County targets illegal rentals

LIHUE, Kauai » Kauai County has been telling owners of illegal short-term rentals to cease operations.

The county sent notices to 320 people operating vacation rental, bed-and-breakfast and homestay businesses without proper permits, the Garden Island newspaper reported.

The alleged violators were identified from a list of 4,000 vacation rentals on Kauai, said Michael Dahilig, the county’s planning director. Some businesses were found on popular online websites such as Airbnb and VRBO, or Vacation Rentals By Owner.

The county began sending out zoning compliance notices last year and has been going down the list, he said.

Alexis Boilini and Michael Levy, who have welcomed people from all over the world into their home for 23 years, received one of the notices on March 9. The letter told them to cease all bed-and-breakfast operations within two weeks and close down their website.

Boilini said existing laws don’t sufficiently define what constitutes a homestay or bed-and-breakfast. She said she wants a clear permitting process.

Dahilig said people have applied for permits for years. He said the problem is that people don’t want to comply with the law.

A proposed ordinance that would permit homestays in commercial districts, resort zoning districts and residential zoning districts on Kauai will be taken up by the Kauai Planning Commission at its next meeting on April 14.