Tell legislators: don’t let Airbnb off the hook!

AiKea and other affordable housing advocates support HB2605 HD2 SD2 because it holds illegal vacation rental operators more accountable. Vacation rentals are taking away what little affordable housing is left in Hawai’i.

HB2605 HD2 SD2 is currently in the House-Senate Conference Committee. Tell them to SUPPORT HB2605 HD2 SD2 and move it forward. Please take a minute to email the conferees, especially if they are your representative/senator.

Use the form below to easily send them an email.

The conferees are:

  • Senate:
    • Glenn Wakai (586-8585)
    • Clarence Nishihara (586-6970)
    • Gil Keith-Agaran (586-7344)
  • House:
    • Richard Onishi (586-6120)
    • Scott Nishimoto (586-8515)
    • Sylvia Luke (586-6200)
    • Ty Cullen (586-8490)
    • Bob McDermott (586-9730)
    • Troy Hashimoto (586-9444)

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Tell legislators to move SB2963 SD 199 forward to protect our affordable housing

Earlier this week, the Senate Ways and Means (WAM) & Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology (ETT) Committees heard SB 2999 – a decent bill that would take several important steps in addressing illegal vacation rentals and their negative impact on housing for locals.

AiKea and other affordable housing advocates supported SB 2999, but it was deferred to another hearing on Monday. Just yesterday, another bill surfaced with its original language being gutted and replaced with much of the same language found in SB 2999.

The new bill, SB 2963 SD1, still includes important provisions that would increase the counties’ abilities to enforce illegal vacation rentals.  The Senate Committees will be hearing the new bill TOMORROW: Monday, February 5th at 9:55 a.m.  Please take the time to send in testimony supporting SB 2963 SD1 now.

Airbnb and its hosts oppose these bills. Including a “co-host” from California who is paid to fly to Hawai’i to host other people’s vacation rentals, located in neighborhoods like Aiea and Kapolei.

BEWARE: there are over 30 bills re: vacation rentals this legislative session. Any one of them can be gutted and replaced with the bad bills that Airbnb has been trying to pass for the past 2 years. We must be vigilant and let the legislators know that we’re watching.

Send an email to the WAM and ETT committees: encourage them to move SB2963 SD 1 forward. It will only take a minute to send an email using this form on our website:

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Res. 17-52 CD1 moves forward, but more testimony needed

Now more than ever, we need you to take action. We only have 6 days left to make sure Res. 17-52 CD1 continues to move forward so that we can protect our affordable housing.

At yesterday’s Zoning & Housing hearing, Chair Kymberly Pine and the committee decided to move Res. 17-52 CD1 forward. As countless testifiers stated, local residents are living paycheck to paycheck, and many are faced with the reality that they will never be able to buy a home. Many are a paycheck away from being homeless. Affordable rentals for residents are needed now more than ever. Res. 17-52 CD1 will be heard again by the full City Council next Wed. 11/1 at 10:00a.

Submit testimony to SUPPORT Res. 17-52 CD1. It’ll only take a minute to fill out the email form below submit testimony:

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Submit testimony: Support Res. 17-52 CD1 to protect our affordable housing

There are FOUR resolutions re: vacation rentals that will be heard by the Honolulu City Council’s Zoning & Housing Committee this Thursday, Oct. 26 at 9:00a.

We urge you to SUPPORT Res. 17-52 CD1. As you may recall, it’s been 6 months since Res. 17-52 was heard. Submit testimony so Res. 17-52 can move forward. We’re in the middle of an affordable housing crisis. We can’t let another 6 months go by without this vacation rentals issue being addressed. Currently, there are an estimated 33,000 homes being used as vacation rentals in the state.

Res. 17-52 CD1 is the only resolution that addresses the issue of enforcement of vacation rentals. The majority of vacation rentals in Hawai’i are illegal, and a lack of enforcement greatly contributes to this.

Therefore, OPPOSE the other 3 vacation rental resolutions: Res. 17-301, 17-163, and 17-164.

  • 17-164 wants to open up more vacation rental permits, but we think more permits won’t fix the problem if the enforcement isn’t there.
  • 17-163 and 17-301 would change residential zoning to allow vacation rentals in our neighborhoods.

Submit testimony in SUPPORT of Res. 17-52 CD1 before 9:00a on Thursday, Oct. 26. Tell City Council to protect our affordable housing!

You can testify in person, or just submit written testimony. Here are two ways you can submit testimony:

  • Visit the City Council website:
    • Fill out your name, phone number, and email
    • Meeting date is 10-26-2017
    • Council/PH Committee is “Zoning & Housing”
    • Agenda item is Resolution 17-52
    • Your position on the matter: Support
    • You can register in person at the hearing, or not
    • Write your testimony in the box, or attach it as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf
  • Email your testimony using this form below with sample language on our website, with the Zoning & Housing Committee members CCed:

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Thu. 10/19 – Union Day of Action

Thursday, October 19, 2017

4:00p – 6:00p

The Ilikai Hotel (1777 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96815)

Now, more than ever, it’s time for working people to take a stand—and stand together. UNITE HERE will be mobilizing more than 20,000 members in 20 cities across the U.S. & Canada to show that standing together in union is the best way to create an economy that works for everyone—not just the wealthiest 1%.

Our Honolulu action will be at the historic Ilikai Hotel, operated by Aqua-Aston Hospitality—the largest hotel operator in Hawai’i. Union workers at the Ilikai are working more for less. They are paid $3.51/hour less than the union hotel workers across the street, and they have to clean rooms that are much larger with full-sized kitchens.. We must demand from Aqua-Aston and other hotel corporations that Hawai’i wants the union standard, not the Aqua-Aston standard.

For more information, visit our Facebook event.

To find actions in other cities, visit the UNITE HERE website.

Tell Councilmember Pine to schedule Res. 17-52 for hearing

If you live in Honolulu Councilmember Kymberly Pine‘s district (Ewa, Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Makakilo, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale, Ko Olina, Nanakuli, Waianae, Makaha, Keeau, Makua, Maili), we need your help! Call and leave a message for your Councilmember, Kymberly Pine, and tell her to schedule Res. 17-52 for hearing: 768-5001.

Here is a sample script for your message to Councilmember Pine: “Hello, my name is [NAME]. I live in [STREET NAME] and I’m a voter in your district. I’m calling to let you know I’m disappointed in you for NOT scheduling Resolution 17-52 for a hearing. I support better enforcement of vacation rentals because this will protect our affordable housing. As Zoning & Housing Chair, we need you to support 17-52.”

Res. 17-52 would help Honolulu County rein in the growing number of illegal vacation rental operations and protect our affordable housing. Currently, there are an estimated 33,000 homes being used as vacation rentals in the state. On Oahu, there are an estimated 6,789 vacation rentals—the majority of which are illegal. Each month, there have been an average of 399 new vacation rentals listed.

In April, Res. 17-52 was introduced to City Council and heard in the Zoning & Housing Committee, which Councilmember Pine chairs. She committed to us that she would support our efforts and instructed us to work directly with Councilmember Ron Menor and that he would take the lead. We have done as she asked. We have met multiple times with city officials like the Department of Planning & Permitting (DPP) and Councilmember Menor. Yet when Councilmember Menor requested her to schedule the bill again for a hearing, she refused. It’s been 2 months since she heard the bill in her committee and she hasn’t done a thing to indicate she meant what she said.

Testimony needed: Oppose the next Manaolana development

Remember the Manaolana Place luxury condo-hotel that City Council approved last fall? The same developers’ next big project is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday, June 28 at 10:30a at the Mission Memorial Building – Conference Room (550 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii).

If approved, a 444-unit condo-hotel will be built on Kapiolani Blvd. where Heald College was. Once again, it’s unclear what benefits we’ll get for our community from a development that’s expected to generate millions of profits for a mainland company developing condos most locals won’t be able to afford.

According to the developer’s permit application: “The Applicant plans to provide 1 unit to meet the affordable housing requirement.” The rest of the “affordable housing” is just “air rights.”

Submit testimony to the Department of Planning & Permitting (DPP) before Wed. June 28. Tell DPP: say NO to reckless development! You can easily submit testimony by filling out this form below:

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AiKea Academy 3 starts June 28

AiKea Academy 3 is a 10-week organizing program that will equip you with the skills needed to organize your neighborhood, build power, and create real change.

Wednesdays at 5pm starting June 28
UNITE HERE Local 5 (1516 S King St)

Every Wednesday at 5pm, there will be a 3-4 hour training session (see below).

Participants will also spend an additional 3-4 hours per week putting their training into practice and organizing their communities.

  • Week 1 (Jun. 28):  The Economy & Organizing (pt. 1)
  • Week 2 (Jul. 5): The Economy & Organizing (pt. 2)
  • Week 3 (Jul. 12): Who are we organizing? Mapping our communities
  • Week 4 (Jul. 19): The Power of Stories
  • Week 5 (Jul. 26): Building Our Campaign (pt. 1)
  • Week 6 (Aug. 2): Building Our Campaign (pt. 2)
  • Week 7 (Aug. 9): Plan to Win
  • Week 8 (Aug. 16): Challenges to Justice
  • Week 9 (Aug. 23): Building Leadership
  • Week 10 (Aug 30): Growing Our Leadership

Contact Paola ([email protected]) to join, or if you have any questions.

Take action: SB704 is in conference committee

SB704 (Airbnb’s bad bill) will have a conference committee hearing next Monday, April 24 at 1:00p at the Hawaii State Capitol (Conference Room 423).

We need you to contact the conferees ASAP. Tell them to OPPOSE SB704, Airbnb’s bad bill, to protect our affordable housing.

You can email them quickly and easily by filling out the form below. Or you can contact them individually. Let them know if you are a voter in their district!:

Please tell the conferees to OPPOSE SB704 before Monday!

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Sat. 4/8: The Power of Unions: Making Economic Justice a Reality

Saturday, April 8, 2017

12:00p – 5:00p

UNITE HERE Local 5 (1516 S King St. Honolulu, HI 96826)

Our next AiKea training will cover unions and their role in the fight for economic justice, and why we organize. We will end the training with an action for worker justice.

Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP at [email protected].