Advocacy

Bill 147: “A Policy Shift.” Exactly What We’ve Been Saying.

By Lance Owens · October 8, 2026 · 3 min read

My October 8 update on the committee amendments, vacation-rental eligibility, and the questions property owners need answered.

Cover image from Lance Owens’s Bill 147 policy shift article

In our last article, we asked the County to stop calling this “housekeeping.” On October 6, while explaining the RM zoning amendment, Council Member Heather Kimball admitted it is “a policy shift.” That is exactly the distinction we have been asking people to recognize. Changes to future vacation-rental eligibility have consequences for property owners.

IT’S TIME TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS BILL.

The committee adopted the combined amendment package 5–4, then voted 4–5 against recommending passage of the amended bill. Bill 147 moves to the full Council for first reading with an unfavorable recommendation. It has not become law.

Disclaimer: I’ve been following and providing testimony on the County’s vacation-rental legislation since 2017. I’m not an attorney, and this article reflects my interpretation of the bill, amendments, and committee discussion, not legal advice. I use AI to help break down and organize the information and check it against the source documents, but errors or differing interpretations are possible. If these changes could affect your property or rental operation, consult an attorney about how they may apply to your situation.

Bill 147 committee discussion image from the original article — Lance Owens SME on real estate in Hawaii

The main changes:

Hosted rentals: The package replaces the B&B classification with “Hosted TVR.” Council members acknowledged the mortgage and insurance concerns raised by the real estate community.
RM zoning: Outside the specified resort and shoreline areas, dwellings with plan approval issued before the ordinance’s effective date would remain eligible for unhosted rentals, subject to other applicable requirements. This eligibility would not depend on the dwelling already operating as a vacation rental.
CN zoning: Hosted rentals remain permitted. The restrictions concern unhosted rentals.
Agricultural and midterm rentals: Revised agricultural permitting conditions and a permit pathway for qualifying 31–179-day rentals.

Questions remain about multiple dwellings, existing permits, bedroom limits, and registration requirements.

The County started registration September 1 while changes to the zoning and permitting rules were still unresolved. Now Kimball points to registration already being underway as a reason to move Bill 147 forward. That is putting the cart before the horse. Property owners should not have to carry the consequences of the County’s unfinished work.

The combined amendment arrived the morning of the meeting, and council members were still working through its wording. More changes may come at first reading. How do property owners prepare meaningful testimony without knowing what language will be considered?

The revised bill and proposed amendments need to be available early enough to review. If you previously testified, don’t assume your concern has been resolved. Check the language and testify again if it could still affect you. Make sure the protection is in the bill itself.

Mahalo to Holeka Inaba, Ashley Kierkiewicz, Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, James Hustace, and Matt Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder for working through the language, asking questions, and pushing for clarity. Supporting the goal of more housing does not remove the responsibility to examine what this bill actually does.

Mahalo to Trey Livingston and Clark Kahawaii for their testimony. They showed up, raised specific concerns, asked hard questions, and explained how some of the changes would affect property owners. That matters.

More on Bill 147

More local perspective.

Housing Needs Infrastructure. Infrastructure Needs Funding.

Bill 147: Why Remove Bed & Breakfasts From CN Zoning?

Bill 147: Please Stop Calling This “Housekeeping”