Not all STVRs are alike
We have to agree with Judith Orlopp’s letter to the editor published June 20. We live in a neighborhood with several vacation rentals. They are all in homes where the owner is in attendance full time. Next door to us, an elderly woman rents out a room to vacation visitors to help with some income. She even allows the visitors to use her kitchen, and many have made their meals there and include the owner in their dinner. There have not been loud visitors at any of these vacation rentals and traffic has not been a problem.
But, as Vicky Halquist pointed out in her June 15 letter, some homes are not occupied by the owner. We moved from our previous neighborhood because there were two vacation rentals near us and they partied day and night. Both of these rentals are owned by someone from a far-away place on the mainland, totally unconcerned with what they are doing to our neighborhoods. The contact phone number for them or their manager are from the mainland. When calling to complain about the disturbances at their vacation rentals, no one ever answers the phone and there is no way of leaving a message. This isn’t right! When one group leaves the rental, another one arrives and the party starts in again. Thankfully, the police respond to these complaints. But they should not have to “police” vacation rentals.
Maybe if Ms. Orlopp, or the people from the tourism department, or our council members or even members of this administration lived next door to these out-of-control vacation rentals, they might see the situation differently.
Teresa Tagon
Keauhou