Where is Kailua headed? We have neighbor pitted against neighbor and tourists targeted as unwelcome visitors.

I am concerned with the effects that Keep It Kailua will have on our community if it is successful in driving out mom-and-pop vacation rentals. These short-term rentals keep Kailua affordable for many.

The long-term renters who would replace short-term renters would be in our neighborhoods, day in and day out. They would crowd the neighborhoods with extra cars; their kids would crowd our overcrowded schools. They would commute with the rest of us and the "pride of ownership" in neighborhoods would diminish. Beachgoers would still seek out Kailua beach, bringing even more cars to Kailua.

Tourism was in a slump during the 1990s. The Gulf War sent many military away and tourists stayed home due to economic pressures and an overall uncertainty from that war. Many businesses closed and employees were laid off. That recession lasted a long time.

As a result of 9/11, tourists are back because they feel safer staying in Hawai'i as opposed to traveling to other exotic, foreign locales.

Hawai'i is a safe paradise for tourists to enjoy, but the way many people want to vacation has shifted. Not as many people want to stay in hotels. Some want a quiet alternative to the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. Many people are looking for a more intimate experience, such as staying at a bed and breakfast.

These are found on all islands. They are found in every state and in just about every country. However, it is my understanding that in Hawai'i, only O'ahu has a ban on issuing new licenses.

Tourism is the backbone of our state economy; why shouldn't residents get a little piece of the action? It's an equal-opportunity business that can be regulated to serve the needs of our resident and tourist populations.

Most people who oppose bed and breakfasts do not understand how they work here. Few homes are truly "bed and breakfasts" where people sleep in bedrooms and join their host family for breakfast. Because of the time difference, tourists in Hawai'i rise early and are soon out sightseeing.

The extra rental income allows moms to stay home to raise their children and retired folks to keep and maintain their houses. Many owners are hard-working, professional people with substantial mortgages. The rental income has not made them rich, but it can help them survive.

I believe that it is time for the O'ahu vacation rental industry to be allowed to come out of hiding. It should be encouraged. We should be welcoming tourists with open arms. They are ideal renters. They arrive for their dream vacation, love that they are living like the locals do, go out and shop and spend and sightsee all day, come home to shower and go out to dinner.

The attitude of a select group in Kailua has become downright hostile toward residents who are operating short-term rentals. There are residents who walk the beach and chat with tourists and ask them where they are staying. Neighbors are documenting cars that come and go at other homes. Threatening letters are being sent.

I am concerned specifically that Keep It Kailua — in my view, a small minority of seemingly wealthy Kailua residents — is grossly exaggerating the detrimental effects that vacation rentals have on a community.

People against short-term rentals have come up with ridiculous arguments against vacation rentals: that they bring strangers into the neighborhoods and children aren't safe. That is ludicrous. These visitors are often here with their own children and going to the beach for fun and relaxation.

I've also heard the argument that vacation rentals increase crime in neighborhoods. There is always some amount of crime everywhere, and it's pretty low in Kailua. If anything, having people coming and going at different times adds a sense of security.

Opponents say vacation rentals hurt neighborhoods with cars flooding our roadways. This argument does not hold up. Vacation rentals are not full 100 percent of the time. People on vacation rent one car and avoid traveling during rush hours. Long-term renters would typically have two or more cars and are more likely to have both traveling at rush hour.

If the Keep It Kailua group is successful at closing down vacation rentals in Kailua, there will be many negative consequences. Kailua is becoming known for being hostile and unwelcoming. Who wants to move where neighbors are bitter, spying complainers watching every move people make?

The consequences of negative media attention is another concern. There are Web sites warning tourists of "illegal vacation rentals." There have been many newspaper articles and letters to the editor, both pro and con, about vacation rentals. All we need now is national exposure about how Hawai'i doesn't welcome tourists.

The Keep It Kailua members just don't like sharing Kailua beach with tourist families. They don't care about the welfare of their neighbors. They are using everything in their power to intimidate their neighbors to stop their short-term rentals. They are targeting all rentals and not just the few that are perceived to be a problem by their immediate neighbors due to a lack of good management.

Angie Larson is a Kailua resident. She wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.