Not everyone thinks that profit potential from short term rentals is a positive for the community. Victor Gemiani, a lawyer with the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, highlighted where those profits are going.

"Twenty-seven percent of short term rentals are now posted by people who have more than 20 units each. The bottom line is, this an enormous business."

Hawaiʻi Appleseed and many other vacation rental hawks support a more hardline bill, number 85, which was also heard on Wednesday. That measure would ban all short-term rentals outside of resort areas and allow residents to sue their neighbors who violate the law.

Following Wednesday’s public testimony, council members now have a chance to make revisions on both Bill 85 and 89. Each will have one more hearing before the council takes a final vote.