Honolulu, HI, revises measures for short-term rental property registration and uncertified properties

Honolulu, HI: City Council has approved two new measures for its short-term rental property registration and permitting, to reduce issues with increased vacationers and unlicensed renting of homes.

 

Short-term rental properties are differentiated by the “bed and breakfast” type homes where there is an on-site manager, and “transient vacation units” where there is not on-site management; both types offering housing for fewer than 30 days.

Based on the measures, Bills 85 and 89, bed and breakfast homes will be allowed to apply for certified permission with the City to operate, and renew registration annually, and impose scaling penalties for all noncertified provision of short-term rentals; thousands of homes are estimated to be operating without certification.

 

For platforms to provide booking services for short-term rentals, the following applies: “It is unlawful for any hosting platform to provide booking services to owners or operators of bed and breakfast homes or transient vacation units located within the city without first registering with the department. In order to register, a hosting platform shall provide a hosting platform registration statement to the director, in a form prescribed by the director, pay a registration fee of $100, and agree in writing: To obtain written consent from all owners or operators of bed and breakfast homes or transient vacation units located within the city for the disclosure of the information required,” and provide that information to the City.

 

Violation by home owners or those booking platforms can result in fines of not less than $1,000, and not more than $10,000, per day and per instance of violation of ordinances for short-term rental homes.

 

 

 

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