Kauai Real Estate Update- For a complete list of everything that Sold, went Under Contract and was Just Listed on the island of Kauai for last week click here; Kauai Real Estate Update April 22 to 28, 2024
Poipu Beach Real Estate Update- To find out the fee simple real estate activity since the beginning of this year in Poipu Beach click here; Poipu Beach Fee Simple Current Market Analysis
Kiahuna Plantation Real Estate Update- In Escrow | Kiahuna Plantation #184 List Price $745,000 (LH). Why I love this unit; expansive ocean and great lawn views, top floor corner location, small six-unit building, steps away to the beach, three floor to ceilings louvered windows, on the correct side of the building to catch the trade winds.
For a complete list of all the real estate activity since the beginning of this year click here; Kiahuna Plantation Current Market Analysis
Kauai’s First Sunflower Field
Kauai is getting its first Sunflower Field in the town of Kaumakani which is located on the West side of the island on former sugar cane land owned by Gay and Robinson. While this is Kauai’s first sunflower field they are not new to the islands. Pacific Biodiesel is located in Maui which is where their first sunflower field is. The field in Maui, like the one on Kauai, is not intended to be a tourist attraction but it has turned into one. It will be interesting to see if that happens here. The first blooms should happen this July and I’ll be out there to see them.
Placement of the Sunflower Field on the West side is pretty perfect as these plants are drought-tolerant and use no pesticides or herbicides.
The field is on 100 acres of land and the crop will be used for culinary oils, meal for animal feed, biodiesel and a potassium based salt-cake which can be used for fertilizer.
Pacific Biodiesel has a refinery on the Big Island of Hawai’i and employs over 100 people.
Governor Josh Green Vow’s To Sign Vacation Rental Legislation Bill
Should it pass Governor Josh Green has said he will sign Senate Bill 2919 which will give the individual counties authority to “regulate the time, place, manner, and duration in which uses of land and structures may take place. Clarifies that uses that include the provision of transient accommodations are not considered residential uses and may be phased out or amortized by the counties. Beginning 1/1/2025, expands the scope of the transient accommodations tax law to include certain shelters and vehicles with sleeping accommodations. “
Kauai was the first county to address this back in 2008 when vacation rentals started popping up in residential neighborhoods and condominium complexes that were not designed for vacation renting. At that time an ordinance was established that if you are vacation renting a property that is not in the VDA then you have register your property every year and, Kauai County can take that right away from you by not approving your application for that year.
There are an estimated 75,000 illegal short-term rentals in the state and if it’s thought that if they became available for locals the housing shortage will be greatly helped. Last Wednesday SB 2919 was unanimously approved by the House-Senate committee. It will now go back for a vote by the full House and Senate.
What does this mean for my legal vacation rental?
I have been attending meetings on this bill and my understanding is that it’s more aimed at illegal rentals and not those that are in the Visitor Destination Area. The amount of money generated on Kauai from tourists and those that own second homes that they vacation rent by way of GE/TA tax, tourism spending and property taxes is staggering. In 2023 there were 1,416,856 visitors to Kauai ( up 5.3% from the year before ) and they spent $2.76 billion dollars on just this island alone, that is up 24.1% from 2022. Turning a legal vacation rental into a home is cutting off GE/TA tax, the property tax will go way down and one less visitor spending.
To track this bill click here: Senate Bill 2919
Hand Filling Out Hawaii Ag Forms May Soon Change
It’s always been a pain, filling out those Ag Forms while flying to Hawaii. Frankly I’m surprised it’s taken this long to consider digitalizing this process which is now in the works. These hand filled forms cost the state a lot of money to process. There are 6 million paper forms printed and the cost is $800K a year to print, collect and process. That does not take into account the money the airlines are spending to facilitate this process.
This bill is going to be in front of the Senate for a vote this Wednesday, May 1 2024.
The new process will be having you fill out the form when you check in online. For those that cannot use the online feature there will be a kiosk available at the airport.
Should this pass, and I can’t see why it wouldn’t, the next step will be a timeline for implementation.
