The topic of Hawaii vacation rentals, or short-term rentals, has been a big topic in Hawaii politics. There supposedly thousands of illegal vacation rentals across Hawaii. And while many vacations rentals do operate legally under the law, that still leaves many that don’t. I never really understood the appeal of a short-term rental in Hawaii versus a traditional hotel in Waikiki. However, after traveling to Japan and staying at an Airbnb, I now see the appeal. So I wanted to talk about my view of short-term rentals in Hawaii and how it’s changed since we stayed in a short-term rental in Japan. I think I have a pretty good understanding of the benefits and drawbacks and so I wanted to share my opinion on this issue.
Intro to short-term rentals in Hawaii – 0:00
I know the challenges of housing in Hawaii – 0:31
The typical local reaction to short-term rentals in Hawaii – 0:44
Families and travelers have different needs – 1:38
Never understood the appeal of short-term rentals in Hawaii before – 2:58
How the Japanese short-term rental helped me see a different perspective – 3:35
The effect that short-term rentals have costs of a vacation – 5:37
I understand the effects of short-term rentals in Hawaii – 7:26
How can I hate short-term rentals in Hawaii if I use them abroad? – 7:51
Regulation in Hawaii, please? – 8:20
Closing thoughts on short-term rentals in Hawaii – 9:43
Filmed using the DJI Osmo Action.
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46 Comments
VBRO is not the problem, lack of affordable housing is. They should be treated separate issues. What O'ahu has done is too heavy handed, but as I would expect due to hotel lobbyists!
Some of visitors want to be away from tourists attractions .
Every visitors have different needs .
But some people ruin for others
Its sad
Good topics
Stay warm in Japan
I didn’t have an issue with short rentals initially however personal experience also changed my mind. As someone who was born and raised here I was finally able to afford a condo of my own in a non resort area. After one year our maintenance fee was increased by 50 percent. The building had lots of short term rentals who had destroyed the common areas. The hallway had cigarette butts on the rugs, urination, damage to the walls, etc. I know not all short term renters are disrespectful to the property they are staying at but there was enough damage caused by some that our maintenance fee had to be increased to cover the cost of the damages. Now I have to think about whether or not I can afford my home that I was so excited to buy as a first time home buyer. The short term renters who caused the damage went home after their vacation and I’m left with whether or not I can continue to afford to live here.
You nailed it!👍🤙
In a free society, small-time entrepreneurs can compete with the big guys. Competition brings a better experience and value for the customer , and that brings customers back, which means a great business environment and more money for the business and the government.
Great perspectives! When traveling for business, I use hotels, especially when there is zero downtime or I have to stay at the convention center. When I travel with my spouse and kids, I prefer a bigger place, space to relax, and views of the location. I went to the Big Island for the first time, and enjoyed being able to shop at a local store, not the ABC, and eat at local places. On the mainland, there are definitely communities not well suited to being a vacation rental, though many are. Depends also on how the place is advertised, and if they are upfront with the renter about what us allowed, what is not, and whether there is a local making sure you abide with noise regulations.
The Democrats in Hawaii have created the entire Tourism scheme in order to fund the state’s economy. Now, there are laws that have passed to get rid of the short term rental properties to push visitors to the overpriced hotels. I am really, really disappointed in you because you repeatedly say ‘visitors’ or ‘tourists’ that come to Hawaii somehow spoil the neighborhood for staying for a week. Like my family is going to stay up all night partying singing Karaoke and barbequing on the Lanai all day. Then, take up all the parking with our sub compact rental a car. It’s OK for YOU to travel and get an ARBNB for your family in Japan, but not my Family to get one in Hawaii. You are very disappointing and only want the Aloha when it is convenient for you and your kind.
Amongst other things and besides the economical aspect, staying in a local home is also a way to discover the configuration of a typical house or condo, and a chance to get a glimpse of the local lifestyle. In that, it is more interesting than staying in hotels.
I bet a lot more of the money stays in the state from an Airbnb that some local owns vs staying at the Hyatt on Waikiki
Like you, I see both sides to the debate. So when I use STRs, I make sure it is legal. With that said, I would never stay in a residential area where I'm in a middle of other single family homes. Since I wouldn't like it if one of my neighbors converts their home into a STR, I am not going to be a problem to whatever place I visit. I wouldn't want my kids be outside when there are strangers coming in and out of a house next door. In California, certain people are not allowed to live near parks or schools. However, there is no vetting process for these people on STR platforms.
It's not inconsistent to use short term rentals in areas with plenty of affordable housing whilst being against it for other areas. Short term rentals in Hawai'i, San Francisco, and LA are incredibly limited for a variety of reasons whereas Japan and other areas in the U.S. mainland don't have the same issues. Interestingly, Japan does have limited 'flat' land that is ideal for housing, yet they mostly solved that issue by building UP. Why is Hawaii obsessed with mimicking mainland suburbs and not just building high? Japan has proven you can have massive population centers that can also be kept immaculately clean and environmentally friendly.
Really enjoying the Japan series! Traveling gives us all new perspectives 🤙🏽
I am sorry that someone misunderstood your arguments. We prefer condo-like resorts, but best time and best discoveries I made when staying in local short term rentals: rooms, condos or cottages. Thank you and all Hawaiians for their incredible hospitality and patience. Whichever local rules are established, solemnly promise to strictly adhere to YOUR rules. Nobody comes to visit and tells their hosts what to do and how to do it!
Hugest difference between you and your family and a lot of the people that rent short term rentals in Hawaii is mindfulness and respectfulness. Younger renters think a short term rental is a pass to party like it's Spring Break and they are not mindful of their surroindings.
imo its probably because high cost of mortgage payments and living makes people want to airbnb their space. Its 1 of thousands reasons why Hawaii is costly.
Hawaii and Japan are both islands, but Japan is made of much larger islands. There is a surplus of housing in Japan, so much so, that many people simply abandon properties to decay rather than tear them down or redevelop them. Japanese like new, i.e. free from previous usage and contamination. It's impossible to return an item to a store after you've opened and "defiled" it. Japan also has one thing that Hawaii lacks: business hotels where you can get a bed and breakfast for $60. Hawaii hotels are way too expensive, even staples like the Pagoda and the Maui Beach.
You are right that travelers have different needs. The main reason why I prefer STRs is because of the cost, quiet, privacy, kitchen, and laundry facilities. The Japanese are tidy and respectful and don't trash properties or make noise as is common in the West.
Final points: I bet you appreciate your Hawaii home now that you see how compactly the Japanese live. Too bad the Edo Museum is closed for renovations because it's an eye-opener to life in modern Japan. Did you freak out when you went to the department stores on December 26th and all the decorations were gone? It's like the Grinch came and stole EVERYTHING! Christmas is 100% a retail event and there is no pretense about it.
I'm really impressed at you changing your opinion based on personal principles. That is a rare person willing to rethink their position on a important subject that he maybe opposed to but, at the risk of compromising their own good principles. Good job…… Me, I totally agree with your stance on increased govt control and enforcement to make it a level playing field got everyone… Thanks for addressing this subject. As a Hawaii born transplant to WA state, Iam keenly aware of the benefits and the problems of short term rentals. Mahalo
The Japanese people are more prone to obey the rules as opposed to the Westerners who feel that since I'm a paying customer I can do what I want & the heck with the rules. I find a lot of Americans feel the rules don't apply to them & are arrogant to the locals
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Beware of AB &B: they kept our deposit when Covid hit in 2020, with 4 months notice to them. Brutal!
There's absolutely nothing wrong with short term rentals… when they're run by locals. When you have multinational conglomerates buying up all the housing for these rentals, increasing the cost of housing, then it's a big issue.
I love staying in airbnbs rather than a high price hotel room without kitchen
Short term rentals enrich the local people. Getting rid of that enriches large business and corporations. Housing has not gotten any cheaper since the restriction, and hotels are charging more than ever.
The housing situation in Japan is completely different from Hawaii. In Japan, there are far more homes than people. They will give you a house for free or almost free if you move to the countryside. In Hawaii, especially on Kauai, families have to live in their car because of short-term rentals and building restrictions.
I totally agree with you. Enjoy the beautiful Japan.
Wow, a complicated issue. Where I live in Santa Barbara it's kind of like Oahu – certain areas downtown or by the beach allow short term (a few days) rentals, other areas, like where I live, have a 30 day minimum. I am glad there are no STRs on my street but I think the 30 day minimum attracts a different kind of renter than a weekender from LA, anyway. I believe there is some impact to the rental market for locals but who knows how much that impact is. Rents were already going up when the Airbnb thing hit a few years ago. BTW, I am positive everything I just said applies to Oahu as well. That being said, we are considering a 3 month rental on Oahu sometime around a year from now, and of course we would be renting our house out to finance the whole operation! Irony much???
Our house is near a str. We have never had any issues. The owners are very good about managing any impact. Not sure locals could afford to buy it. The house on the other side is a multi use family. It is a disaster. Fireworks all the time. Junk cars etc….no every neighborhood is different. On another note we were staying at a local hotel for a stay cation. Resort fees and parking (we didn't have a car but mandatory $25 a night) made me think hotels are terrible idea.
None of us should be against short term rentals in Hawaii. Because it’s a free market and existing hotel brands are welcome to change their pricing and the layouts of their units to accommodate families who want to stay for longer than a week.
There are many reasons not to stay in a hotel. Not all of them offer refrigerators. Or kitchens. Or even laundry on site. So anyone staying more than a few days is going to be annoyed with having to skirt around these inconveniences.
Not every non-resident coming to Hawaii is a tourist. Many are former Hawaii residents who are visiting family. Not everyone can “stay at the family home,” especially if space is limited.
Definitely a big challenge for Hawaii legislature to tackle. But the right solution isn’t just to demonize short term rentals and rely on policies to block their existence. If people are using them still, that means there’s demand for that kind of accommodation that hotels are welcome to fill if they make an effort to invest in changes.
I choose short term rentals because I have severe food sensitivities and need a place with a kitchen. I would understand if Hawaii banned them, but it would also result in me no longer coming because I can't safely eat in restaurants so the only places I can travel to must have a place with a kitchen. Most hotels don't offer that. I strive to always be super respectful- quiet, clean, friendly, and to leave it in better shape than I found it.
I’m in the middle on the issue. It depends on the housing supply to that location as well other related circumstances. But they should be legal and well managed.
On the topic of Japan lodging, there are a lot of choices. Besides Airbnb, they have regular hotels, youth hostels, businessmen hotels, capsule hotels, ryokans, and dormitory type of places. Some of them are very affordable. I think countries that do a lot (pre-Covid) staycations have a bigger lodging system that span the low to high end.
I don't know of anyone in Hawaii that could afford another property whom would t rent it out short term if they could. Not only that, they would do whatever they can do at the HOA to make more revenue per night.
I wished I knew about short term rentals when I went to Hawaii. I would've been able to stay longer than 14 days for sure. Hotels are just way too expensive for long term vacations.
You can’t really compare the STR situation in Japan with that of Hawai’i. Hawai’i has VERY limited land and therefore VERY limited amount of space for homes. So STR investors from the states (& foreign countries), are drastically affecting housing costs by further reducing an already limited and expensive market, making it hard for locals who can’t compete with investors and potential transplants in bidding wars. Even home auctions are full of investors & “house flippers, now, all you see are people on phones talking to their bosses who aren’t on island, to see how high he wants to bid… used to be all local families at auctions, you don’t even see regular people there anymore.
It’s ridiculous.
How are the short-term rentals in your neighborhood? It's probably not an issue for you right now, but that can change in the near future.
Then you will know what it's like to deal with all types of tourists.
FYI, the majority of the visitors are not families.
We discovered timeshares before we had kids (and before Airbnb days) and have never looked back. Being able to cook healthy meals at 'home' especially with a child with a large amount of food allergies, and being able to spread out when on vacation is an awesome way to travel and make extended stays doable and more enjoyable
Good points. A question, What did you pay in Tax in Japan? The thing about Hawaii is the tax. I have had some Biz and in HI the Taxes cost me a lot more. (I pay them 😢). In other states it was more reasonable. You have a biz , right? What do you say? 🌴🌴Aloha
Something to consider is that in most of Japan you don’t need to rent a vehicle to get around, so the noise/traffic impact on local communities is often minimal. Also, most of Japan is population dense, not rural/suburban like Oahu.
Be careful what you wish for I looked at homes and instead bought a condo in town- walking distance to everything rarely even drive, don't have to worry about break-ins noisy neighbors hurricanes flooding etc. A vacation rental or Monster home could be built right next to your home (like 2 feet away 😂) They're not building apartment buildings anymore they're building monster houses as workforce housing because it's cheaper, and they have nothing to do with the new short-term rental rules.
Japanese short term rentals are amazing. Hotels charge too much in Hawaii for what they offer.
Hawaii wants and is limiting tourism to those who are willing to pay the big dollars. In the Big Island, car rentals will cost you 35% more in taxes and fees. Airbnb, Vrbi, etc., will tag you an additional 70% in taxes, cleaning fees, and fees. I can't imagine the taxes, resort fees, and other fees tagged to the bill in Oahu. The last time I was in Hawaii was pre-pandamic and everything was less complicated. I was in Germany and Austria this past summer and things were transparent, you pay as listed and no hidden charges, taxes are already included in the price. Accommodations were less expensive than in the US to my surprise. So I am weighting where to spend my 2023 vacation money…
I think STR's hurt hotels more than the citizens themselves. The argument of STR's taking housing away has validity. I would play devil's advocate and ask, "well this house was for sale. Why did a local not buy it? If it is because of the cost, then was the local really put out if they weren't in the game to begin with?"
If you have not already done so, can you please make a video of how you met your lovely wife, courted her, then how you decided to marry her.
I love a good love story, that's why I am asking for this video.
Aloha!
We just came home from Japan and love it there.
On the surface, short-term rentals in Hawaii look like a huge problem but that is just an indication of the real problem beneath. I stayed in Hawaii for 2 years a decade ago and that wasn't an issue at all back then. You were able to get a short-term/long-term rental in Kona pretty easily. What has changed in 10 years? NOTHING! And I mean nothing towards prioritizing the needs of locals but everything of prioritizing the wants and wishes of so-called "investors". And because Hawaiians are too patient and too peaceful as a nation – this forces them to live in the truck-bed. Even their own government failed to act and protect Hawaiians. What we will see in the next 10 years? I am afraid even to think what that means for the real locals in Hawaii. Rentals are not the problem.
I think its nice to let the owners – the people who have to manage the relationships with their neighbors – do what they want with their homes. Everyone (including tourists) pays taxes that support the roads and government infrastructure. So everyone is contributing to road management and parking. It might be a good idea for Hawaii to reduce the complicatedness of the parking situation in the city. Manage their trash disposal better to free up parking for everyone. Home owners have to support the home, the relationships with their neighbors – its a shame the state is making this more complicated for everyone to enjoy their property. If people ever go on hard times – having more options (like a short term rental) to support your home/family is probably a good thing. Otherwise people can just turn to the state for support – which i guess is the preferred option in hawaii.
Hawai'i has longest time n nation fo get building permits, avg 1 yr, affects owners' budgets, financing & housing shortage. Vacation rentals r scapegoat fo lack of affordable housing problems. 🙄
hawaii smaller than japan with more tourists vac rentals bigger neg impact