Oahu Vacation Rentals Owners Forum

12/19/2024

08/27/2024

https://t.vrbo.io/csaMmAWPfMb

04/07/2024

Saint St. Patrick Church & School Fundraiser this coming weekend April 13
Seeking Plants, Money and Silent auction Items.
Activities, old wedding rings, leather jackets, cars, and in return I can give a receipt for your taxes. Give to My kids school not the IRS.
PM for more info

03/24/2024

Please Submit Testimony on Bill 20 - Scheduled for C & C Council Meeting on Monday

Bill 20 will have its first hearing by the full City Council on Monday, 3/25/24 at 10am HST. This bill would create a “planning and permitting fund” whereby revenues (fines & fees) generated by the DPP will be deposited into this account rather than a general fund. Please use the talking points below to OPPOSE this bill using the link at the bottom. Just input the 3/25 Council Meeting, then Bill 20.

This Bill will create a conflict of interest as it will incentivize the department to pursue penalties aggressively for financial benefit, potentially compromising the impartiality and objectivity of penalty enforcement. Moreover, this arrangement could lead to a perception of bias or favoritism, undermining public trust in the enforcement process and raising questions about the fairness and transparency of penalty decisions. In summary, allocating civil penalties funds to the department responsible for imposing the penalties can give rise to conflicts of interest, potentially impacting the integrity and credibility of penalty enforcement processes in Hawaii.

City & County of Honolulu Legislative Document Access

03/12/2024

Please Share Maui is Ready

https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?id=100064624694719&story_fbid=7300082796704990

03/01/2024

WE NEED TO STEP UP OUR OPPOSITION TO THESE BILLS!!
I just testified AGAINST HB1838 AND SB2919- and
We NEED more VOICES!!
WE NEED YOU! - YES! YOU!

They are looking to allow the counties to RE-ZONE at their whim to make YOUR STVR ILLEGAL!!
The hotel lobbyists are in full force!
I just read all 143 pages of letters submitted and 2/3 of the letters are IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL!!! They have hotel employees and Lahaina residents writing letters and registering their support!!

WE NEED TO STEP UP AND SPEAK UP NOW IN VEHEMENT OPPOSITION BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!!!

Submit your written testimony ASAP for both of these bills - our livelihoods are at grave risk!
SUBMISSION IS EASY.
Testifying is easy and not intimidating! EASY!
Get your family, friends, groups involved.
WE NEED TO BE HEARD:

Step by Step Instructions on how to submit written testimony and / or testify VIA ZOOM:
(This link is for HB1838 after submitting testimony for this bill - click in the search box and type in SB2919 and submit testimony for SB2919 (SD_1). And submit your opposition letters there too! )

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1838&year=2024

• REGISTER FIRST by following the link. Then log in with provided information.

• CLICK ORANGE BOX:
SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY

ENTER BILL OR MEASURE:
SB2919 or HB1838

CLICK CONTINUE.

• Enter your full name (VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure your ZOOM NAME MATCHES NAME ON REGISTRATION EXACTLY or you will not be allowed to testify!!)

• For Position Input, check "OPPOSE"

• For Testifying:, check "as an individual Citizen"

• For How will you be testifying? CLICK:
Remotely Via Zoom AND SUBMITTING WRITTEN TESTIMONY.

• SUBMIT YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY Written by either typing your testimony or upload a document (we recommend typing your testimony and uploading it so that you can use it again in future hearings).

• When complete, click “Submit”.

Talking Points:

Your personal story is best, but here are some Talking Points if you’d like to say more:

• Mid and Short-term Rentals accommodate displaced residents, newly housed residents, residents in transition, inter-island residents coming for medical treatment or family visits, traveling nurses, emergency contractors, temporary military & students, our family & friends.

• Mid and Short-term Rentals allow me and my family to stay/work/be near our family, our neighbors, our local schools and community stores and churches.

• Events like the Eruption, Red Hill Crisis, and Marco Polo fires displaced thousands of residents. Where will residents find temporary, furnished housing if our industry is further decimated?

• Where will you stay when you go to a neighbor island to work, visit family or seek healthcare? A $700/night hotel?

• Mid and Short-term Rentals are how I am able to work closer to my home and make a livable wage.

We need numbers! Please forward this message to your cleaners, contractors, realtors and previous guests. They can use the templates below or just submit testimony opposing this Bill:

• Ask your Cleaners and other supporters to submit testimony using this template.

• Ask guests (described above) to submit testimony using this template.

Please submit testimony in opposition. Please focus on your personal story and what would happen if you could no longer rent out your property. If you don’t have the time, just submit that you oppose the Bill. The legislators count those in support and opposition. We were outnumbered 3 to 1 in the last Hearings. We must all submit Testimony to make a difference.

Please be advised that these pages may contain links to external Internet sites established by other entities. The Hawaii State Legislature does not maintain, review, or endorse these sites and is not responsible for their content.

01/13/2024

HLSTRA Lawsuit Update Meeting

You are probably aware that HLSTRA was recently granted summary judgement in their favor. The judgment concludes that the City may not enforce Ordinance 22-7 “insofar as it prohibits 30–89 day home rentals lawfully in existence at its effective date, or the advertisement of such rentals, in any district on Oahu.” Therefore, property owners engaged in 30-day rentals prior to October 23, 2022 who wish to continue to do so, are granted that use under a legal non-conforming status. You can read the full judgment HERE. Please note that OSTRA was not a party to this case.

To answer any questions about the judgement, Greg Kugle will host another webinar on Wednesday, January 17th at 10AM HST. Please use the following link to register and submit any questions:

Register and submit questions in advance for this webinar.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NSGZGxdcT2-l5nyDR4ExKA?utm_campaign=2023%20Homeowner&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=289389633&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9ISehXZZ7pyHXZ0CQ-woYJYI-8MgbsRzKYNGGTnIMUHffIsQ9HFWwuo_kQfFGBjVWdAjHrezRckNdrwBABJiYBZ8iaYA&utm_content=289389633&utm_source=hs_email #/registration

HILSTRA has a fairly large, accrued balance due to the law firm. There is also a strong likelihood that the City will appeal the decision. If you are a property owner, operator, or interested party who may benefit from HLSTRA’s efforts, please contribute via one of the following methods:

1. Go to https://hawaiilawyer.com/?utm_campaign=2023%20Homeowner&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=289389633&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8rPGTidMlls_9cRMLvnv_WX8Oe41LVdpdVrM7C0QsFKtmdmzPewl3CwPzD86Ha_bfQS4oWCqtBoP1emqMiJhxMqPBsGw&utm_content=289389633&utm_source=hs_email and click “Make a Payment” in the top right corner. Select “Deposit a Retainer,” which will take you to this payment page. In the “Client Matter” field, enter HILSTRA.

2. Make a check payable to Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert, with HILSTRA in the memo, and send it to:Damon Key Leong

Kupchak Hastert
1003 Bishop Street, Suite 1600
Honolulu, HI, 9681

Read More Summer/Fall Legal Alert   Read More         More Information         More Information Trusted since 1963.        Read More Celebrating Sixty Years of Service to Our Community Since the founding of our law firm in 1963, a diverse array of attorneys have faithfully and steadfast...

11/29/2023

Call to Action for Mid and Short-term Rental Owners!

The team at OSTRA is thankful for your support and collaboration throughout the year. Working together is the only way we can protect our shared interest in the mid and short-term rental industry.

What We Are Facing:

• Return of harmful state bills that can take our rights away to rent short-term as well as inflict egregious taxes not applicable to the hotels.

• Higher property taxes on TVUs/ NUCs

What We Are Doing:

OSTRA is working hard to educate policymakers about the importance of our industry to Hawaii's economy. We are also working to develop solutions to the challenges we face, such as:

• Fair tax rates for the newly created TVU/ NUC property tax classification

• Reasonable regulations that protect the interests of both rental owners and the community

What You Can Do:

We need your help to continue fighting for our industry. Please become an OSTRA member today at OSTRA.org.

Your membership will help us to:

• Fund professional assistance (lobbyist, legal opinions)

• Cover operating expenses

• Continue to educate policymakers and the community about the importance of the our industry

Together, we can do this!

Mahalo for your support!

Welcome to OSTRA, the home of short-term rentals and transient vacation units across Honolulu, HI.

11/10/2023

Please Share and Join

Oahu Short Term Rental Alliance (OSTRA) educates and advocates for fair treatment of the mid and short-term rentals on our island. By becoming an OSTRA member, you’ll get access to important information including new regulations, property tax information, industry reports and more. You’ll also get access to our Members-Only Facebook Group to share best practices and ask our experts questions. Please do your part and join today at OSTRA.org.

Mahalo,

Welcome to OSTRA, the home of short-term rentals and transient vacation units across Honolulu, HI.

09/29/2023

Aloha Full Moon Friday and Saturday
Get Crazy and buy a new house .
Swing by for a glass of wine
Open House
On 4 acre estate in Heart of Palolo Valley

MLS # 202310779 – Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to call this tropical paradise home. Located on 4+ acres and with rental potential in the downstairs in-law suite and approved...

09/13/2023

*ANNOUNCEMENT*

Safeway (Lahaina @ Cannery Mall) reopening on Wednesday, 9/13!
Groceries only for now. No hot food, seafood or meat yet. 7am - 7pm

08/25/2023

So far away

08/19/2023

Maui is open

21.2K likes, 3689 comments. “ ”

08/13/2023

Sunday BBQ for Maui

07/28/2023

Turtle Bay Resort area not far

07/21/2023

A glorious panorama taken from Ko Olina Resort's lagoon 3. We start our mornings here with a quick swim. We can usually get parking at lagoon 2, if we arrive early enough. Spot the manta rays?

Ko Olina, which means "Place of Joy," spans 642 acres on the island of Oahu along the Waianae mountain range. Once a retreat for Hawaiian royalty, today, Ko Olina features a unique coastline of more than two miles of white-sand beaches, four swimming lagoons and a classic Hawaiian ambience. It is the converse of Waikiki.