Hawaii Judge Allows Short-Term Rentals Up to 90 Days To Operate Legally

Key Points

• Hawaii judge rules existing short-term rentals (30 to 89 days) outside resort zones can continue operating.
• Ordinance 22-7 aimed to curb short-term rentals to alleviate housing costs and local life impact.
• Government initiatives are in place to convert short-term rentals to long-term housing for wildfire survivors, with proposed incentives.

Summary

A district court judge in Hawaii has ruled that existing short-term rentals outside resort zones can legally operate and advertise for stays between 30 to 89 days, overturning parts of Ordinance 22-7 which previously made such rentals illegal. The judge's decision does not apply to rentals established after the ordinance's implementation. The ordinance was originally passed to mitigate the impact of short-term rentals on housing costs and local living conditions. In response to the Lahaina wildfire, the Hawaii government is urging the conversion of short-term rentals into long-term housing to accommodate displaced residents, with proposed tax incentives and rent subsidies to facilitate this transition.