30,139. That’s the number of short-term vacation rentals currently in operation in Hawaiʻi, according to the most recent report issued by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA). That figure includes roughly 10,000 vacation rentals on Oʻahu and Maui each, thousands of which operate in violation of the law.

There are, no doubt, some local residents who occasionally rent out an empty bedroom to pay their bills. However, the data is extremely clear: these “mom and pop” operations are not what is driving the startling proliferation of vacation rentals.

The HTA report reveals that of the 30,139 total listings across the state, only 2,741 are for shared rooms or private rooms. The other 27,000-plus listings are for entire homes. These are not your bed-and-breakfast style home-sharing gigs. They are illicit hotels, owned and operated by wealthy investors and corporations, the majority of whom don’t even live in the state.