Good Morning, Council Members, thank you for this opportunity to be heard. I am Kathy Fleming, an STR owner on Maui. I am going to try my best to convince you on two points: now is not the time to raise taxes on short term rentals, and secondly, forcing short term rental owners into foreclosure or long term rental is a cynical strategy that will ultimately fail.
The proposed budget raises property taxes on short term rentals to up to $14.50 a square foot, while hotels and resort rates actually decrease. Short term rental owners believe the hotel lobby, among others, is behind this proposal.
Increasing property rates for STRs will profoundly hurt Maui’s tourism industry, which is already in recession. Across the island, occupancy rates have fallen from 75% to 35%. Tourists typically book their trips to Maui 6 months to a year in advance – that has completely stopped, due to Hawaii Tourism Authority’s confusing media messages and social media, which has castigated short term rentals. Tourists now see Maui as problematic and are going to Mexico, Costa Rica, but not here. STR owners already will suffer a huge increase in their taxes from reassessment alone – my assessment went up 60% this year. Add to that an unfairly targeted increase, and there will be legal challenges and a drop in revenue.
My second point – that trying to legislate STR’s into becoming long term rentals by making it impossible for STR owners to survive will not solve our housing needs. FEMA thought STRs would make good housing for Lahaina survivors and look how that turned out – survivors turned down $1 million dollar condos offered to them for free, no need to even pay utilities. But families don’t want STR condos, because they are too restrictive – quiet hours, pool hours, parking restrictions, nosy neighbors, pet restrictions. Two STRS in my building are drawing $19,000 a month in rent from FEMA and are vacant. STRs are family businesses that allow many local families to survive.
They cannot afford a property tax increase, along with the huge assessment increases that happened this year.
Please do not raise property taxes for anyone this year.
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. We’ve already lost so many families to the continent.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. While I understand that the recent budget approvals for Central Maui housing has been in the works for a while, we must prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. The closure of breakfast and lunch programs in these hotel settings further highlights the challenges faced by our community. Additionally, more than a quarter of displaced individuals have been forced to leave the island due to the huge shortage of housing options.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. Please prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. The closure of breakfast and lunch programs in these hotel settings further highlights the challenges faced by our community. Additionally, more than a quarter of displaced individuals have been forced to leave the island due to the huge shortage of housing options.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. Please prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
SOS. 🆘. JAMES LANGFORD. ALL OF MY TESTIMONY WRITTEN EVERYWHERE REQUIRES LEGAL ACTION. (808) 765-1399. Please help me by reasonable safe and legal means “aloha” thank you
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. The closure of breakfast and lunch programs in these hotel settings further highlights the challenges faced by our community. Additionally, more than a quarter of displaced individuals have been forced to leave the island due to the huge shortage of housing options.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. Please prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
Good Morning, Council Members, thank you for this opportunity to be heard. I am Kathy Fleming, an STR owner on Maui. I am going to try my best to convince you on two points: now is not the time to raise taxes on short term rentals, and secondly, forcing short term rental owners into foreclosure or long term rental is a cynical strategy that will ultimately fail.
The proposed budget raises property taxes on short term rentals to up to $14.50 a square foot, while hotels and resort rates actually decrease. Short term rental owners believe the hotel lobby, among others, is behind this proposal.
Increasing property rates for STRs will profoundly hurt Maui’s tourism industry, which is already in recession. Across the island, occupancy rates have fallen from 75% to 35%. Tourists typically book their trips to Maui 6 months to a year in advance – that has completely stopped, due to Hawaii Tourism Authority’s confusing media messages and social media, which has castigated short term rentals. Tourists now see Maui as problematic and are going to Mexico, Costa Rica, but not here. STR owners already will suffer a huge increase in their taxes from reassessment alone – my assessment went up 60% this year. Add to that an unfairly targeted increase, and there will be legal challenges and a drop in revenue.
My second point – that trying to legislate STR’s into becoming long term rentals by making it impossible for STR owners to survive will not solve our housing needs. FEMA thought STRs would make good housing for Lahaina survivors and look how that turned out – survivors turned down $1 million dollar condos offered to them for free, no need to even pay utilities. But families don’t want STR condos, because they are too restrictive – quiet hours, pool hours, parking restrictions, nosy neighbors, pet restrictions. Two STRS in my building are drawing $19,000 a month in rent from FEMA and are vacant. STRs are family businesses that allow many local families to survive.
They cannot afford a property tax increase, along with the huge assessment increases that happened this year.
Please do not raise property taxes for anyone this year.
Aloha Maui County Council,
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. We’ve already lost so many families to the continent.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. While I understand that the recent budget approvals for Central Maui housing has been in the works for a while, we must prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
Mahalo,
Eileen McKee
Kihei
Sent from my iPad
Aloha Maui County Council,
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. The closure of breakfast and lunch programs in these hotel settings further highlights the challenges faced by our community. Additionally, more than a quarter of displaced individuals have been forced to leave the island due to the huge shortage of housing options.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. Please prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
Mahalo,
Jenn Inda
Aloha Maui County Council,
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. The closure of breakfast and lunch programs in these hotel settings further highlights the challenges faced by our community. Additionally, more than a quarter of displaced individuals have been forced to leave the island due to the huge shortage of housing options.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. Please prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
Mahalo,
Catherine Velasquez
SOS. 🆘. JAMES LANGFORD. ALL OF MY TESTIMONY WRITTEN EVERYWHERE REQUIRES LEGAL ACTION. (808) 765-1399. Please help me by reasonable safe and legal means “aloha” thank you
Aloha Maui County Council,
I urge Maui County Council to prioritize funding for long-term housing initiatives in West Maui, particularly for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Pulelehua projects. These initiatives hold the key to providing stable housing for our families and individuals affected by the Lahaina fire, and their expedited construction is important.
The devastating impact of the fire has left thousands of West Maui residents in precarious living situations, with many still residing in hotel rooms or unstable accommodations even after almost nine months since the fire. The closure of breakfast and lunch programs in these hotel settings further highlights the challenges faced by our community. Additionally, more than a quarter of displaced individuals have been forced to leave the island due to the huge shortage of housing options.
Given that 87% of displaced residents are renters, the need for affordable housing on West Maui is critically urgent. Since the fire, no funding has been allocated for long-term housing projects in West Maui, exacerbating the housing crisis for affected families and individuals. Please prioritize building stable long-term dignified housing in West Maui.
Mahalo,
Tia Lee Klug-Wessell