The coastal Hawaiian town of Kailua asked the state's tourism industry to stop suggesting their location as a place to visit overnight, citing limited housing as a major issue, The Huffington Post reported.
The popular beach town, where the Obamas spend their Christmas, claim the bed-and-breakfast and vacation rentals that are leased without permits are limited the housing supply to locals and raising costs, making it extremely hard on the people who live there permanently.
In addition, locals aren't thrilled with having such a large number of strangers around.
"It doesn't feel like a neighborhood when you don't know the people there," said neighborhood board member Lisa Marten. "If there's any sort of safety issue, there's no one to ask for help because you don't know them."
Marten, who lives close to two or three vacation rentals, said she's experienced the problems herself. Earlier this year, a group of people in their 20s were "doing drugs from morning till night," leaking the scent of marijuana through the neighborhood.
"I would say to them, 'I've got teenagers. I've got very young kids. I'm trying to teach them to stay away from drugs. You must have nieces and nephews, please take it inside and be discreet,'" Marten said. However, when she approached the group, they claimed they had medical marijuana licenses.
In September, the neighborhood board voted 12-2 on passing an ordinance asking the state tourism agency to "stop promoting Kailua as a tourist destination and alternative to Waikiki."
Not everyone agrees that the rentals and inns are a problem, though. Ikaika Anderson, who represents Kailua in the Honolulu City Council, called the resolution an "embarrassment."
"It's a signal to those folks who do not live in Kailua that Kailua residents do not welcome them," Anderson said.
