Last year’s deadly Maui wildfire revealed the extent of short-term rentals and their contribution to the state’s housing shortage

Last year’s deadly Maui wildfire revealed the extent of short-term rentals and their contribution to the state’s housing shortage

Hawaii lawmakers have voted to put limits on short-term rentals such as Airbnbs. On Friday, the governor, Josh Green, signed a bill that would give counties the power to regulate short-term rentals and even phase them out to become long-term housing for local residents.

The move on short-term rentals was one of several legislative decisions to come out of Friday’s meeting of the state legislature. It also appropriated $1bn to go toward the ongoing recovery from the Lahaina fire on 8 August, including more than $120m in rental assistance for people who are ineligible for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) and $500m for emergency housing for residents who remain displaced, according to ABC News.

  • RinseDrizzle@midwest.socialEnglish
    6·
    6 months ago

    Truly. It’s a bit bittersweet of news. To get the obvious out of the way, I fully support reclaiming housing for locals. They’ve had a tough go. Having housing gobbled up for private business is problematic everywhere, but especially on these lil island nations where tourism is huge. Gotta respect the locals!

    Bittersweet, I was also in Maui earlier this year, at an Airbnb. It was a vibe. I always enjoy being able to live a bit more like a local when I travel. Usually nicer habitat than a hotel room. Having a kitchen while vacationing is so nice! Very easy to only eat restaurant food the entire time otherwise. Hotels and resorts bring a certain sort, and it’s nice being able to avoid that crowd sometimes too.

    Hawaii is especially precarious because a huge part of their economy is tourism. On multiple occasions we were told “thank you for being here.” At the time, tourism was back up to about a 1/3rd its usual. Hit a boat tour that accommodates 45, with 15 of us on there. People in the industry need more butts in seats.

    Ultimately, if I need to hit a hotel next time to ensure locals are able to live easier, so be it. Easy choice. I will miss the perks of catching a flat or condo tho.