Our latest campaign calls for an end to hotels converting their rooms into luxury condominiums. These types of developments are lucrative for developers, but they hurt Hawaii’s residents.

Between 2006 and 2011:

  • 3,250 jobs statewide were lost in the accommodations sector
  • Because of these lost jobs, over $30 million each year has been lost in tax revenue
  • In last 10 years, Hawai’i lost 15% of traditional resort hotel rooms. Non-traditional/individual vacation units increased by 821%
  • Average GET, TAT, and income tax lost is over $3,300 per unit per year for every unit not entered into rental pool at a condotel property
  • Average TAT lost is over $3,700 per unit per year for every timeshare in Hawai’i versus a comparable hotel unit. As of 2012, there were 10,184 timeshare units in the state
  • Over 45% of the more than 10,000 rooms in condotel buildings statewide are not in their respective properties’ rental pools

What you can do

City Council Bill 16 will protect our hotel rooms & local jobs. It was introduced to City Council on March 12 and passed the first hearing. It was heard by the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety & Economic Development on Tuesday, March 18 and deferred action on the bill pending additional information on this important issue. The bill was heard again by the PSED Committee on April 22, and they decided to defer action on the bill for the 2nd time. 

We urged City Council to act now before more people lose their jobs. At the April 22 hearing, former Ilikai Hotel worker Joli Tokusato testified that since the last hearing, she was laid off at the Ilikai after working there for over 23 years. She urged City Council to take a firm position with us. But once again, the PSED committee deferred action on the bill rather than moving forward.

We’re asking everyone to:

Fukunaga1) Contact PSED Committee Chair Carol Fukunaga. Demand that she take a firm position on Bill 16. Tell her to hear Bill 16 one last time and to support the bill and move it forward. She can be reached by phone, email, Facebook, and Twitter. Use hashtags #AiKea #HIcan #Bill16 #cchnl

DISTRICT 6
Carol Fukunaga, PSED Chair
768-5006
[email protected]
facebook.com/CarolForHawaii
Twitter: @CarolFukunaga

Housekeeper Emie speaks about her experience working for decades at the Ilikai, only to be switched to an on-call schedule in January

Housekeeper Emie speaks about her experience working for decades at the Ilikai, only to be switched to an on-call schedule in January

2) Read Civil Beat’s story on hotel-to-condo conversions and learn more about this important issue that affects us all. Weigh in on the discussion by sharing the story on Facebook and Twitter and commenting on the story. Discuss why you support Bill 16 and why City Council must act now to move the bill forward.

 

 

2013.10.29 Condo Conversions Graphic (square)3) Please sign this petition to let our City Councilmembers know that you care about keeping good, secure jobs in Hawai’i.

64 local businesses publicly endorsed Bill 16 by signing our petition. If you are a local business owner, please sign our petition and support working people.

If you would like to get more involved in this campaign, please fill out our Contact form and we will get back to you shortly.

Want to learn more? Watch this quick video created by AiKea organizer and hotel worker, Rodney.