A local nonprofit focused on poverty issues is urging that Honolulu follow several cities around the world in getting tough on regulating the use of homes as short-term vacation rentals.

The Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice released a report filled with recommendations Monday as the Honolulu City Council prepares again to debate a bill addressing the issue after years of public frustration.

“It is time for Hawaiʻi’s counties to tackle our VRU (vacation rental unit) challenges responsibly and thoughtfully,” said the report that focuses on limiting the number of such units and having strong rule enforcement.

A few recommendations in the Appleseed report, titled “Priced out of Paradise,” align with provisions in the bill that was drafted by the Honolulu Department of Planning & Permitting (DPP) and accepted by the Honolulu City Council earlier this month after contentious public hearings at the Honolulu Planning Commission earlier this year.

For instance, the report and Bill 89 recommend limiting VRU operators to one unit, prohibiting VRUs in certain neighborhoods based on zoning and imposing fines over $20,000.

Other recommendations in the report include holding online platforms such as Airbnb liable for unit owner violations, and focusing enforcement actions on those who rent out multiple properties.