State briefs for March 29
City looks at ways to regulate vacation rentals
HONOLULU (AP) — Honolulu officials are looking at new ways to regulate short-term vacation rentals in residential areas to address not only parking concerns but the need to create affordable, longer-term rentals.
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A bill approved by the Honolulu City Council’s zoning and planning committee would force those renting to pony up for a 90-day stay instead of the current 30-day minimum. The bill, which addresses concerns about short-term rentals in residential areas, especially Kailua, could go before the full council in April.
The bill would also ban tourists from parking on streets near their short-term rentals and require bed-and-breakfast owners to provide one off-street parking spot per bedroom.
It is the hope of Kailua residents these proposed rules will lower transient renters in neighborhoods, reduce the number of rental vehicles on residential streets and prompt homeowners to open up these vacation homes to affordable long-term rentals.
New caucus to support US shipyards
KITTERY, Maine (AP) — Maine’s congresswoman is a member of a new caucus that will focus on the country’s public shipyards.
Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree said Friday the caucus was created to provide support to the nation’s four public shipyards, including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine. The others are Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Washington and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Hawaii.
The shipyards repair and retrofit aircraft carriers and submarines. Pingree said the formation of the caucus will “help elevate and strengthen the voices of PSNY workers in Congress.” The caucus is called the Public Shipyard Caucus.
The caucus is bipartisan and also includes lawmakers from Washington, Virginia, Hawaii, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
