Hawaii town to state: Stop sending tourists here

[Hum]

People from across the world are drawn to the coastal town of Kailua. Its white sand beaches are among the nation's best. Some recommend the Honolulu suburb for its laid-back vibe. And President Barack Obama vacations there with his family each Christmas.

But now, the neighborhood board is asking a state tourism agency to stop encouraging visitors to stay overnight in their town.

It's the latest salvo in a long-running battle over how much tourism Kailua wants and should allow ? a dispute that's popping up around the state as more of the increasing numbers of visitors who arrive want to experience island life like a local rather than a tourist.

The board is upset about a thriving industry of bed-and-breakfast and vacation rentals that are leased out short-term without permits. The board says these places deplete Kailua's already limited supply of housing, inflating costs and putting homes out of reach of those born and raised in town.

Neighbors don't like having a stream of strangers staying next door. "It doesn't feel like a neighborhood when you don't know the people there," board member Lisa Marten said. "If there's any sort of safety issue, there's no one to ask for help because you don't know them."

Two of the three houses next to Marten are currently vacation rentals. Earlier this year, a large group of renters in their 20s staying in one of the homes was "doing drugs from morning till night," she said. Marijuana fumes wafted into Marten's yard and she could hear them spouting foul language.

"I would say to them, 'I've got teenagers. I've got very young kids. I'm trying to teach them to stay away from drugs. You must have nieces and nephews, please take it inside and be discreet,'" she said. They ignored her pleas, noting that they had medical marijuana licenses.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly how many vacation rentals are in Kailua, but one website, Vacation Rentals by Owner, lists 289 vacation rental units in the town. The Hawaii Tourism Authority estimates there may be about 500. Statewide, there are between 7,000 and 10,000, regulated based on different local laws in each county.

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[tiagosilva29]

Just like my country's Algarve, but it's not that ######.

[Growled Member]

 

It's hard to pinpoint exactly how many vacation rentals are in Kailua, but one website, Vacation Rentals by Owner, lists 289 vacation rental units in the town. The Hawaii Tourism Authority estimates there may be about 500.

 

 

According to here:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kailua,_Honolulu_County,_Hawaii

 

 

The population was 38,635 at the 2010 census.