When I read the comments that support the ban on Short Term Rentals, it's crystal clear that many people do not know what they're talking about. Condo's in a complex are not apartments, they're individually owned, Condo dues alone are so high, which makes them "unaffordable" housing. Permits were not issued to operate an STR, the condo's were built specifically for any use, short term, long term, owner occupant, 2nd home, Condo bylaws and declarations dictated use and mirrored Maui County when they were built. Taking people's property rights is not the answer, locals will not buy a small condo at any price, and there is currently 1,000 for sale.. why aren't they being purchased? next new "law" will be ban use of homes of people who live off island regardless of use.. Maui County has gotten way out of control. Stop it, take care of ALL of the people, you are forcing more people out of jobs with this ban- they won't need housing - All the people that support the bill should take a look at the complexes they're putting out of business.. they're not apartment complexes.. Does anyone want to live long term in a place built 50 years ago without an elevator or a fire sprinkler system?
Dear Council members,
I own a condo in Maui and I am concerned about Bill 9. I applaud your efforts to increase housing and I share your concerns about housing availability and affordability. However, I believe that Bill 9 would have unintended negative consequences to the community. Many small businesses are in place that support and rely on short term rentals - from property managers to house keeping services, restaurants and more. Passing Bill 9 would cause extensive economic damage and unemployment to these businesses, many of which have struggled to survive through Covid and the horrific fire in Lahaina.
A different issue also exists which is that many existing condominium properties were built specifically for vacation use and are ill equipped for long term use - with inadequate storage, parking and lack of other facilities. These properties, in many cases also have very high HOA fees that can not suddenly be reduced as they are used for property maintenance. Prohibiting the continued use of these properties for short term rentals will not achieve the desired outcome of providing adequate long term housing.
I urge you to consider all of the implications of Bill 9 and vote against it. There are better options than this.
Thank you for your public service and consideration of these comments.
Ginny Broadhurst
Lahaina property owner
Aloha Maui County Council Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Members,
First, I would like to thank the Council for considering my testimony! Thank you!
My name is Walt Bell and I own a short-term rental condominium in West Maui. I am not in favor of this proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rental units and sincerely hope the Maui County Council will not move forward with it. My fear is, should the phaseout move forward, the resulting negative economic impact may make the Maui housing issue worse rather than better for the folks that live and work here.
I fully appreciate the significant affordable housing shortage here on Maui and that the August 2023 fire has elevated that problem in a monumental way with the destruction of so many people's homes! Clearly, there is an urgent need for housing. I do not see this legislation as the best way forward to deal with the housing shortage. What follows are some thoughts related to the issues I see with this legislation:
Existing short-term rental condominiums on the Minatoya list are aging and carry very high costs. They are also in many cases limited in their abilities to serve the needs of local residents:
• Ongoing maintenance fees are escalating at a rapid rate due to general inflation and the nature of maintaining older buildings. The August 2023 fire has massively changed the cost of the insurance for buildings to the tune of 400% to 800%. If a baseline maintenance fee of a one bedroom unit is $1,500, $2,000 or more this is a massive recurring cost to bear for a condominium/long term rental unit thus making it much less affordable.
• Assessments for capital repair can be significant. Replacing rotted and failing cast iron drain lines in the building, replacing a roof, repairing structural issues in these older buildings can be very costly. Special assessments for these types of projects can be significant. If an owner needs to pay $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 or more this cost will filter down making the housing much less affordable. To that end, our building has had about $900,000 in special assessments over the last 6 years and current monthly fees average $1,710/unit per month.
• Unit size, storage and parking limitations may not serve the needs of people and families needing housing: A one bedroom unit of 480 square feet with only a closet for storage and a single parking space will likely have limited appeal for folks needing housing. Many of the properties on the Minatoya list have small units with storage and parking limitations. As a result, it seems like there is a high likelihood that there will be many units that will not be desirable/useable for people and families particularly if the monthly costs are very high.
Unemployment will likely go up for those that make a living working jobs related to the short-term rental space: Companies and individuals that provide cleaning services, resident managers, landscape maintenance, pool maintenance etc. will all be impacted by the elimination of more than 7,000 short-term rental units. Jobs for folks that provide cleaning services and resident managers will likely disappear. The need for landscape, pool and building maintenance will likely decrease as costs of those services will not be offset by rental income and the need to have properties appeal to a vacationing guest disappears. The UHERO economic analysis report reports significant estimates of job loss between 1,900 and 3,800 if this legislation were to pass.
On a personal note, the wonderful woman that cleans our unit and the awesome resident manager in our building will not have jobs if this legislation passes. To that end, the woman that cleans our unit, lost her house in the fire, during the fire spent the day with her two kids in the ocean off Lahaina to escape being burned to death in their car and has not had reliable, stable housing since then. I want better for these great people & their families and the many more like them that I do not personally know.
Maui County economy will shrink: Short-Term rentals significantly contribute to the local economy by the spending of tourists who patronize local businesses. If there are no short-term condominium rental options available, many visitors will go to other destinations, as they have no desire to vacation in hotels. The decrease in visitors will reduce revenue to small, local businesses that rely on tourism dollars. This reduction will result in lower levels of employment for the folks that staff these businesses and fewer dollars circulating in the economy. To that end, the UHERO economic analysis report estimates visitor spending in Maui would decline by 14.9% ($900 million) annually.
Some of the local small businesses we commonly recommend to guests that will be negatively impacted should this legislation be pass include: Okazuya Deli, Papi’s Ohana, The Fish Market Maui, Dollie’s Pub & Café, Sergios Cantina, Java Jazz, Pizza Paradiso, Aloha Mixed Plate, Māla Ocean Tavern, Honu Oceanside, and Star Noodle.
Maui County income will go down: The elimination of these short-term rental units will significantly impact tax revenue to Maui County. The UHERO economic analysis report estimates that GET and TAT revenue would drop between $14.9 million and $34.5 million (9% and 21%) annually. These estimated do not incorporate the reduction in local Maui County TA Tax and Maui County GE tax surcharge revenue that will also occur. There will also be a reduction in property taxes collected as the zoning changes for the properties on the Minitoya list. The UHERO economic analysis report estimates this loss is between $50 and $61 million per year. This revenue loss to the county is significant! Related, this decrease in tax revenue would impact the Affordable Housing Fund and its ability to do the good work that it does.
Rather than moving forward with this legislation I would much rather see a more balanced approach taken that does not have all of the negative consequences to the people who live and work on Maui! Perhaps stricter regulation and enforcement of existing short-term rentals to insure compliance with paying taxes. Perhaps community input to ensure responsible operation of existing short-term rentals. Rather than reducing tax revenue, perhaps refocusing the use of current and future county tax dollars toward projects that will offer better affordable housing options than will be available if the legislation is passed.
In closing, I respectfully request that the Maui County Council not move ahead with this short term rental phaseout. Instead, I urge the council to seek alternative solutions that better protect the people whose lives will be negatively affected by the resulting economic impact of this legislation.
Thank you again for your work and time in considering this very important matter!
The proposed item to do away with vacation rentals is going to heavily damage Maui's tourism industry. The average family cannot afford to stay in a hotel on Maui. They can afford to stay in a vacation rental. Please reconsider what you are proposing.
We have been coming to Maui for the last 45 years, first with our children, then with our grandchildren. We have been there for years at a time and many months at a time. We bought a condo at Maalaea in the 80's because we were coming so frequently we knew we needed a home base. One of the reasons we chose Maalaea was because the condos were built to be tourist rentals not long term housing. There weren't a lot of "extras" that a home would have but we wanted the simplicity.There were no basic services like schools, pharmacies, churches, grocery stores but we liked the isolation.We have been active as a family and individually, stewarding that property to deal with shoreline erosion, maintenance etc. The property is now 47 years old (our son's age) but has clearly not weathered aging as well as he. We are now threatened by soil erosion, and large scale maintenance: new roof, broken elevator etc.These costs will come out of our pocket. We knew this when we made the step to buy a condo because sharing the costs of all damages and maintenance is part of the deal. I fear these issues would not be addressed if future owners or present owners expected to be able to live there inexpensively and they would be left unrepaired and slowly decline into an eyesore.These properties were built to be rental condos and were never intended to be otherwise. They are small with no storage space and limited parking. That is fine for a rental but not a home. Rentals are necessary for the long term upkeep of the building.Rental condos provide a large amount of income from our very high property taxes, and our high state and Maui TAT, and GET.Thank you for helping us preserve this special place.
Gale Blake Uhl
My name is Manny Fernando, and my family and I have long worked in the vacation rental industry. I strongly oppose this bill because of the significant number of jobs that will be lost if it passes. In my company alone, I would be forced to lay off over 100 employees and vendors.
Vacation rentals are a major driver of tourism on Maui, especially for budget-conscious travelers. We provide affordable accommodations for visitors who cannot afford $500-a-night hotel rooms or $30-per-person restaurant meals. Eliminating these options will not only hurt local businesses, but will also reduce the number of visitors who can afford to come to our island.
I fully support the need for affordable housing. However, the housing crisis is a nationwide issue, and building costs in Maui make the situation even more difficult. It now costs between $600 and $1,000 per square foot to build a home here. If my own home in Lahaina had burned, I wouldn't be able to rebuild it. I’m only insured for $500,000, but rebuilding would cost at least $900,000.
Furthermore, many of the housing units being discussed aren’t realistic options for local families. HOA fees alone can exceed $1,000 per month. Some units are on leasehold land, adding even more cost. And most are not family-friendly—many are small studios or one-bedroom units with just a single parking space.
We are in a rebuilding phase in Lahaina, and we hope that within the next year or two, residents will begin returning to their communities. New apartment buildings and homes are already under construction across the island. Once those are complete, the focus will shift to employment. We all know that many people here rely on second jobs just to get by. This bill would eliminate hundreds of those jobs.
Please consider the long-term economic impact on our local workforce and community before moving forward with this legislation.
Past County administrations and County Councils have not provided workforce housing for the people of Maui. It is not right to take from short term rental apartment owners in an effort to fill the needs that have been ignored by you for decades. Condominiums were purchased with the right to provide short term rentals.
Maui government needs to honestly solve this chronic problem.
The last truly honest effort to provide work force housing on Maui was the creation of Dream City. This was done by the plantation for their workers in order to shut down the aging plantation camps. County government was a partner in this success story.
The plantation took an area of plantation land next to Kahului town. They designed the city road grids and infrastructure was built. The plantation then sold properly sized lots to their employees. They helped to design properly sized homes. They helped to import the building material in bulk needed to create homes on the lots. They made it possible for a worker to have the right sized mortgage for a new home. Dream City was a smashing success.
Maui County, you need to repeat this concept. You need to create Dream City Number Two.
Designate an area like that of the old plantation camps between Puunene Milll and the old Puunene airport. Homes and a rec center were once here. Design a large new subdivision with the right sized lots. Install the infrastructure. Arrange for building materials in bulk. Then build the right sized homes that would allow for the right sized mortgage that a working family can afford.
Think it out. It will take this type of action to truly solve the affordable housing problem on Maui.
Prior Maui County governments have not solved this problem. This administration and this County Council can.
Make a properly sized Dream City Number Two happen.
Do not attempt to take from existing home owners to solve a problem that County government has ignored for decades. You will be in court for years and years and years. The reasons why can easily be seen in the comments already sent in on the topic.
I strongly oppose this bill for the following reasons:
1) strips owners of their rightful property rights.
2) creates more economic stress due to lack of business, specifically small businesses and their employees.
3) Lastly,there is NO PROOF that this kind of legislation provides more affordable living conditions for the public. Many cities/counties have tried and failed. Most recently Lake Tahoe found it not to work but also found it unconstitutional.
Mahalo for your time!
Aloha Maui County Council,
My name is Michael Stanfield. My wife and I are sole members of Ohana Hale 1 LLC which owns Kapalua Golf Villa 27 P 3&4. We have owned that property since 2013 and have rented the unit through Kapalua Villas since that time as a short-term vacation rental. At the time that we acquired the unit we made very certain that we were complying with all existing requirements and permitted uses. After the Lahaina fire we rented our unit to a displaced family.
I am writing to express our opposition to the proposed bill eliminating STVR’s on Maui. Thank you for opportunity to explain our opposition and to encourage you to reject the proposed bill, certainly until you have had the opportunity to more thoroughly analyze the impact of the proposed bill.
My understanding is that the proposed bill will effectively eliminate 1/3 of the available vacation accommodations on Maui, and that will effectively eliminate 1/3 of the tourism revenue, including TAT and GET taxes. I believe that reduction in tourism revenue for Maui County will compound the problem of developing replacement housing for the affected households. Although we own only one unit the reduction in TAT and GET from reclassifying our unit from STVR would be roughly $20,000 pre year. When that amount is extrapolated over the other potentially 12,500 affected units, the impact to Maui is more than substantial and virtually irreplaceable. I would think that more analysis of the economic impact on Maui County and Hawaii would be prudent prior to proceeding with the proposed bill.
Additionally, proceeding with the bill would result in lost jobs and lost wages for residents who are employed by property management companies, trades persons and the hospitality industry that service the Kapalua properties. Again, this is a very significant reason to analyze the economic impact before taking an action that would harm the very constituents that the bill is supposed to help.
I have heard that the bill is intended to return workforce housing to it’s intended use. However, as I stated above, when we acquired the property we ensured that we were complying with existing requirements. Specifically Kapalua Golf Villas were never developed for workforce housing. They were developed for, and obtained the appropriate approvals in the 1970’s as a resort with short term vacation rental approved use. It is beyond my understanding how you can now just change a 50 year old approved use. Therefore we recommend that, Kapalua Golf Villas (and Bay Villas and Ridge Villas) be exempted, if the bill passes. Further, it is my understanding that Maui Land & Pineapple developed workforce housing at the time that the Golf Villas, Ridge Villas and Bay Villas were developed. I know that there is a current proposal by Kapalua Resorts to build temporary workforce housing on the available ground of Kapalua Resort, as an effort to help address the need for replacement housing for those affected by the Lahaina fire.
Reclassifying the Kapalua properties from STVR would not achieve the intended purpose, since the Golf Villas, Ridge Villas and Bay Villas each have an AOAO (HOA) and the monthly dues are anything but affordable to working families.
We believe that Kapalua contributes much to Maui, certainly from the fact that it is a tourist destination and the corresponding economic benefit to the County of Maui. In fact the notoriety of the Sentry Tournament of Champions played the Kapalua Plantation course and the Xterra race held at Kapalua further serve as marketing opportunities for Maui and Kapalua specifically. Changing the classification of the Kapalua properties would significantly diminish the appeal of Kapalua as a destination area.
We would also add that it is certain that the County of Maui will face many lawsuits, if the bill is ultimately approved, because of the disregard for personal property rights and reversal/reclassification of previously approved uses.
In closing, and to summarize our position, we believe:
• The Maui County Council should reject the proposed bill for the following reasons:
o The negative economic impact it will cause to Maui from lost tax revenue, lost tourism. It is estimated that hundreds of millions of tax revenue dollars will be lost and over a billion dollars of tourism related revenue to Maui County;
o The blatant disregard for personal property rights reflected in the bill will result in untold legal expenses to Maui County;
o The negative impact to the local residents resulting from lost jobs and wages across virtually all industries.
• The Kapalua Golf Villas, Kapalua Ridge Villas and Kapalua Bay Villas should be exempted from any further action related to reclassification from approved STVR as they were initially planned, approved and developed in the 1970’s as resort vacation rentals. They were never considered workforce housing. In fact Maui Land & Pineapple built workforce housing as these properties were being developed to help address workforce housing. It should further be noted that Kapalua Resort is working to develop workforce housing to help address the needs of displaced workers at the Kapalua golf courses.
• The proposed ban of STVR’s will not achieve the stated purpose at Kapalua as the properties are unaffordable to working families.
Thank you for your consideration of our comments.
Sincerely,
Michael Stanfield Dawn Stanfield
Member Member
Ohana Hale 1 LLC Ohana Hale 1 LLC
We are oppose this bill because it punishes hard working people. As a school teacher for 36 years we were finally able to purchase a condo on Hauoli street. We had been visiting for over 20 years with this being our dream to one day own a condo here. We saved and built a budget to achieve this goal and it finally happened. We try and spend 3-4 months a year here and rent it the rest of the time to help cover expenses. We always hire local people to clean and maintain our property. We have made sure that we followed all the rules the county has imposed and made sure it was on the “Minatoya l list before we purchased it. There are more people everywhere and this bill in any form Wii harm the working people of Maui. I don’t think in the long term it will even help the resorts.
Thankyou for the opportunity to comment. As a long term owner of a unit in PapaKea I would like to record my opposition to the elimination of short term rentals in PapaKea. I use it more than rent it out or lend it to friends. It was never meant to be a housing development. It has small units, no personal parking or storage, right on the water. It has always had a front desk and many maintenance and house-keeping staff like a hotel. I feel PapaKea should be zoned as hotel. Half of it already is apparently as it has been since being built. Renters facilitate the hiring of many locals in resort work but also local shopping and food establishments.
Please favorably conside zoning it as hotel to allow short term rentals.
Chris Huber
We are against this bill because it will not solve the problem it hopes to solve. It would also create an economic hardship for our family because we have depended on the income to be able to continue live on Maui.
Jon and Lydia Toda
685 Maalahi Street
Wailuku, HI. 95793
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee:
I oppose Bill 9 as drafted and propose that the Council amend Bill 9 to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort which the County has historically identified as having A2-H2 zoning.
Background on Papakea
Papakea was initially marketed and sold as a legal vacation rental property before any zoning restrictions limited transient vacation rentals in apartment zoned properties.
Papakea owners have been operating legal vacation rentals for almost fifty years.
Papakea has never been workforce housing so Papakea is not an example of a property that converted from workforce housing to transient vacation rental use.
The majority of units at Papakea are under 600 square feet and the property has limited parking.
Papakea is not in a residential neighborhood and is located alongside a long stretch of hotel-zoned properties and directly adjacent to multiple commercially-zoned properties.
Unlike apartment buildings designed for long-term residential use, Papakea has a front desk, an activity concierge, shared activity space, and numerous other common resort amenities.
Owners purchased condos at Papakea with the reasonable expectation that short-term rentals were legal based on ordinances as far back as 1989, and as recent as 2022.
In reliance on the Maui County ordinances and published documents, Hawaii state law, and constitutional protections, owners invested in costly renovations, furnishings, and long-term financial commitments such as mortgages that make any phase out of short-term rental right offensive of each buyer’s investment-backed expectations.
Papakea’s Contributions to the Community
Papakea’s resort operations provide full-time, benefited, employment for 35 local resident employees; some have worked at the property for over 17 years; some started in entry-level positions and worked into supervisory roles.
Papakea supports a wide variety of local trade professionals including pest control, HVAC, painting, plumbing, electrical, general contracting, masonry, tile and flooring, fitness instructors, entertainers, and tree trimming.
Individual Owner Contributions to the Community
Many small businesses owned and operated by local residents from the Maui community rely on Papakea short-term rentals including housekeepers, handymen, on-island agents, and contractors. These service providers set their own rates, work hours, select their own clients, work conditions and standard operating procedures. Shutting down short-term rentals at Papakea means telling local entrepreneurs that worked hard to build a small business that they need to just go get a job somewhere else to make less money, have less flexibility, and be subject to oppressive corporate policies.
Papakea STRs support the State of Hawaii and County of Maui through payment of property taxes (many at the short-term rental rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and Maui County Transient Accommodations Tax.
Papakea guests support many small businesses on the island including restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, activities, state parks, the national park, and shops.
Papakea owners and guests regularly participate in community activities including volunteering at beach cleanups, Maui Humane Society, the hospital, and many other local organizations, and contribute to local philanthropic nd cultural efforts.
I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to comment.
My name is Jerry Sweany, and I have been a Maui resident and local business owner since 2018. I’m writing to respectfully voice my strong opposition to the proposed legislation (Bill 9) that would phase out thousands of legal short-term rentals — while also expressing my firm support for the development of more affordable, long-term housing for our local families.
This issue is not black and white. As someone who lives, works, serves, and invests in this island, I can tell you we need both responsible STRs and long-term housing — not one at the expense of the other.
My wife and I have done our best to operate our vacation rental with integrity and aloha. We hire only local workers — our cleaners, handymen, and contractors have become an important part of our team. Our guests regularly tell us how much they appreciate the personal touch, and how their dollars went to local restaurants, tour companies, and small businesses we recommend in our welcome guide.
Additionally, every single dollar we earn from this rental stays right here on Maui. It goes back into the local economy through wages, maintenance, insurance, taxes, and special assessments. This is not a luxury property for us — it’s a source of income that supports local jobs and meets real economic needs.
At the same time, we’ve never turned our backs on our community. During the pandemic, we volunteered with Hope Chapel to pass out food boxes to struggling families. I personally helped deliver donated meals to Maui Memorial Hospital. When the Lahaina fires devastated so many, we blocked off our short-term rentals and housed displaced residents free of charge. I also served on a phone bank through Hope Chapel to help distribute thousands of dollars in relief funds to fire victims. We know that many local owners have done the similar things.
We care deeply about this island and its people. That’s why we fully support the County in prioritizing more truly affordable long-term housing — but let’s do it in a thoughtful way that doesn’t punish local owners like us who are contributing positively to the economy and community.
Please don’t rush to phase us out. Instead, work with STR owners who are doing things the right way. Let’s create balanced policies that strengthen our housing supply and protect the jobs, income, and tourism dollars that legal short-term rentals generate.
Furthermore, the broad scope of Bill 9, which impacts approximately 7,000 units island-wide, is fundamentally inequitable. Certain complexes were originally developed as workforce housing and should be restored to that purpose through a structured buyout program funded by the County’s affordable housing resources—rather than through measures that compromise the personal investments of individuals who acted in good faith and in accordance with existing laws.
Complexes that have from the beginning operated as short-term rentals or resorts should be allowed to continue doing so and be eligible for automatic rezoning by the County. This rezoning could be subject to a one-time fee reflective of the cost and complexity of a formal legal process, thus creating a fair and efficient pathway forward.
In conclusion, selectively determining which property owners may continue operating is contrary to the spirit of fairness that underpins Hawai‘i’s values. It unjustly penalizes individuals who, from the outset, have conducted their operations legally, ethically.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jerry Sweany
Local Business Owner, Community Volunteer, and Proud Maui Resident
I am writing to you because I am a very worried and very scared Maui condo owner. I do not think this is not a well thought out decision for Maui. I am the president of the board of a condo association on Maui where the property values and long term rental values for those condos will be greatly affected. Ending vacation rentals in many different complexes, across Maui, will be devastating to my property value and our Maui economy. Many of our units are owned by people who lived there and depend on the value of them for retirement(either by selling or renting them out) Most of my friends and family who come to Maui cannot afford to stay at the big hotels. My friends and family stay stay in short term rentals with kitchens because it is a more affordable option for them and they can cook and entertain. In addition, many of my friends who are residents on Maui depend on visitors for their livelihood. Have you considered the effect of your law on them? They clean and manage vacation rentals, work in property management, repair vacation rentals, offer services to visitors(tours/scuba diving), and work in restaurants and stores who depend on tourists. How about this law affect on those Maui residents?? Have you done an Economic Study? Are you all prepared for what will happen? We have invested in our properties accordingly to the increase the value of our homes and long term rentals. We do not want these values to be great affected by your shortsightedness. We pay property tax, income tax, and in many cases GET tax. Where will the County and State get these lost revenues from??? This will be a loss of many millions of dollars and greatly negatively affect the property value and livelihood of thousands of Maui residents. Please consider the negative effects of what this proposals would be doing to me(as a resident of Maui) and my friends livelihood who depend on tourism that live on Maui. It is not right for you to affect me and them by your lack of understanding of what this will do to us. Sincerely ,
Keith Shackelford
We have owned a short-term rental property in Maui County for about 20 years. We are concerned about, and oppose, the proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
We believe it is important to be a responsible and community-supporting owner. We have a list of local restaurants and activities we provide not only to our guests, but often to friends and acquaintances who are going to Maui and who ask us for our suggestions. For example, we love sending visitors to the South Maui Gardens Food Trucks and often go to the Saturday morning swap meet in Kahului
Our condo development, as well as we individually, employ gardeners, maintenance workers, cleaners, etc. We and our guests frequent local restaurants, shops, food trucks, and participate in various activities that all support the local economy and local residents. We feel part of being an owner of a Maui STR includes supporting these small businesses which make Maui so special.
The day of the fire, the brother of the landscape manager of our condo development moved into our condo with his family of five for three months for free, until they found more permanent accommodations. We would not have been able to provide this housing without the rental income we have received over the years. While we are zoned for Hotel Resort and are not included in residential zoning we feel cutting tourism severely by implementing the proposed legislation will only hurt Maui.
We kindly request the Committee to work with owners like us to find a lasting long term solution without drastically cutting tourism and current taxes that make up a big part of Maui’s budget. We need to protect local jobs - not cut them, while holding STR owners to high standards.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mimi and Kevin Murphy
3600 Wailea Alanui Dr. #1802,
Wailea
I oppose this bill for our community (those who live here & work here full time ). While I strongly agree with those who say we need more housing, I strongly disagree that this is the way to achieve it. The approach outlined in this legislation will have damaging and far-reaching consequences, particularly for working families and small businesses. The mayor has downplayed the real impact, but I see firsthand the direct loss of work this bill would cause to dozens of vendors I personally work with as a property manager — including plumbers, handymen, housekeepers, property managers, electricians, contractors, screen repair professionals, and sliding door and glass vendors. These are not theoretical losses; they are real people and businesses who will lose real income and opportunities.
Beyond that, the indirect effects are equally devastating. I foresee significant income loss for example to boat companies, teacher loses due to less students, mechanics, industrial jobs throughout Central Maui, cable company technicians loss as just a few examples; and countless others who rely on the vibrancy of our local economy. This ripple effect will erode the economic fabric that supports our middle class. I want to see a strong economy where middle-class families can afford to stay, thrive, and build a future. I want the children of local families to have the option to create their own lives here — to find jobs, raise families, and continue our community’s spirit — rather than leaving for college and never returning. This bill does not create that opportunity, and is only a means to appease a rightfully concerned community without making real change. Let’s come together and find common ground as a community & Build Affordable Housing!
-Charles
With all due respect, the path you are considering, with a hatchet vs. a Scalpel is not an effective remedy to the Islands housing issues. Taking over 11,000 units at once will be extremely hurtful to both owners and residence who rely on the jobs and taxable income that that generate. I would recommend that a more precise approach be considered. One that starts with persons in default of existing property taxes, or incentivize persons to sell my reducing or removing, any Capital gains. Finally, please keep in mind, the average price and HOA fee, as well as utilities, taxes, etc. will cost a potential new owner in excess of $7000 to 8,000 per month, not mention, a down payment of approximately $200,000. I’m in the RE industry and we’ve had same issues on the mainland. We’ve fast tracked projects with municipalities and continue to build our way out of the problem with affordable housing, Maui can do the same, cut the red tape! Thank you
Aloha Maui County Council,
My name is Steve Hogan and I have been a Maui resident, business owner and employer here for over 45 years. I am opposed to this bill.
Since the fires, the messaging from Mayor Bissen, Gov. Green, Social Media and other media has shouted “tourists are not welcome here.” And now, the Federal Government is adding tariffs and destroying an already fragile economy nation-wide that was still trying to recover from the Pandemic. Consequently, Maui’s economy has plummeted.
I urge you not to add to the economic devastation at the local level.
Especially when the proposed “solution” will NOT translate to affordable housing.
AOAO fees, utilities, mortgages, insurance and special assessments are far more expensive than the average resident can afford. Even at the currently reduced rate of condos, locals are not rushing out to buy them, because they are not affordable..
This bill will NOT solve the problem (affordable housing) but will cause so many other people hardship—destroying small businesses, destroying jobs, destroying hard-earned retirements and destroying trust in Government.
The opposition is claiming we are prioritizing profit over people, which just isn’t true. We are prioritizing logic over wishful thinking, and Math over Emotions. And we are considering ALL the people. Decimating some parts of the community in the unrealistic hopes of helping another part of the community makes no sense.
This Bill is not affordable and will not achieve the desired result.
This bill will not magically create Affordable housing for the residents.
This bill is not affordable for the property owners, managers, maintenance/yard crews, cleaners, or local businesses that serve this industry.
This bill is not affordable for the county or the state.
The losses are huge. The gain is minimal, if there is any at all.
Please focus on a solution to the housing problem with a win/win instead of a lose, lose, lose, lose.
When I read the comments that support the ban on Short Term Rentals, it's crystal clear that many people do not know what they're talking about. Condo's in a complex are not apartments, they're individually owned, Condo dues alone are so high, which makes them "unaffordable" housing. Permits were not issued to operate an STR, the condo's were built specifically for any use, short term, long term, owner occupant, 2nd home, Condo bylaws and declarations dictated use and mirrored Maui County when they were built. Taking people's property rights is not the answer, locals will not buy a small condo at any price, and there is currently 1,000 for sale.. why aren't they being purchased? next new "law" will be ban use of homes of people who live off island regardless of use.. Maui County has gotten way out of control. Stop it, take care of ALL of the people, you are forcing more people out of jobs with this ban- they won't need housing - All the people that support the bill should take a look at the complexes they're putting out of business.. they're not apartment complexes.. Does anyone want to live long term in a place built 50 years ago without an elevator or a fire sprinkler system?
Dear Council members,
I own a condo in Maui and I am concerned about Bill 9. I applaud your efforts to increase housing and I share your concerns about housing availability and affordability. However, I believe that Bill 9 would have unintended negative consequences to the community. Many small businesses are in place that support and rely on short term rentals - from property managers to house keeping services, restaurants and more. Passing Bill 9 would cause extensive economic damage and unemployment to these businesses, many of which have struggled to survive through Covid and the horrific fire in Lahaina.
A different issue also exists which is that many existing condominium properties were built specifically for vacation use and are ill equipped for long term use - with inadequate storage, parking and lack of other facilities. These properties, in many cases also have very high HOA fees that can not suddenly be reduced as they are used for property maintenance. Prohibiting the continued use of these properties for short term rentals will not achieve the desired outcome of providing adequate long term housing.
I urge you to consider all of the implications of Bill 9 and vote against it. There are better options than this.
Thank you for your public service and consideration of these comments.
Ginny Broadhurst
Lahaina property owner
Aloha Maui County Council Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Members,
First, I would like to thank the Council for considering my testimony! Thank you!
My name is Walt Bell and I own a short-term rental condominium in West Maui. I am not in favor of this proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rental units and sincerely hope the Maui County Council will not move forward with it. My fear is, should the phaseout move forward, the resulting negative economic impact may make the Maui housing issue worse rather than better for the folks that live and work here.
I fully appreciate the significant affordable housing shortage here on Maui and that the August 2023 fire has elevated that problem in a monumental way with the destruction of so many people's homes! Clearly, there is an urgent need for housing. I do not see this legislation as the best way forward to deal with the housing shortage. What follows are some thoughts related to the issues I see with this legislation:
Existing short-term rental condominiums on the Minatoya list are aging and carry very high costs. They are also in many cases limited in their abilities to serve the needs of local residents:
• Ongoing maintenance fees are escalating at a rapid rate due to general inflation and the nature of maintaining older buildings. The August 2023 fire has massively changed the cost of the insurance for buildings to the tune of 400% to 800%. If a baseline maintenance fee of a one bedroom unit is $1,500, $2,000 or more this is a massive recurring cost to bear for a condominium/long term rental unit thus making it much less affordable.
• Assessments for capital repair can be significant. Replacing rotted and failing cast iron drain lines in the building, replacing a roof, repairing structural issues in these older buildings can be very costly. Special assessments for these types of projects can be significant. If an owner needs to pay $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 or more this cost will filter down making the housing much less affordable. To that end, our building has had about $900,000 in special assessments over the last 6 years and current monthly fees average $1,710/unit per month.
• Unit size, storage and parking limitations may not serve the needs of people and families needing housing: A one bedroom unit of 480 square feet with only a closet for storage and a single parking space will likely have limited appeal for folks needing housing. Many of the properties on the Minatoya list have small units with storage and parking limitations. As a result, it seems like there is a high likelihood that there will be many units that will not be desirable/useable for people and families particularly if the monthly costs are very high.
Unemployment will likely go up for those that make a living working jobs related to the short-term rental space: Companies and individuals that provide cleaning services, resident managers, landscape maintenance, pool maintenance etc. will all be impacted by the elimination of more than 7,000 short-term rental units. Jobs for folks that provide cleaning services and resident managers will likely disappear. The need for landscape, pool and building maintenance will likely decrease as costs of those services will not be offset by rental income and the need to have properties appeal to a vacationing guest disappears. The UHERO economic analysis report reports significant estimates of job loss between 1,900 and 3,800 if this legislation were to pass.
On a personal note, the wonderful woman that cleans our unit and the awesome resident manager in our building will not have jobs if this legislation passes. To that end, the woman that cleans our unit, lost her house in the fire, during the fire spent the day with her two kids in the ocean off Lahaina to escape being burned to death in their car and has not had reliable, stable housing since then. I want better for these great people & their families and the many more like them that I do not personally know.
Maui County economy will shrink: Short-Term rentals significantly contribute to the local economy by the spending of tourists who patronize local businesses. If there are no short-term condominium rental options available, many visitors will go to other destinations, as they have no desire to vacation in hotels. The decrease in visitors will reduce revenue to small, local businesses that rely on tourism dollars. This reduction will result in lower levels of employment for the folks that staff these businesses and fewer dollars circulating in the economy. To that end, the UHERO economic analysis report estimates visitor spending in Maui would decline by 14.9% ($900 million) annually.
Some of the local small businesses we commonly recommend to guests that will be negatively impacted should this legislation be pass include: Okazuya Deli, Papi’s Ohana, The Fish Market Maui, Dollie’s Pub & Café, Sergios Cantina, Java Jazz, Pizza Paradiso, Aloha Mixed Plate, Māla Ocean Tavern, Honu Oceanside, and Star Noodle.
Maui County income will go down: The elimination of these short-term rental units will significantly impact tax revenue to Maui County. The UHERO economic analysis report estimates that GET and TAT revenue would drop between $14.9 million and $34.5 million (9% and 21%) annually. These estimated do not incorporate the reduction in local Maui County TA Tax and Maui County GE tax surcharge revenue that will also occur. There will also be a reduction in property taxes collected as the zoning changes for the properties on the Minitoya list. The UHERO economic analysis report estimates this loss is between $50 and $61 million per year. This revenue loss to the county is significant! Related, this decrease in tax revenue would impact the Affordable Housing Fund and its ability to do the good work that it does.
Rather than moving forward with this legislation I would much rather see a more balanced approach taken that does not have all of the negative consequences to the people who live and work on Maui! Perhaps stricter regulation and enforcement of existing short-term rentals to insure compliance with paying taxes. Perhaps community input to ensure responsible operation of existing short-term rentals. Rather than reducing tax revenue, perhaps refocusing the use of current and future county tax dollars toward projects that will offer better affordable housing options than will be available if the legislation is passed.
In closing, I respectfully request that the Maui County Council not move ahead with this short term rental phaseout. Instead, I urge the council to seek alternative solutions that better protect the people whose lives will be negatively affected by the resulting economic impact of this legislation.
Thank you again for your work and time in considering this very important matter!
Walt Bell
The proposed item to do away with vacation rentals is going to heavily damage Maui's tourism industry. The average family cannot afford to stay in a hotel on Maui. They can afford to stay in a vacation rental. Please reconsider what you are proposing.
We have been coming to Maui for the last 45 years, first with our children, then with our grandchildren. We have been there for years at a time and many months at a time. We bought a condo at Maalaea in the 80's because we were coming so frequently we knew we needed a home base. One of the reasons we chose Maalaea was because the condos were built to be tourist rentals not long term housing. There weren't a lot of "extras" that a home would have but we wanted the simplicity.There were no basic services like schools, pharmacies, churches, grocery stores but we liked the isolation.We have been active as a family and individually, stewarding that property to deal with shoreline erosion, maintenance etc. The property is now 47 years old (our son's age) but has clearly not weathered aging as well as he. We are now threatened by soil erosion, and large scale maintenance: new roof, broken elevator etc.These costs will come out of our pocket. We knew this when we made the step to buy a condo because sharing the costs of all damages and maintenance is part of the deal. I fear these issues would not be addressed if future owners or present owners expected to be able to live there inexpensively and they would be left unrepaired and slowly decline into an eyesore.These properties were built to be rental condos and were never intended to be otherwise. They are small with no storage space and limited parking. That is fine for a rental but not a home. Rentals are necessary for the long term upkeep of the building.Rental condos provide a large amount of income from our very high property taxes, and our high state and Maui TAT, and GET.Thank you for helping us preserve this special place.
Gale Blake Uhl
Aloha Maui County Council,
My name is Manny Fernando, and my family and I have long worked in the vacation rental industry. I strongly oppose this bill because of the significant number of jobs that will be lost if it passes. In my company alone, I would be forced to lay off over 100 employees and vendors.
Vacation rentals are a major driver of tourism on Maui, especially for budget-conscious travelers. We provide affordable accommodations for visitors who cannot afford $500-a-night hotel rooms or $30-per-person restaurant meals. Eliminating these options will not only hurt local businesses, but will also reduce the number of visitors who can afford to come to our island.
I fully support the need for affordable housing. However, the housing crisis is a nationwide issue, and building costs in Maui make the situation even more difficult. It now costs between $600 and $1,000 per square foot to build a home here. If my own home in Lahaina had burned, I wouldn't be able to rebuild it. I’m only insured for $500,000, but rebuilding would cost at least $900,000.
Furthermore, many of the housing units being discussed aren’t realistic options for local families. HOA fees alone can exceed $1,000 per month. Some units are on leasehold land, adding even more cost. And most are not family-friendly—many are small studios or one-bedroom units with just a single parking space.
We are in a rebuilding phase in Lahaina, and we hope that within the next year or two, residents will begin returning to their communities. New apartment buildings and homes are already under construction across the island. Once those are complete, the focus will shift to employment. We all know that many people here rely on second jobs just to get by. This bill would eliminate hundreds of those jobs.
Please consider the long-term economic impact on our local workforce and community before moving forward with this legislation.
Past County administrations and County Councils have not provided workforce housing for the people of Maui. It is not right to take from short term rental apartment owners in an effort to fill the needs that have been ignored by you for decades. Condominiums were purchased with the right to provide short term rentals.
Maui government needs to honestly solve this chronic problem.
The last truly honest effort to provide work force housing on Maui was the creation of Dream City. This was done by the plantation for their workers in order to shut down the aging plantation camps. County government was a partner in this success story.
The plantation took an area of plantation land next to Kahului town. They designed the city road grids and infrastructure was built. The plantation then sold properly sized lots to their employees. They helped to design properly sized homes. They helped to import the building material in bulk needed to create homes on the lots. They made it possible for a worker to have the right sized mortgage for a new home. Dream City was a smashing success.
Maui County, you need to repeat this concept. You need to create Dream City Number Two.
Designate an area like that of the old plantation camps between Puunene Milll and the old Puunene airport. Homes and a rec center were once here. Design a large new subdivision with the right sized lots. Install the infrastructure. Arrange for building materials in bulk. Then build the right sized homes that would allow for the right sized mortgage that a working family can afford.
Think it out. It will take this type of action to truly solve the affordable housing problem on Maui.
Prior Maui County governments have not solved this problem. This administration and this County Council can.
Make a properly sized Dream City Number Two happen.
Do not attempt to take from existing home owners to solve a problem that County government has ignored for decades. You will be in court for years and years and years. The reasons why can easily be seen in the comments already sent in on the topic.
Do the right thing.
Peter Cannon
I strongly oppose this bill for the following reasons:
1) strips owners of their rightful property rights.
2) creates more economic stress due to lack of business, specifically small businesses and their employees.
3) Lastly,there is NO PROOF that this kind of legislation provides more affordable living conditions for the public. Many cities/counties have tried and failed. Most recently Lake Tahoe found it not to work but also found it unconstitutional.
Mahalo for your time!
Aloha Maui County Council,
My name is Michael Stanfield. My wife and I are sole members of Ohana Hale 1 LLC which owns Kapalua Golf Villa 27 P 3&4. We have owned that property since 2013 and have rented the unit through Kapalua Villas since that time as a short-term vacation rental. At the time that we acquired the unit we made very certain that we were complying with all existing requirements and permitted uses. After the Lahaina fire we rented our unit to a displaced family.
I am writing to express our opposition to the proposed bill eliminating STVR’s on Maui. Thank you for opportunity to explain our opposition and to encourage you to reject the proposed bill, certainly until you have had the opportunity to more thoroughly analyze the impact of the proposed bill.
My understanding is that the proposed bill will effectively eliminate 1/3 of the available vacation accommodations on Maui, and that will effectively eliminate 1/3 of the tourism revenue, including TAT and GET taxes. I believe that reduction in tourism revenue for Maui County will compound the problem of developing replacement housing for the affected households. Although we own only one unit the reduction in TAT and GET from reclassifying our unit from STVR would be roughly $20,000 pre year. When that amount is extrapolated over the other potentially 12,500 affected units, the impact to Maui is more than substantial and virtually irreplaceable. I would think that more analysis of the economic impact on Maui County and Hawaii would be prudent prior to proceeding with the proposed bill.
Additionally, proceeding with the bill would result in lost jobs and lost wages for residents who are employed by property management companies, trades persons and the hospitality industry that service the Kapalua properties. Again, this is a very significant reason to analyze the economic impact before taking an action that would harm the very constituents that the bill is supposed to help.
I have heard that the bill is intended to return workforce housing to it’s intended use. However, as I stated above, when we acquired the property we ensured that we were complying with existing requirements. Specifically Kapalua Golf Villas were never developed for workforce housing. They were developed for, and obtained the appropriate approvals in the 1970’s as a resort with short term vacation rental approved use. It is beyond my understanding how you can now just change a 50 year old approved use. Therefore we recommend that, Kapalua Golf Villas (and Bay Villas and Ridge Villas) be exempted, if the bill passes. Further, it is my understanding that Maui Land & Pineapple developed workforce housing at the time that the Golf Villas, Ridge Villas and Bay Villas were developed. I know that there is a current proposal by Kapalua Resorts to build temporary workforce housing on the available ground of Kapalua Resort, as an effort to help address the need for replacement housing for those affected by the Lahaina fire.
Reclassifying the Kapalua properties from STVR would not achieve the intended purpose, since the Golf Villas, Ridge Villas and Bay Villas each have an AOAO (HOA) and the monthly dues are anything but affordable to working families.
We believe that Kapalua contributes much to Maui, certainly from the fact that it is a tourist destination and the corresponding economic benefit to the County of Maui. In fact the notoriety of the Sentry Tournament of Champions played the Kapalua Plantation course and the Xterra race held at Kapalua further serve as marketing opportunities for Maui and Kapalua specifically. Changing the classification of the Kapalua properties would significantly diminish the appeal of Kapalua as a destination area.
We would also add that it is certain that the County of Maui will face many lawsuits, if the bill is ultimately approved, because of the disregard for personal property rights and reversal/reclassification of previously approved uses.
In closing, and to summarize our position, we believe:
• The Maui County Council should reject the proposed bill for the following reasons:
o The negative economic impact it will cause to Maui from lost tax revenue, lost tourism. It is estimated that hundreds of millions of tax revenue dollars will be lost and over a billion dollars of tourism related revenue to Maui County;
o The blatant disregard for personal property rights reflected in the bill will result in untold legal expenses to Maui County;
o The negative impact to the local residents resulting from lost jobs and wages across virtually all industries.
• The Kapalua Golf Villas, Kapalua Ridge Villas and Kapalua Bay Villas should be exempted from any further action related to reclassification from approved STVR as they were initially planned, approved and developed in the 1970’s as resort vacation rentals. They were never considered workforce housing. In fact Maui Land & Pineapple built workforce housing as these properties were being developed to help address workforce housing. It should further be noted that Kapalua Resort is working to develop workforce housing to help address the needs of displaced workers at the Kapalua golf courses.
• The proposed ban of STVR’s will not achieve the stated purpose at Kapalua as the properties are unaffordable to working families.
Thank you for your consideration of our comments.
Sincerely,
Michael Stanfield Dawn Stanfield
Member Member
Ohana Hale 1 LLC Ohana Hale 1 LLC
We are oppose this bill because it punishes hard working people. As a school teacher for 36 years we were finally able to purchase a condo on Hauoli street. We had been visiting for over 20 years with this being our dream to one day own a condo here. We saved and built a budget to achieve this goal and it finally happened. We try and spend 3-4 months a year here and rent it the rest of the time to help cover expenses. We always hire local people to clean and maintain our property. We have made sure that we followed all the rules the county has imposed and made sure it was on the “Minatoya l list before we purchased it. There are more people everywhere and this bill in any form Wii harm the working people of Maui. I don’t think in the long term it will even help the resorts.
Thank you,
Ed and Debbie Horan
Thankyou for the opportunity to comment. As a long term owner of a unit in PapaKea I would like to record my opposition to the elimination of short term rentals in PapaKea. I use it more than rent it out or lend it to friends. It was never meant to be a housing development. It has small units, no personal parking or storage, right on the water. It has always had a front desk and many maintenance and house-keeping staff like a hotel. I feel PapaKea should be zoned as hotel. Half of it already is apparently as it has been since being built. Renters facilitate the hiring of many locals in resort work but also local shopping and food establishments.
Please favorably conside zoning it as hotel to allow short term rentals.
Chris Huber
We are against this bill because it will not solve the problem it hopes to solve. It would also create an economic hardship for our family because we have depended on the income to be able to continue live on Maui.
Jon and Lydia Toda
685 Maalahi Street
Wailuku, HI. 95793
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee:
I oppose Bill 9 as drafted and propose that the Council amend Bill 9 to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort which the County has historically identified as having A2-H2 zoning.
Background on Papakea
Papakea was initially marketed and sold as a legal vacation rental property before any zoning restrictions limited transient vacation rentals in apartment zoned properties.
Papakea owners have been operating legal vacation rentals for almost fifty years.
Papakea has never been workforce housing so Papakea is not an example of a property that converted from workforce housing to transient vacation rental use.
The majority of units at Papakea are under 600 square feet and the property has limited parking.
Papakea is not in a residential neighborhood and is located alongside a long stretch of hotel-zoned properties and directly adjacent to multiple commercially-zoned properties.
Unlike apartment buildings designed for long-term residential use, Papakea has a front desk, an activity concierge, shared activity space, and numerous other common resort amenities.
Owners purchased condos at Papakea with the reasonable expectation that short-term rentals were legal based on ordinances as far back as 1989, and as recent as 2022.
In reliance on the Maui County ordinances and published documents, Hawaii state law, and constitutional protections, owners invested in costly renovations, furnishings, and long-term financial commitments such as mortgages that make any phase out of short-term rental right offensive of each buyer’s investment-backed expectations.
Papakea’s Contributions to the Community
Papakea’s resort operations provide full-time, benefited, employment for 35 local resident employees; some have worked at the property for over 17 years; some started in entry-level positions and worked into supervisory roles.
Papakea supports a wide variety of local trade professionals including pest control, HVAC, painting, plumbing, electrical, general contracting, masonry, tile and flooring, fitness instructors, entertainers, and tree trimming.
Individual Owner Contributions to the Community
Many small businesses owned and operated by local residents from the Maui community rely on Papakea short-term rentals including housekeepers, handymen, on-island agents, and contractors. These service providers set their own rates, work hours, select their own clients, work conditions and standard operating procedures. Shutting down short-term rentals at Papakea means telling local entrepreneurs that worked hard to build a small business that they need to just go get a job somewhere else to make less money, have less flexibility, and be subject to oppressive corporate policies.
Papakea STRs support the State of Hawaii and County of Maui through payment of property taxes (many at the short-term rental rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and Maui County Transient Accommodations Tax.
Papakea guests support many small businesses on the island including restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, activities, state parks, the national park, and shops.
Papakea owners and guests regularly participate in community activities including volunteering at beach cleanups, Maui Humane Society, the hospital, and many other local organizations, and contribute to local philanthropic nd cultural efforts.
I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Charles Diehl
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Apartment 207B
Aloha Maui County Council,
My name is Jerry Sweany, and I have been a Maui resident and local business owner since 2018. I’m writing to respectfully voice my strong opposition to the proposed legislation (Bill 9) that would phase out thousands of legal short-term rentals — while also expressing my firm support for the development of more affordable, long-term housing for our local families.
This issue is not black and white. As someone who lives, works, serves, and invests in this island, I can tell you we need both responsible STRs and long-term housing — not one at the expense of the other.
My wife and I have done our best to operate our vacation rental with integrity and aloha. We hire only local workers — our cleaners, handymen, and contractors have become an important part of our team. Our guests regularly tell us how much they appreciate the personal touch, and how their dollars went to local restaurants, tour companies, and small businesses we recommend in our welcome guide.
Additionally, every single dollar we earn from this rental stays right here on Maui. It goes back into the local economy through wages, maintenance, insurance, taxes, and special assessments. This is not a luxury property for us — it’s a source of income that supports local jobs and meets real economic needs.
At the same time, we’ve never turned our backs on our community. During the pandemic, we volunteered with Hope Chapel to pass out food boxes to struggling families. I personally helped deliver donated meals to Maui Memorial Hospital. When the Lahaina fires devastated so many, we blocked off our short-term rentals and housed displaced residents free of charge. I also served on a phone bank through Hope Chapel to help distribute thousands of dollars in relief funds to fire victims. We know that many local owners have done the similar things.
We care deeply about this island and its people. That’s why we fully support the County in prioritizing more truly affordable long-term housing — but let’s do it in a thoughtful way that doesn’t punish local owners like us who are contributing positively to the economy and community.
Please don’t rush to phase us out. Instead, work with STR owners who are doing things the right way. Let’s create balanced policies that strengthen our housing supply and protect the jobs, income, and tourism dollars that legal short-term rentals generate.
Furthermore, the broad scope of Bill 9, which impacts approximately 7,000 units island-wide, is fundamentally inequitable. Certain complexes were originally developed as workforce housing and should be restored to that purpose through a structured buyout program funded by the County’s affordable housing resources—rather than through measures that compromise the personal investments of individuals who acted in good faith and in accordance with existing laws.
Complexes that have from the beginning operated as short-term rentals or resorts should be allowed to continue doing so and be eligible for automatic rezoning by the County. This rezoning could be subject to a one-time fee reflective of the cost and complexity of a formal legal process, thus creating a fair and efficient pathway forward.
In conclusion, selectively determining which property owners may continue operating is contrary to the spirit of fairness that underpins Hawai‘i’s values. It unjustly penalizes individuals who, from the outset, have conducted their operations legally, ethically.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jerry Sweany
Local Business Owner, Community Volunteer, and Proud Maui Resident
Aloha I strongly oppose this bill. This isn’t the solution.
Dear Maui County of Land Use Committee ,
I am writing to you because I am a very worried and very scared Maui condo owner. I do not think this is not a well thought out decision for Maui. I am the president of the board of a condo association on Maui where the property values and long term rental values for those condos will be greatly affected. Ending vacation rentals in many different complexes, across Maui, will be devastating to my property value and our Maui economy. Many of our units are owned by people who lived there and depend on the value of them for retirement(either by selling or renting them out) Most of my friends and family who come to Maui cannot afford to stay at the big hotels. My friends and family stay stay in short term rentals with kitchens because it is a more affordable option for them and they can cook and entertain. In addition, many of my friends who are residents on Maui depend on visitors for their livelihood. Have you considered the effect of your law on them? They clean and manage vacation rentals, work in property management, repair vacation rentals, offer services to visitors(tours/scuba diving), and work in restaurants and stores who depend on tourists. How about this law affect on those Maui residents?? Have you done an Economic Study? Are you all prepared for what will happen? We have invested in our properties accordingly to the increase the value of our homes and long term rentals. We do not want these values to be great affected by your shortsightedness. We pay property tax, income tax, and in many cases GET tax. Where will the County and State get these lost revenues from??? This will be a loss of many millions of dollars and greatly negatively affect the property value and livelihood of thousands of Maui residents. Please consider the negative effects of what this proposals would be doing to me(as a resident of Maui) and my friends livelihood who depend on tourism that live on Maui. It is not right for you to affect me and them by your lack of understanding of what this will do to us. Sincerely ,
Keith Shackelford
Dear Committee Members:
We have owned a short-term rental property in Maui County for about 20 years. We are concerned about, and oppose, the proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
We believe it is important to be a responsible and community-supporting owner. We have a list of local restaurants and activities we provide not only to our guests, but often to friends and acquaintances who are going to Maui and who ask us for our suggestions. For example, we love sending visitors to the South Maui Gardens Food Trucks and often go to the Saturday morning swap meet in Kahului
Our condo development, as well as we individually, employ gardeners, maintenance workers, cleaners, etc. We and our guests frequent local restaurants, shops, food trucks, and participate in various activities that all support the local economy and local residents. We feel part of being an owner of a Maui STR includes supporting these small businesses which make Maui so special.
The day of the fire, the brother of the landscape manager of our condo development moved into our condo with his family of five for three months for free, until they found more permanent accommodations. We would not have been able to provide this housing without the rental income we have received over the years. While we are zoned for Hotel Resort and are not included in residential zoning we feel cutting tourism severely by implementing the proposed legislation will only hurt Maui.
We kindly request the Committee to work with owners like us to find a lasting long term solution without drastically cutting tourism and current taxes that make up a big part of Maui’s budget. We need to protect local jobs - not cut them, while holding STR owners to high standards.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mimi and Kevin Murphy
3600 Wailea Alanui Dr. #1802,
Wailea
I oppose this bill for our community (those who live here & work here full time ). While I strongly agree with those who say we need more housing, I strongly disagree that this is the way to achieve it. The approach outlined in this legislation will have damaging and far-reaching consequences, particularly for working families and small businesses. The mayor has downplayed the real impact, but I see firsthand the direct loss of work this bill would cause to dozens of vendors I personally work with as a property manager — including plumbers, handymen, housekeepers, property managers, electricians, contractors, screen repair professionals, and sliding door and glass vendors. These are not theoretical losses; they are real people and businesses who will lose real income and opportunities.
Beyond that, the indirect effects are equally devastating. I foresee significant income loss for example to boat companies, teacher loses due to less students, mechanics, industrial jobs throughout Central Maui, cable company technicians loss as just a few examples; and countless others who rely on the vibrancy of our local economy. This ripple effect will erode the economic fabric that supports our middle class. I want to see a strong economy where middle-class families can afford to stay, thrive, and build a future. I want the children of local families to have the option to create their own lives here — to find jobs, raise families, and continue our community’s spirit — rather than leaving for college and never returning. This bill does not create that opportunity, and is only a means to appease a rightfully concerned community without making real change. Let’s come together and find common ground as a community & Build Affordable Housing!
-Charles
With all due respect, the path you are considering, with a hatchet vs. a Scalpel is not an effective remedy to the Islands housing issues. Taking over 11,000 units at once will be extremely hurtful to both owners and residence who rely on the jobs and taxable income that that generate. I would recommend that a more precise approach be considered. One that starts with persons in default of existing property taxes, or incentivize persons to sell my reducing or removing, any Capital gains. Finally, please keep in mind, the average price and HOA fee, as well as utilities, taxes, etc. will cost a potential new owner in excess of $7000 to 8,000 per month, not mention, a down payment of approximately $200,000. I’m in the RE industry and we’ve had same issues on the mainland. We’ve fast tracked projects with municipalities and continue to build our way out of the problem with affordable housing, Maui can do the same, cut the red tape! Thank you
Aloha Maui County Council,
My name is Steve Hogan and I have been a Maui resident, business owner and employer here for over 45 years. I am opposed to this bill.
Since the fires, the messaging from Mayor Bissen, Gov. Green, Social Media and other media has shouted “tourists are not welcome here.” And now, the Federal Government is adding tariffs and destroying an already fragile economy nation-wide that was still trying to recover from the Pandemic. Consequently, Maui’s economy has plummeted.
I urge you not to add to the economic devastation at the local level.
Especially when the proposed “solution” will NOT translate to affordable housing.
AOAO fees, utilities, mortgages, insurance and special assessments are far more expensive than the average resident can afford. Even at the currently reduced rate of condos, locals are not rushing out to buy them, because they are not affordable..
This bill will NOT solve the problem (affordable housing) but will cause so many other people hardship—destroying small businesses, destroying jobs, destroying hard-earned retirements and destroying trust in Government.
The opposition is claiming we are prioritizing profit over people, which just isn’t true. We are prioritizing logic over wishful thinking, and Math over Emotions. And we are considering ALL the people. Decimating some parts of the community in the unrealistic hopes of helping another part of the community makes no sense.
This Bill is not affordable and will not achieve the desired result.
This bill will not magically create Affordable housing for the residents.
This bill is not affordable for the property owners, managers, maintenance/yard crews, cleaners, or local businesses that serve this industry.
This bill is not affordable for the county or the state.
The losses are huge. The gain is minimal, if there is any at all.
Please focus on a solution to the housing problem with a win/win instead of a lose, lose, lose, lose.