Letter: Vacation rentals make isles too expensive

According to your story about the Hawaii Perspectives poll, some 45 percent of the voters polled live in homes where someone is considering moving away — or has already left the islands (“Homelessness, cost of living cited as major concerns in Hawaii,” Star-Advertiser, March 14).

Of those considering leaving, 66 percent are age 18-34. Lack of affordable housing, homelessness, and the fear of it, seem to be the main motivators of the exodus.

All the while our government and policymakers have allowed the escalation of housing costs and rents by refusing to halt the spread of vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. They put the wishes of visitors and the profits of the related industry ahead of the housing needs of our local residents.

The City Council is considering permitting more B&Bs and TVUs in our neighborhoods, even though it has never shown that it is capable of enforcing zoning regulations on thousands of illegal vacation rentals.

What a betrayal of the public interest, especially that of our young people.

Ursula Retherford

Kailua

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