Pity our residential neighborhoods, which seem to be teeming with much, much more than residents.

There’s the sprawling transient-vacation rental problem, of course, which hopefully will begin to be curbed by Oahu’s new tougher law and enforcement. Then there’s the recent crackdown on illegal gambling dens, which often attract other criminal elements. And on Wednesday came news of a search of a suspected brothel operating out of a rented St. Louis Heights residence. Taking back our neighborhoods is a constant thing.

Getting tough on vacation rentals

After decades of toothless regulation and enforcement, Oahu’s new tougher vacation-rentals law is proving to have some much-needed bite. In the two months following Ordinance 19-89’s start date, the city has more than doubled its enforcement record from last year. Since Aug. 1, the city has issued 75 notices of violation to owners that were advertising unpermitted short-term rentals. In the same period, the city also issued 13 notices to vacation rentals for violating longtime occupancy laws. Last year the city issued 33 notices of violations and 14 notices of order, the follow-up step.