City to begin new crackdown efforts on illegal short-term vacation rentals on Oahu

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The City and County of Honolulu is set to begin its new crackdown efforts on Monday on illegal short-term vacation rentals on Oahu.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said illegal rentals offering stays of under 30 days could now face fines of $10,000 per day.

The mayor initially wanted to triple the minimum stay requirement to 90 days, but that has been blocked by the courts.

“Our neighborhoods are really important part of how we live here, you know, is such a part of how we grow up here and live here, and we’re not going to have them overrun,” Blangiardi said.

In tourist hotspots like Waikiki, Ko Olina and Turtle Bay, rentals of 30 days or less are allowed, but they’ll need to be registered online with the city.

The new website went live on Monday, but there’s concern it might crash due to high demand.

Still, Blangiardi said he’s determined to crack down on illegal rentals.

The city also has a new hotline, where people can call (808) 768-STVR (7887) to report illegal rentals.

There’s also a team of seven full-time workers dedicated to enforcing the new rules.

Critics say this crackdown will hurt the local economy by driving away millions of visitors. They also argue this will not only impact tourists but also temporary workers and service members looking for short-term stays.

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