Economic prosperity rises from the bottom up
The Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice looks at the recent legislative session's hits and misses in this Community Voice column for Aloha State Daily.
Tax bills win preliminary approval from Hawaiʻi lawmakers
The House and Senate are also considering allowing legalized gambling for the first time in state history.
One year later: The effects of Hawaiʻi’s illegal short-term rental ban
Illegal vacation rentals have worsened Hawaiʻi’s affordable housing shortage while contributing to an overrun of high-impact, low-spending visitors.
City council debates fate of Oʻahu's short term rentals
The council planning committee heard seven bills that would drastically change the fees, fines and enforcement on thousands of Oʻahu short-term rentals.
Addicted to Airbnb: Hawaiʻi’s tourism economy depends on illegal vacation rentals
While calls for a crackdown on short-term rentals grow louder, their rapid expansion accounts for a big chunk of the recent growth in the state’s largest industry.
Is housing sacrificed to attract more tourists?
One gets little sense that there is a plan behind Hawaiʻi’s tourism growth beyond sustaining it.
Tenants cash in on vacation rentals despite risks
Tenants who sublease their units as vacation rental properties without the owner’s permission face eviction. Those who break city rules also face penalties starting with an initial fine of $1,000 and up to $1,000 a day for continued violations.
Town Square: temporary vacation rental regulation
Two bills currently at the legislature allow transient accommodations brokers to register as tax collection agents and have explicit requirements regarding the general excise and the transient accommodations taxes. Today on Town Square we’ll consider the bills in detail.