If you’re searching for an Airbnb in Hawaii, you may encounter some issues in the next few months. Oahu, the most visited island in Hawaii, has enacted a rule that would demand a minimum stay of 90 days (approximately three months) in short-term rental leases. This law went into effect on April 1. Lodging conditions are negotiated on websites like Airbnb, among others.
There is already a 30-day minimum stay requirement for individuals renting holiday houses or freelancing with a sea view during the outbreak.
The Honolulu City Council adopted the new law on April 27, and Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed it on April 28. It is expected to start on October 23, 2022.
This statute, according to Blangiardi, aims to safeguard local communities and natural resources for the foreseeable future.
Short-term rentals (STRs) fall into two categories under the law:
Transient vacation units (TVUs)
Unhosted rentals, sometimes known as whole-home rentals, are the most common type of rental. All rooms at the hotel are limited to two transient adult guests.
Bed and breakfast homes (B&Bs)
During the temporary stay, the homeowner or regular resident is present. There is a limit of two adult travelers allowed to occupy each room, and the maximum number of rented rooms is two.
The measure further specifies that any marketing for a lease or residential unit that is not a licensed short-term rental (STR) cannot feature daily or less-than-three-month rental prices and must include the following statement: “This property may not be rented for less than 90 consecutive days. Rental prices will not be reduced or adjusted based on the number of days the rental is actually used or occupied.”
Short-term rentals on Oahu will also be restricted to specific sections of the island that have previously been zoned for resorts, such as Waikiki, the region’s popular tourism hub, Turtle Bay, and Ko Olina. According to Hawaii News Now, specific exclusions will be in residential areas near resorts where you can obtain temporary lodgings.
This unique predicament for Airbnb in Hawaii prompted the app to challenge the Honolulu City Council-approved ordinance. In an official statement, the rental app stated that it was “very worried” about the proposed alterations.
An Airbnb Hawaii public policy manager told Lonely Planet that the business is trying to get the council to make additional exceptions. She cited the eruption of the Kilauea volcano in 2018 as an example of how disaster relief personnel and displaced locals depend on the service for medium-term rents caused by natural catastrophes.
Tenants, including medical professionals, military employees, and charitable organizations that frequently come to O’ahu for their job and consequently require short-term housing, were also included in Airbnb’s list of priority groups.
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