I'm currently trying to decide on where to go this winter. I really want to go to the North Shore but the accommodations situation there is a total turn off. I've been using airBnB and VRBO for my surf trips for a number of years. Before that I'd use local realtors who offered vacation rentals. I don't get why Hawaii has to make it so difficult for property owners and potential visitors. I also don't get why Honolulu's council gets to do this to the North Shore. I'm certainly not going to pay Hawaii prices to stay in Honolulu's tourist trap zone or somewhere else a half hour or more drive from where I want to surf. I have no interest in staying at a resort. That makes Turtle Bay Condos or shady on-line listings the only real options. I don't even feel I can trust the handful of listings that are on airBnB because of this set up.
I can easily and confidently line up an airBnB to fit my needs in Barbados, Puerto Rico, California, Mexico, Central America or pretty much anywhere else I'd ever want to surf.
I live in a beach town tourist trap so I totally get the issues in play but it seems Oahu is simply protecting the interests of the big hotel resorts. Oahu needs to realize that airBnb and VRBO are what a large portion of today's travelers want and that hotels and resorts generally suck. People want to travel and stay in places that feel like home away from home.