for the article please do so as I'm not good at that sort of thing.)
|
|
|
markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 1:19:37 PM
|
This is the story my friend bubba refers to:
http://tinyurl.com/yot22y |
"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
 |
|
|
Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2008 : 2:27:10 PM
|
Oh that hurts.
I hope it doesn't spread to the Big island. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
|
|
|
chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1022 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2008 : 11:48:04 AM
|
| I believe that there are big-time tax, property tax, hotel taxes, etc, involved. It's been an issue on Kaua`i for a logn time. |
|
|
|
Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2008 : 12:24:23 PM
|
Transient Acommodations Tax
General Excise Tax
Property Tax
Business Income Tax
Personal Income Tax
Cable Bill
Telephone Bill
Water Bill
Utilities Bill
Trash Bill
Internet Access Bill
Property Managmenent Fees
Homeowners Association Fees
Advertising Fees
Housekeeping Fees
Maintenance and Repair Fees
(you might break even if you were always 90% occupied)
Now Mau'i County says you can't be occupied?
Might as well give it to the bank and termites.  |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
|
|
|
Pua Kai
Ha`aha`a
USA
1007 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 07:58:28 AM
|
I'm not sure why you would be upset that the county chooses to enforce their regulations. In reading the article, it starts with the notation that they are closing unlicensed businesses. I don't know details, but I feel comfortable making a few educated guesses: first, I doubt these cut deeply enough into the legitimate enterprises' business that the move is mounted by the big hotels; second: consider zoning, how would you like it if your neighbors in R-1 (single family residences only) opened up a B&B next door to you? Yes, it does force parking issues; yes there is more noise. Third: licensing assures you of some minimum standards, and the taxes and fees collected are generally pointed in the direction of supporting the tourist industry; fourth, I am quite certain that this has been a long-standing situation that has gotten way worse in the last 5 yrs and enough so that the voices of the residents finally were heard. It's not a matter of being against tourists, it's a matter of separating commercial and residential areas. Surely some of the rest of you live in towns where there are regulations and zoning separating the two? and surely a few of you live in tourist areas where someone besides you is profiting at the expense of your enjoyment of your neighborhood??
Mike, I'm not sure what on earth you are referring to - - a second home? This ordinance doesn't prevent people from renting out homes or condos. Single family dwellings and long-term rentals are handled very differently. There are a great many condos all over the island that are available for rent and comply with the local rules.
For a group who is so concerned with most things being "pono", or correct, why would any of you support illegal acts?
|
|
|
|
Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 11:43:42 AM
|
Aunty Nancy  ,
I read the article and interpreted it differently.  This is not about illegal acts and zoning. It is about chasing the currently dwindling tourist occupancy rates. There is a shrinking demand for a rising number of hotel rooms at higher prices (= more tax revenue) against a higher demand for vacation rentals with lower rates. Think basic economics: low demand and high supply = lower prices.
The new County leadership chose to enforce licensing without overhauling the cumbersome licensing process. This was against the previous leadership which promised that licensing would not be enforced until the licensing process was fixed. The judge agreed with the MVRA that the new County actions were unfair to vacation rentals and B&Bs but had to rule that he lacked jurisdiction in the case (in other words, his hands were tied). So, vacation rentals are not rented and hotel rooms are. . . .
The key here is that studies show the number of visitors that prefer to rent from vacation rental businesses is growing rapdily. The internet has made finding vacation rental bargains and making reservations just as easy as booking a hotel room -- you don't have to use a travel agent. This is hurting the hotel corporations and cutting into County tax revenue (General Excise Tax and Transient Accomodations Taxes). Follow the money. 
The quotes from residents and noise is just filler in the article to cloud the real financial issue with misdirected emotion.
This ordinance is precisely targeted at the small businesses that rent homes and condos for vacations in favor of large mostly off-shore corporations. Do you want to make Paris Hilton richer or Mom & Pop Kama'aina? In Hawai'i, where would you rather stay?  For me, not in a hotel. It is very difficult to host a back yard kanikapila in a hotel.
The fact that I own a vacation rental in Hawai'i does indeed shape my perspective.  |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
|
|
|
bubba
Akahai
72 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 12:20:25 PM
|
In response:
1) Suddenly having up to an additional 1,000+ people/night looking for beds certainly be a big boom to hotels, and the those opposed to the ordinances certainly feel so. This isn't the case of getting rid of a few troublesome places with parking and noise problems, this is getting rid of virtually all B&Bs and vacation rentals with no apparent plans of allowing them to return.
2) I do live in a what I guess is a R-1 zone and I have no trouble with the bed & breakfast next door. I wouldn't know that it was there if except for a sign out front. They seem like nice people when I see them eating at the local restaurant and shopping at the grocery store. I even enjoy it when the get married next door and I have to shut off my lawn mower for a half hour.
3) Its my understanding that the County isn't concerned about any kind of "minimum standards" as the County reportedly wasn't issuing licenses before, and isn't issuing but a handful now, and thus to run a B&B or rent a vacation home, it had to be illegal. Of course the matter got out of hand as many tourists wanted to stay off the beaten track away from the hotels and condos, and apparently this didn't sit well with certain local elements.
Maui County officals are now moving to limit the number of time shares as they have openly stated that the average money spent per night by tourists staying in these facilities is approximately 50% less than the sums spent by tourists staying in resorts, and thus if they reduce the number of time shares, people will be forced to spend more money if the wish to visit Maui. They had initially hoped to limt the number of time shares to 2,200 but when they learned that the number of existing time shares already exceeded that amount, they have had to rethink their plans. But the overall theme seems to be to get the tourists out of cheaper locals areas and in direct contact with the local culture, and into costier tourist zones. The haven't mentioned fences yet.
Zoning and regulations have frequently been used to "protect" certain groups from undesirable outsiders by making the actions of the outsiders illegal. Pono, I hope now.
|
|
|
|
markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 1:07:29 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by bubba
The haven't mentioned fences yet.
LOL, great line!
The last time we stayed on the Hilo side of The Big Island we stayed in a lovely single family home in a residential area in Pepeekeo. The house is owned by a local person who uses it exclusively for vacation rental. Our short term "neighbors" across the street smiled and waved to us every morning when we left and every afternoon when we came "home". The neighbor on our right was a friend of the owner and was available to help us in case we needed something. Turns out he was also the person that mowed the lawn and took care of trimming the plants for the owner. It made our stay so much more enjoyable to think that for at least a short period of time, in a small way, we were part of the community.
I talk to some of my friends who visit Hawai`i and stay in resort hotels and they talk about how nice the pool was. AND THE HOTEL WAS AT THE BEACH!!! We will never stay at a resort. We want to be among the people and try and absorb and learn more about the place. I just hope this doesn't spread to the other Islands. I think Maui County is making a big mistake. And yes, I do think that corporate interests and tax revenue interests are behind the movement as was so aptly stated by Mika ele, a couple of post above. |
"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
Edited by - markwitz on 02/21/2008 1:26:02 PM |
|
|
|
ypochris
Lokahi
USA
398 Posts |
Posted - 02/21/2008 : 3:39:34 PM
|
A kama'aina lady ran a bed and breakfast tree house across the river from me. I was the only neighbor, and it never bothered me in the least. She was one of the oldest and longest term land owners in Waipi'o.
Certain local elements were jealous that she was making money and they were not. There is a strong feeling that only "locals" should make money in the valley. The fact that her grandfather brought their great grandfathers over to work the plantations was immaterial. It was strictly an issue of skin color.
Huge pressure was brought to bear and eventually the County shut her down. Now an old lady has no source of income, and lives off of money borrowed against her property so her children will never inherit it.
The funny thing is that I have never felt racism from Hawaiians- it is always coming from second or third generation immigrants who happen to have brown skin and call themselves Hawaiian. Want all the "haoles" to go back to the mainland, forgetting that the Hawaiians sold their land to the Europeans long before most of the "mainland" was stolen from my ancestors. Not to mention that "haole" originally included all immigrants, not just those with white skin.
Well, there I go again. I guess it really made me angry that all these leasees were able to prevent my neighboring landowner from making a living off her property. Zoning totally sucks- if you want to control what goes on next door to you, buy the land yourself. Or else live and let live. Anyone here read 'Land and Power in Hawai'i'? Do you know that the ONLY land that has been upzoned to commercial or industrial since zoning begain in Hawai'i was land owned by State legislators or represented by their law firms? Zoning is the way that those in power ensure that they are the only ones able to make money on land. Essentially they pass laws that say their land is worth millions and our land isn't worth jack. Anyone who supports it is either ignorant of the true facts, profiting from it, or a power tripper who wants to control their neighbors.
Plenty of places do not have zoning and it works just fine. Worked for countless centuries until politicians and big business realized how they could profit from controling land use. After seeing Hawaii's fine example of this control, the curse of zoning has spread across most of the U.S. The result of separating where we live from where we shop, work and eat forces us all to own cars and burn huge quantities of gas, which is contributing to the destruction of the planet as well as impoverishing us with the expense of the car, the insurance, the fuel, the roads, and the wasted time that could have been used productively. It is illegal to make money at home, plain and simple- that is the bottom line of zoning. If money changes hands in your house, that is illegal- a business use of residentially zoned property.
Personally I think it is pono to work at home, pono to welcome guests from far places into your home and accept renumeration in exchange- far more pono than driving for hours polluting the planet to care for those guests in a hotel owned by some multinational corporation that will immediately send most of the money they receive back to a headquarters out of Hawai'i. The money bed and breakfast operations generates may be less per day than a mega resort, but every dollar is spent right in the community. This makes for a wealthier community, period, and every member of the community benefits even if they do not directly work at the B&B or at the business where the money earned by the B&B is spent.
What is not pono is politicians passing laws that only they and their cronies are allowed to make money. And once you look through the smoke and mirrors of supposed community benefit, that is exactly what zoning laws are about.
Chris- not a B&B owner
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
