Strive for reasonable balance in vacation rental regulations

After nearly 30 years, Oahu is once again considering legislation to update short-term rental regulations for a modern economy. While there are strong opinions on both sides of the issue, no one disputes the fact that we have more visitors to Oahu than can possibly be accommodated by our island’s supply of hotel inventory. While many visitors enjoy our hotels, there are just as many who enjoy the short-term rental experience.

The story that often goes untold is the one about the economic benefits that short-term rentals bring to local residents trying to make ends meet. Thanks to the short-term rental industry, many of our residents are getting a first time taste of entrepreneurship.

For some of us, hosting reinvigorates our love for the island, sharing a family home or a favorite local restaurant with a newlywed couple eager to see Hawaii for the first time. From pool cleaners to restaurant owners, our residents are directly benefitting from Hawaii’s growing tourism industry.

This commentary is an invitation for us all to take a step back and take an honest assessment of ourselves — as neighbors and as residents of Oahu.

We can offer sensible regulations that address concerns without taking money out of local residents’ pockets. There are common sense, reasonable options we can explore. We can effectively manage the growth of commercial operators and vacation rentals by establishing a limit on the number of permits in a given region.

We can also address aggressive uses of homes by setting limits on the number of days that can be rented out in a given calendar year. Laws are already in place to control nuisances, such as noise and litter — and they work. Regulations that are clear, fair and easy to enforce can protect our economic interests and ensure our rights as a community against abuses by irresponsible actors.

What we do know is that we need updated and fair regulations. Some of the proposed legislation that the Honolulu City Council is considering today do not strike a fair or balanced approach. Instead, measures like Resolution 17-052 are intended as a blanket ban on short-term rentals.

Most troubling is the provision that grants residents the authority to file complaints on vacation rentals directly with the courts; pitting neighbor against neighbor. There are already Facebook pages dedicated to “outing” neighbors that rent out their homes, inciting a witch hunt mentality that only adds fuel to a fire that has been burning here on the island since the city stopped issuing permits in 1989. These provisions are legally problematic and do not solve the larger problem, which is a divide in our communities.

As a local community, we all value compassion, understanding and fairness. We can create a fair set of rules that honors concerns on both sides of this issue without shutting down the important economic activity that helps Hawaii families and our state. Even if we do not agree with the opinions of our opponents.

This is an opportunity to meet in the middle and to move forward in a direction of harmony. Our neighborhoods and residents can co-exist along with vacation rentals and hotels while still preserving our neighborhoods if we embrace a reasonable approach to regulations. Let’s at least consider the possibility that we can get this right.

There is still time to rewrite our story.

Brynn Rovito is vice president of the Oahu Alternative Lodging Association (OALA), which focuses on advancing policies and practices for a responsible, prosperous alternative lodging industry.