Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments on Bill 9. I am writing in strong opposition to the bill as currently drafted and respectfully request that the Commission amend Bill 9 to explicitly exempt Papakea Oceanfront Resort from any prohibition or phase-out of short-term rentals.
Papakea Oceanfront Resort has operated as a lawful short-term rental property for nearly 50 years. It was marketed and sold from its inception as a vacation rental, and owners have relied on longstanding County zoning recognition of A2-H2 status to operate short-term rentals in full compliance with County rules.
Papakea was never workforce housing and has not been converted from residential use. From its original development, the property was built and operated as a resort with transient accommodations in mind. The legal use of these units as short-term rentals has been reaffirmed in Maui County ordinances dating back to 1989 and continued as recently as 2022. Many current owners made significant financial investments—mortgages, renovations, furnishings—in good faith reliance on these ordinances and County representations.
Any move to revoke those rights now would violate fundamental principles of fairness and due process, disregarding the reasonable, investment-backed expectations of property owners who followed the rules and contributed meaningfully to the island’s economy and community.
Papakea’s Unique Character and Location
Papakea is a resort property, not a residential apartment complex. It includes a front desk, concierge services, multiple shared recreational and hospitality amenities, and was designed, marketed, and built as a vacation destination—not long-term housing.
Furthermore, Papakea is not located in a residential neighborhood. It sits along a stretch of hotel-zoned properties and is directly adjacent to commercial and resort-zoned developments. The majority of Papakea’s units are under 600 square feet, with limited parking, making them functionally and structurally incompatible with long-term tenancy.
Papakea provides 35 full-time jobs with benefits for local residents—some of whom have worked at the resort for over 15 years, growing into supervisory roles. Additionally, the resort supports a broad network of local service providers, including:
* Independent housekeepers and handymen
* On-island property managers
* Local contractors and tradespeople (plumbers, HVAC, electrical, general contractors)
* Fitness instructors, musicians, and other service vendors
Many of these small business owners are Maui residents who rely on Papakea’s STR operations as their primary source of income. Ending STR operations would not simply reduce income—it would eliminate livelihoods, forcing many skilled professionals to shutter their small businesses or seek lower-paying employment with less flexibility.
Papakea also contributes substantially to local tax revenues through property taxes (at short-term rental rates), Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), General Excise Tax (GET), and Maui County TAT. Guests staying at Papakea spend money at local restaurants, markets, activity operators, state and national parks, and cultural venues, directly supporting small businesses across the island.
Papakea owners and guests are active participants in the Maui community. They volunteer with organizations like the Maui Humane Society and local hospitals, and participate in beach cleanups and cultural preservation efforts. Many are returning visitors who view Maui as a second home and who invest time, money, and heart into its well-being.
Papakea is not the type of property Bill 9 was intended to regulate. It is not a converted residential building or a nuisance operation in a quiet neighborhood. It is a longstanding, legally operated resort that has provided stable employment, generated tax revenue, and enriched the island’s tourism sector for nearly five decades.
To include Papakea in a blanket ban on short-term rentals is both legally and ethically indefensible. I respectfully urge the committee to recognize the unique circumstances of Papakea and to amend Bill 9 to exempt Papakea Oceanfront Resort from the proposed restrictions.
Thank you for your attention and thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely,
David Sharbak
Owner at Papakea
Desh53@outlook.com
I am a local Kihei Resident. I am adamantly against the proposed bill to ban vacation rentals. I currently have 3 jobs and work with many small businesses that would be negatively impacted by this Bill. We can already feel the negative effects of the proposed bill here in Kihei with many small businesses closing and hurting financially.
Taking away owner's codified property rights is ILLEGAL and unethical. The argument that these condo complexes were designed as ''work force housing'' is a fallacy. Many of these complexes have front desks, concierges, and resort style pools. A few of these complexes are located in Wailea which historical records show was created as a ''tourist resort destination zone''. The median price of these vacation rentals condos is around $850,000 with a median HOA monthly fee of over $1000 for a 1 bedroom condo. If someone is able to put 20% down that is still a mortgage payment of $4,800 at today's rates + $1000 HOA + taxes+rising insurance costs = BOTTOM LINE MONTHLY PAYMENT = $5,800 PER MONTH FOR A 1 BEDROOM WITH NO GARAGE AND NO STORAGE. The current rental price on Maui is $2200-$2500 a month for a 1 bedroom.
The argument of the hotel lobbyists and Lahaina Strong group who is backing this will say ''real estate prices will decline and the condos will be more affordable after this ruling" SO YOU ARE ADVOCATING FOR CRASHING values? Let's say that does happen and prices drop 25%. You will have 1000s of condos for sale around $600,000. Right now there are 61 LONG TERM ONLY condos for sale, and NOBODY is buying them. So the argument prices will come down after this bill passes DOESN'T WORK, and it doesn't provide affordable housing.
Maui County currently charges vacation rental guests almost 18% in the GE and TAT tax. How will you make up that tax revenue!? You already tax second home owners to death, and you already have raised taxes so high that most people are selling. What will happen to all the guests that use short term vacation rentals and support local businesses around the island. Estimates show at least 70% off all business on Maui is tourism related. If this Bill passes it will KILL SMALL BUSINESS. Local family owned restaurants, coffee shops, tour operators etc will be bankrupt.
Who benefits from all of this? Not local people, and not affordable housing. The HOTELS of course benefit from killing their competition, and who is the biggest financial contributor to lobbyist groups? The Hotel Alliance of Hawaii of course!! What a coincidence! We have heard the argument, ''tourists belong in hotels'' Hotels in the Wailea area average almost $1000 a night while vacation rentals avg $300 a night. This gives middle class families an opportunity to visit Maui and not just the ultra rich. Comments from proponents of this bill saying ''we just want 'high quality' or rich visitors'' is DISCRIMINATION. This Bill is not well thought out, and SHOULD NOT pass.
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee:
Hello, My name is Ronald Yates, I own unit F210 at Papakea Resort. I bought and have paid taxes for my property. I pay all the taxes which helps the Maui and Lahaina economy. I employ housekeepers, a management company, insurance company, handy men for repairs. Local businesses benefit from my investment property. The restaurants and servers. It was purchased with the understanding short term rentals were not a problem.
I submit my testimony and the statement below as response to this highly detrimental bill. Bill 9 I oppose 100 %.
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,
Name
Ronald S Yates
ry24005505@gmail.com
916-996-1865
Papakea Resort
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, unit F210
Lahaina HI 96761
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,
Susan G. Braun
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Apartment D309
I am strongly opposed to this legislation. I believe there are many reason to oppose it and no valid reasons to support it.
1. This legislation will create a "taking" and impact the values of numerous properties on Maui. This could result in the Maui government being liable for the value of these takings. The property value for a property that is eligible for short term vacation rentals is approximately double a comparable property that cannot be rented out on these terms. This could have a significant negative budget impact for the county.
2. These properties generate significant tax revenue. All properties rented as a short term rental generate Maui County TAT tax revenue, Hawaii State TAT revenue, Hawaii State GET revenue, and lastly these properties have significantly higher effective property tax rates because they are not eligible for a homeowner exemption. If these properties can no longer be rented then these revenue streams will be lost and there could be significant negative budget impact to both the county and the state. This would create budget shortfalls or require increased taxes of other types potentially increasing the tax burden on Maui residents who can least afford these taxes.
3. These properties are frequently businesses and these businesses create jobs for Maui residents. Even an absentee land lord who lives on the main land still needs to hire property managers and cleaning personnel at an absolute minimum. These services are provided by local small businesses or individuals who may lose their jobs as a result of this change.
4. This legislation could result in significant sales of these properties over a very short period of time. That could lower property values for all Maui real estate. Lower property values will result in lower property tax revenues. Lower property values could make it harder for Maui residents with mortgages to refinance their mortgage or even maintain their mortgage if the value of the property suddenly becomes much less than the mortgage value. This could lead to a general real estate market crash as happened in 2008-2011 in many high cost markets. Low property values encouraged mortgage walk-aways, increasing foreclosures, over saturating the real estate market. It could prevent our best homeowners from being able to sell their property and upgrade their home. All of this hurts the poorest Maui residents most and creates opportunities for the rich to gain more control over the real estate market.
5. Many of the properties covered by this legislation are not build and designed to be homes. They have limited storage, and limited available parking. They are frequently one bedroom / one bathroom homes. They do not always have large or full kitchens. They are great as vacation properties, but they will not provide GOOD housing for Maui families in need of a home.
6. I operate my property as a business and I require short term vacation rental income to afford my property on Maui. If this legislation passes, I may be forced to sell my property, likely at a loss, given a more rich person the opportunity to buy the property as an investment.
For all of these reasons, I think it is clear that this legislation will only make life harder for Maui's poorest residents and will only have a large negative impact on Maui's revenue and budget. This is bad for everyone. Except hotel operators. If the goal is to give large hotel chains more money and more power, this is a great idea. It is bad for Maui voters, Maui residents, small businesses and of course the owners of these properties, and it will not help anyone on Maui get a more affordable home that supports their family.
To all of you that have a chance to remedy a bad decision,
This will have a major financial consequence to many property owners and a huge negative impact on not only local residents, but all the local governments as well.
I’m sure that you have heard and hopefully fully considered all of the ways it will hurt more than help.
Some other points to reiterate…….Most of the impacted units have only one parking space, are small in size, do not allow pets or smoking, are not ADA compliant, are very expensive to maintain and overall are not very useable/suitable as long term housing solutions.
The owners of STR’s did not cause the fire or create the housing issues that your are attempting to deal with. One obvious solution would be to put as much energy into streamlining the approval process, reducing fees and providing financial incentives to develop more suitable long term housing than killing the golden goose that you currently have. I also suspect that all the legal fees that will be incurred in this process could be better utilized by all of us. I urge you to re-think all of this before you cause so much needless financial and emotional pain to so many.
Dave Christensen
ps…Sometimes, if I make a decision and it turns out to be a bad one, I make a different decision later. Right now, it is not too late to make a different decision.
I lived on Maui full time for 23 years. I have been very active in making Maui a better place to live. I live at Kaanapali Royal which has existed for 45 years and STR's have been allowed in our Bylaws for all of that time. We are a rental property. We are geared for 3 and 4 day stays not full time working families. We only have one parking place per unit if both people are working. We have many pages of rules for behavior. We have no facilities for children. We do not allow pets. And we are very expensive. Our Front Desk is just to serve the Owners, not available to renters. Long term rentals are simply not going to work here and really make no sense.
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 and cultural efforts.
I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Kevin L. Ross
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, K-105
Subject: Opposition to Bill 9 – Request to Exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort
Dear Council Members,
I am writing to respectfully oppose Bill 9 as currently drafted, and to request that the Council amend the legislation to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort, which the County has historically recognized as having A2-H2 zoning.
Papakea Oceanfront Resort is a distinct and longstanding vacation rental property. It was marketed, sold, and operated as a legal short-term rental from the beginning—well before any zoning changes limited such use in apartment-zoned areas. Owners have operated legal vacation rentals here for nearly 50 years and have made substantial investments in reliance on clear and consistent County guidance dating back to 1989, and as recent as 2022.
Importantly, Papakea is not a conversion from workforce housing. Its units are mostly under 600 square feet, with limited parking and full resort amenities such as a front desk, activity concierge, and shared recreational spaces. It is also not located in a residential neighborhood, but rather among hotel- and commercially-zoned properties.
Papakea supports the local community in meaningful ways:
It employs 35 full-time, benefited Maui residents, some for over 17 years.
It sustains local businesses and independent contractors, such as housekeepers, handymen, and tradespeople.
It contributes significant tax revenue through property taxes, GET, TAT, and the Maui County TAT.
Guests frequent local restaurants, tour operators, parks, and cultural sites, fueling the local economy.
Owners and guests regularly volunteer with local nonprofits and participate in philanthropic and cultural initiatives.
Including Papakea in Bill 9 would harm hundreds of local workers, entrepreneurs, and property owners who have operated in good faith and in compliance with the law. A phase-out of short-term rentals here would unjustly undermine decades of legal use and investment-backed expectations.
I urge the Council to amend Bill 9 to explicitly exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on the proposed elimination of the Minatoya list for condominiums on Maui. I own two condos in Honokowai, west Maui - both properties are on the Minatoya list. The condos have been in my family for 25+ years and we use both personally, and when we or our friends and family are not on island, rent them as a short term vacation rentals to pay the bills. The issue of lack of affordable housing is a problem everywhere, not just Hawaii. Added to this, the catastrophic events of August 2023 have left many people in need. For the past year and a half, I have been housing families thru the direct lease program with FEMA in both condos. Families, especially multi generational families, need space, storage, parking, and room to live their multi faceted lives. I can attest to that - as that is what the families currently living there are telling me. They deserve real homes, not tiny, expensive, one bedroom condos. I would need to charge $4800 a month for rent to break even, with a mortgage, utilities, HOA fees, assessments and insurance. Not affordable, according to the UHERO report. Should this proposed elimination of short term rentals go ahead, local businesses will fail. People will lose their jobs. The only winner in this proposal will be the huge corporate owned hotels. The system has failed the people of Maui. Why has the Pulelehua development stalled? Years have gone by and nothing has been started. That development alone would credit 1000 affordable housing units, and yet it's held up because of west Maui's water issues. I urge you to vote against the proposed change to the zoning regulations for short term rentals in Maui County and focus of the real problems in Maui - real affordable housing and water. Respectfully, Nicole Olafson, Honokowai
My name is Ann Sarna, and my husband and I are owners of a unit at the Papakea resort in Maui. We 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.
• 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.
In addition to significant tax dollars generated by short term rentals, Papakea contributes other things 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.
• 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 guests support many small businesses on the island including restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, activities, state parks, the national park, and shops.
Please take these facts into consideration when you vote down Bill 9.
June 4, 2025
Dear Committee Members,
My name is John Schmitt, and I am the owner of a short-term rental property in Maui County. I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed legislation that would phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
For over 30 years, my wife and I have spent several weeks each year on Maui and have made meaningful contributions to the island’s economy. We’ve worked hard to be responsible, community-minded owners. I employ local service providers—including cleaners, maintenance technicians, and property managers—who depend on income from properties like ours. Our one-bedroom condominium has become a welcoming, reliable destination for returning guests, many of whom visit Maui annually.
These visitors support local businesses by dining in restaurants, shopping in stores, and participating in island activities. Many have told us they would not return to Maui if hotels were their only lodging option. The unique, personal experience provided by short-term rentals is not only valued by travelers but is also critical to the survival of many small, local businesses.
This legislation appears rushed and overlooks the broader economic and social consequences of removing short-term rentals. A drastic reduction in available accommodations would significantly impact both county and state tax revenues.
I respectfully urge the Council to collaborate with responsible owners like me to develop a balanced, sustainable approach—one that supports local jobs, upholds community standards, and protects the island’s economy, rather than eliminating an important part of Maui’s tourism infrastructure.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
John Schmitt
johnbschmitt@gmail.com
(424) 634-1435
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Vanessa Peters, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County, at Maui Vista. I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
I have owned my condo at Maui Vista since 2019. I love the area and visit with my family 2-3 times per year. We are nearly fully booked with short term rental guests who really enjoy their time in Maui because they have a safe home base and all the amenities of home, for a reasonable price. Our guests are provided a welcome book with a list of local restaurant and activity recommendations.
We employ an amazing group of Maui residents to make this unit successful including a housecleaning team, on island management and a handyman. These folks are so important to us and we treat them like family.
We feel that we can provide a more local stay and allow guests to visit Maui at a more affordable price point than the large hotels. They contribute to the economy.
The cost of owning a condo in Maui Vista has increased dramatically in the past 5 years, and the monthly expenses are over $4000 including a mortgage at 4%. We’ve faced huge maintenance costs, special assessments, and massive increases in insurance after the fires. Since Maui Vista was built it has been marketed as a vacation rental resort and at 591 sf, it is generally not suitable for long term residents due to high costs of condo fees and very little storage space.
I am hopeful that rather than removing the ability for our condos to be listed as Short Term rentals we can find a fair wait to coexist with the hotels. Removing 7000+ rentals from Maui will cripple the tourism economy and leave many residents without jobs.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Thank you for the opportunity to tell my story.
My wife and I strongly oppose Bill 9. We are residents of Kihei who have worked and sacrificed to save up enough money for two down payments on STR condos. We purchased our first unit in 2015 and our second in 2022. Because of the high purchase prices, high taxes and high AOAO fees we need to have over $11,000 a month in rental income per month to break even. Once the mortgages are paid off, these units are expected to be our retirement income. I work as a handyman with a significant portion of my business coming from working on STR condos. If this proposed legislation were to be passed, I would not only lose my current source of income, but my wife and I would also lose a significant portion of our future retirement income. Beyond my household, our cleaner who has built her own successful business cleaning a number of units on the Minatoya list would also be out of work along with the two people she employs. We represent just a few of the thousands of people who would be out of work if this proposed legislation were to be passed.
The stated goal of this legislation is to create workforce housing. However, it is unlikely that anything more than a small fraction of the 7000 condos would end up owned or rented by locals. As of 6/4/25 there were more than 30 residential condos for sale in Kihei prices under $600,000 the majority of which have been on the market for more than 2 months. One is a 2-bedroom 2 bathroom with 2 parking spaces and allows pets that is priced at $575,000 and has been on the market for more than 4 months. If there are no ready buyers for this unit, why would we expect there would be a market for our 1 bed 1 bath, 1 parking space no pet units with an AOAO fee $300 higher than this 2-bedroom condo? Our 1-bedroom units would need to drop in value by over 40% to reach the same monthly cost as the 2-bedroom unit currently sitting on the market with little apparent interest. The value of our particular units is in the bottom third of the units on the Minatoya list, so the math is even worse for most of the units which would be affected by this proposed legislation. It is far more likely that off island buyers would purchase these condos as second homes before the prices dropped to levels that locals could afford.
The most likely outcome of this proposed legislation is that thousands of Maui residents will lose their businesses and jobs and thousands of condos will sit empty for much of the year. Both outcomes will cause a major hit to the economy of Maui.
I urge you to protect the Maui Kama’aina and not pass this proposed legislation.
Thank you for your attention,
Wade Koglin
To the Members of the Maui County Council Housing and Land Use Committee:
I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation that would phase out more than 7,000 short-term vacation rentals in apartment districts.
I’m a full-time resident and a small business owner on Molokai, where I operate Molokai Furniture and Gifts and Molokai Island Realty. Like many others in our rural community, my businesses depend heavily on the visitors who choose to stay in short-term rentals. These guests return year after year, and they are a vital part of our local economy — supporting not just my business, but also our local restaurants, grocery stores, and shops. Molokai is home to just a few small, family-owned businesses, and these visitors are often the reason we’re able to stay afloat.
If this proposal goes forward and these rentals are eliminated, I fear we will lose those loyal, respectful visitors — and with them, the economic foundation that supports many of us here. These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; this is about the survival of real businesses, real jobs, and real families.
I currently employ eight local residents. These are my neighbors and my friends — people who rely on their paychecks to feed their children, pay their rent, and remain rooted in this community. If visitor numbers drop and my businesses suffer, there are no alternative jobs waiting for them on this island. We don’t have large employers or industry here — we have each other, and we have the visitors who keep our economy alive.
Please consider the human cost of this legislation. While well-intentioned, phasing out short-term rentals will do real harm to people who are just trying to make an honest living. I urge you to seek a balanced approach that protects local housing without devastating local jobs and small businesses.
As an owner of a short-term rental in Kapalua, Maui (Golf Villa 19T1), I have an incredible concern about the proposed legislation that would phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals. This property has been cared for not just as a second home, but as a way to share Maui with visitors from around the world in a thoughtful and respectful way.
Every effort has been made to operate responsibly and in alignment with the community. Guests are encouraged to support local restaurants, shops, and tour operators — including all our favorites right here in Kapalua — and that are featured in our welcome guide. Local staff are hired for cleaning, maintenance, and more and we are incredibly grateful to our property manager, KBM and the amazing staff that they employ to keep these short term rentals available. These aren’t just service providers — they are friends, neighbors, and part of the ohana that helps keep things running. Several of them were directly impacted by the fires and continue to rely on the steady work we provide.
Some guests have said they would not have come to Maui at all without the option of a vacation rental. They do not want the confines (and cost) of a hotel room. When they are here, they support the local economy — every meal they eat out, the groceries they buy at Napili Market, every snorkel trip they take, every gift they buy for family back home. It is endless, the support we, and our guests, provide to the local economy. And that doesn’t even touch on the support we provide to the local golf courses here at Kapalua as well.
Ownership at the Golf Villas is expensive. Just the monthly HOA fee could not be afforded by many. Maintenance costs are substantial, insurance premiums have surged, and special assessments will continue in the future. Short-term rental income helps offset these real expenses and keeps the home safe, well-maintained, and available to workers who depend on it.
This legislation to ban short term rentals is wrong. Those of us who are trying to do the right thing encourage the Council to pause and work toward a solution that protects jobs, supports the economy, and sets high standards for all owners, instead of eliminating those who are trying to be part of the solution.
My name is Melissa Day, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County, in Kihei Town. I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
I’ve worked hard to be a responsible and community-oriented owner. I always have recommended local restaurants and tour guides to my guests. I also support local businesses when I visit Maui. I employ local service providers — cleaners, maintenance techs, supply providers, etc. — many of whom have become like family over the years. My guests often leave Maui saying they felt more connected to the island because of the personal experience they had in my home.
Many of my guests have said they would not visit Maui at all if they didn’t have a vacation rental option. The guests who use a vacation rental home want a more private, special experience than staying at a hotel. That matters — not just to me, but to all the small businesses they supported during their stay.
Owning in the Kihei Ali’i Kai complex has not been easy. We’ve faced huge increases in maintenance costs, special assessments, and massive rises in insurance after the fires. These aren’t luxuries — they’re costs that ensure the property remains safe, functional, and appealing. STR income helps cover those costs while supporting local workers.
This legislation feels rushed and it does not seem like ALL of the needs of the community have been considered. I urge the Council to work with owners like me to find a fair and balanced path forward — one that protects local jobs, supports the economy, and holds STR owners to high standards, instead of phasing us out completely.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Melissa E. Day
Mobile: 619-922-1857
Email: mywinwininvesting@gmail.com
I am the owner of a 2 Bed/2 Bath Modest Small , 3 star Condo in Kihei, with a small percentage of days as legal rental stays.
In 2024 for this ONE Condo -I remitted the following Taxes ;
Property Tax $14,000.
TAT Hawaii. $ 4,000
TAT Maui. $. 1,100
GET Hawaii. $. 1,700.
Total for 2024 - $ 20,800. if this condo represents the average which i feel it does x 7000 Units = $145,000,000. were collected in taxes in 2024.
My Neighbour, in the same size identical unit NEXT DOOR is owner occupied . She paid $1300 in Tax in 2024.
If all 7000 units were converted to owner occupied, non rentals, the tax paid would be $1300 x 7000 = $9,100,000.
That is a reduction in tax from $145 Million to less than $10 Million.
i dont understand this discussion and all the damage it has done already and will do permanently to the Island Economy as it has already created a horrific ripple effect.
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Lyndon Ibele. My wife and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County. I am writing today to express my concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation to phase out over 7000 vacation rentals, including the one that I have owned and legally operated for the past 25 years.
I am proud to have supported the Maui economy. I utilize a small, family-owned, Maui-based rental management company. I am proud that many of my family, friends, friends-of-friends, and others have visited Maui to vacation and spend their dollars here. My vacation rental has brought much economic benefit to Maui over the past quarter century. My visitors like the personal experience of an affordable, privately-owned vacation rental, rather than a big resort hotel. Those visitors and that economic activity will cease if STR’s like mine are phased-out.
My local management company does a wonderful job, and employs local residents for cleaning, maintenance, repairs and office needs. They have already suffered a significant loss of business since Bissen announced his proposal to phase out STR’s early last year, and I fear for their future should STR’s be phased out.
My wife and I contribute personally to our Maui community. We financially support local businesses and visitor attractions through memberships and donations to the Maui Ocean Center, Pacific Whale Foundation, Kealia Pond Refuge, Keolahou Church, and the Ma'alaea Village Association (MVA). I spent countless volunteer hours over six years serving as an officer of MVA, including numerous engagements with Maui County Council and others advocating for the needs of my Maui community. My visits to Maui are always filled with volunteer activities. My wife and I start every morning with a litter pick-up on the local street, park and beach. In short, we take great pride in contributing to the betterment of Maui.
At present, my condo association fees and assessments total over $2400/month. This does not include utilities, insurance, and steep property taxes. The buildings are old and assessments are continuously increasing to address maintenance needs and shoreline erosion issues. It is hard to imagine that local residents would want or could afford to purchase or rent units in my condo association.
In short, the goal of Bill 9, to phase out all STR’s in “apartment zoned” properties will not lead to affordable housing or solve Maui’s housing shortage. Other solutions should be pursued.
Mahalo for your consideration.
The minatoya list is outdated
Vacation rentals are not a solution for a long-term residents
We have had two economic studies that said it will be catastrophic for Maui, especially the west side and families and everyone in the vacation rental industry. Please leave things as they are.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments on Bill 9. I am writing in strong opposition to the bill as currently drafted and respectfully request that the Commission amend Bill 9 to explicitly exempt Papakea Oceanfront Resort from any prohibition or phase-out of short-term rentals.
Papakea Oceanfront Resort has operated as a lawful short-term rental property for nearly 50 years. It was marketed and sold from its inception as a vacation rental, and owners have relied on longstanding County zoning recognition of A2-H2 status to operate short-term rentals in full compliance with County rules.
Papakea was never workforce housing and has not been converted from residential use. From its original development, the property was built and operated as a resort with transient accommodations in mind. The legal use of these units as short-term rentals has been reaffirmed in Maui County ordinances dating back to 1989 and continued as recently as 2022. Many current owners made significant financial investments—mortgages, renovations, furnishings—in good faith reliance on these ordinances and County representations.
Any move to revoke those rights now would violate fundamental principles of fairness and due process, disregarding the reasonable, investment-backed expectations of property owners who followed the rules and contributed meaningfully to the island’s economy and community.
Papakea’s Unique Character and Location
Papakea is a resort property, not a residential apartment complex. It includes a front desk, concierge services, multiple shared recreational and hospitality amenities, and was designed, marketed, and built as a vacation destination—not long-term housing.
Furthermore, Papakea is not located in a residential neighborhood. It sits along a stretch of hotel-zoned properties and is directly adjacent to commercial and resort-zoned developments. The majority of Papakea’s units are under 600 square feet, with limited parking, making them functionally and structurally incompatible with long-term tenancy.
Papakea provides 35 full-time jobs with benefits for local residents—some of whom have worked at the resort for over 15 years, growing into supervisory roles. Additionally, the resort supports a broad network of local service providers, including:
* Independent housekeepers and handymen
* On-island property managers
* Local contractors and tradespeople (plumbers, HVAC, electrical, general contractors)
* Fitness instructors, musicians, and other service vendors
Many of these small business owners are Maui residents who rely on Papakea’s STR operations as their primary source of income. Ending STR operations would not simply reduce income—it would eliminate livelihoods, forcing many skilled professionals to shutter their small businesses or seek lower-paying employment with less flexibility.
Papakea also contributes substantially to local tax revenues through property taxes (at short-term rental rates), Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), General Excise Tax (GET), and Maui County TAT. Guests staying at Papakea spend money at local restaurants, markets, activity operators, state and national parks, and cultural venues, directly supporting small businesses across the island.
Papakea owners and guests are active participants in the Maui community. They volunteer with organizations like the Maui Humane Society and local hospitals, and participate in beach cleanups and cultural preservation efforts. Many are returning visitors who view Maui as a second home and who invest time, money, and heart into its well-being.
Papakea is not the type of property Bill 9 was intended to regulate. It is not a converted residential building or a nuisance operation in a quiet neighborhood. It is a longstanding, legally operated resort that has provided stable employment, generated tax revenue, and enriched the island’s tourism sector for nearly five decades.
To include Papakea in a blanket ban on short-term rentals is both legally and ethically indefensible. I respectfully urge the committee to recognize the unique circumstances of Papakea and to amend Bill 9 to exempt Papakea Oceanfront Resort from the proposed restrictions.
Thank you for your attention and thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely,
David Sharbak
Owner at Papakea
Desh53@outlook.com
I am a local Kihei Resident. I am adamantly against the proposed bill to ban vacation rentals. I currently have 3 jobs and work with many small businesses that would be negatively impacted by this Bill. We can already feel the negative effects of the proposed bill here in Kihei with many small businesses closing and hurting financially.
Taking away owner's codified property rights is ILLEGAL and unethical. The argument that these condo complexes were designed as ''work force housing'' is a fallacy. Many of these complexes have front desks, concierges, and resort style pools. A few of these complexes are located in Wailea which historical records show was created as a ''tourist resort destination zone''. The median price of these vacation rentals condos is around $850,000 with a median HOA monthly fee of over $1000 for a 1 bedroom condo. If someone is able to put 20% down that is still a mortgage payment of $4,800 at today's rates + $1000 HOA + taxes+rising insurance costs = BOTTOM LINE MONTHLY PAYMENT = $5,800 PER MONTH FOR A 1 BEDROOM WITH NO GARAGE AND NO STORAGE. The current rental price on Maui is $2200-$2500 a month for a 1 bedroom.
The argument of the hotel lobbyists and Lahaina Strong group who is backing this will say ''real estate prices will decline and the condos will be more affordable after this ruling" SO YOU ARE ADVOCATING FOR CRASHING values? Let's say that does happen and prices drop 25%. You will have 1000s of condos for sale around $600,000. Right now there are 61 LONG TERM ONLY condos for sale, and NOBODY is buying them. So the argument prices will come down after this bill passes DOESN'T WORK, and it doesn't provide affordable housing.
Maui County currently charges vacation rental guests almost 18% in the GE and TAT tax. How will you make up that tax revenue!? You already tax second home owners to death, and you already have raised taxes so high that most people are selling. What will happen to all the guests that use short term vacation rentals and support local businesses around the island. Estimates show at least 70% off all business on Maui is tourism related. If this Bill passes it will KILL SMALL BUSINESS. Local family owned restaurants, coffee shops, tour operators etc will be bankrupt.
Who benefits from all of this? Not local people, and not affordable housing. The HOTELS of course benefit from killing their competition, and who is the biggest financial contributor to lobbyist groups? The Hotel Alliance of Hawaii of course!! What a coincidence! We have heard the argument, ''tourists belong in hotels'' Hotels in the Wailea area average almost $1000 a night while vacation rentals avg $300 a night. This gives middle class families an opportunity to visit Maui and not just the ultra rich. Comments from proponents of this bill saying ''we just want 'high quality' or rich visitors'' is DISCRIMINATION. This Bill is not well thought out, and SHOULD NOT pass.
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee:
Hello, My name is Ronald Yates, I own unit F210 at Papakea Resort. I bought and have paid taxes for my property. I pay all the taxes which helps the Maui and Lahaina economy. I employ housekeepers, a management company, insurance company, handy men for repairs. Local businesses benefit from my investment property. The restaurants and servers. It was purchased with the understanding short term rentals were not a problem.
I submit my testimony and the statement below as response to this highly detrimental bill. Bill 9 I oppose 100 %.
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,
Name
Ronald S Yates
ry24005505@gmail.com
916-996-1865
Papakea Resort
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, unit F210
Lahaina HI 96761
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,
Susan G. Braun
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Apartment D309
Dear Housing and Land Use Committee,
I am strongly opposed to this legislation. I believe there are many reason to oppose it and no valid reasons to support it.
1. This legislation will create a "taking" and impact the values of numerous properties on Maui. This could result in the Maui government being liable for the value of these takings. The property value for a property that is eligible for short term vacation rentals is approximately double a comparable property that cannot be rented out on these terms. This could have a significant negative budget impact for the county.
2. These properties generate significant tax revenue. All properties rented as a short term rental generate Maui County TAT tax revenue, Hawaii State TAT revenue, Hawaii State GET revenue, and lastly these properties have significantly higher effective property tax rates because they are not eligible for a homeowner exemption. If these properties can no longer be rented then these revenue streams will be lost and there could be significant negative budget impact to both the county and the state. This would create budget shortfalls or require increased taxes of other types potentially increasing the tax burden on Maui residents who can least afford these taxes.
3. These properties are frequently businesses and these businesses create jobs for Maui residents. Even an absentee land lord who lives on the main land still needs to hire property managers and cleaning personnel at an absolute minimum. These services are provided by local small businesses or individuals who may lose their jobs as a result of this change.
4. This legislation could result in significant sales of these properties over a very short period of time. That could lower property values for all Maui real estate. Lower property values will result in lower property tax revenues. Lower property values could make it harder for Maui residents with mortgages to refinance their mortgage or even maintain their mortgage if the value of the property suddenly becomes much less than the mortgage value. This could lead to a general real estate market crash as happened in 2008-2011 in many high cost markets. Low property values encouraged mortgage walk-aways, increasing foreclosures, over saturating the real estate market. It could prevent our best homeowners from being able to sell their property and upgrade their home. All of this hurts the poorest Maui residents most and creates opportunities for the rich to gain more control over the real estate market.
5. Many of the properties covered by this legislation are not build and designed to be homes. They have limited storage, and limited available parking. They are frequently one bedroom / one bathroom homes. They do not always have large or full kitchens. They are great as vacation properties, but they will not provide GOOD housing for Maui families in need of a home.
6. I operate my property as a business and I require short term vacation rental income to afford my property on Maui. If this legislation passes, I may be forced to sell my property, likely at a loss, given a more rich person the opportunity to buy the property as an investment.
For all of these reasons, I think it is clear that this legislation will only make life harder for Maui's poorest residents and will only have a large negative impact on Maui's revenue and budget. This is bad for everyone. Except hotel operators. If the goal is to give large hotel chains more money and more power, this is a great idea. It is bad for Maui voters, Maui residents, small businesses and of course the owners of these properties, and it will not help anyone on Maui get a more affordable home that supports their family.
To all of you that have a chance to remedy a bad decision,
This will have a major financial consequence to many property owners and a huge negative impact on not only local residents, but all the local governments as well.
I’m sure that you have heard and hopefully fully considered all of the ways it will hurt more than help.
Some other points to reiterate…….Most of the impacted units have only one parking space, are small in size, do not allow pets or smoking, are not ADA compliant, are very expensive to maintain and overall are not very useable/suitable as long term housing solutions.
The owners of STR’s did not cause the fire or create the housing issues that your are attempting to deal with. One obvious solution would be to put as much energy into streamlining the approval process, reducing fees and providing financial incentives to develop more suitable long term housing than killing the golden goose that you currently have. I also suspect that all the legal fees that will be incurred in this process could be better utilized by all of us. I urge you to re-think all of this before you cause so much needless financial and emotional pain to so many.
Dave Christensen
ps…Sometimes, if I make a decision and it turns out to be a bad one, I make a different decision later. Right now, it is not too late to make a different decision.
I lived on Maui full time for 23 years. I have been very active in making Maui a better place to live. I live at Kaanapali Royal which has existed for 45 years and STR's have been allowed in our Bylaws for all of that time. We are a rental property. We are geared for 3 and 4 day stays not full time working families. We only have one parking place per unit if both people are working. We have many pages of rules for behavior. We have no facilities for children. We do not allow pets. And we are very expensive. Our Front Desk is just to serve the Owners, not available to renters. Long term rentals are simply not going to work here and really make no sense.
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 and cultural efforts.
I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Kevin L. Ross
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, K-105
Subject: Opposition to Bill 9 – Request to Exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort
Dear Council Members,
I am writing to respectfully oppose Bill 9 as currently drafted, and to request that the Council amend the legislation to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort, which the County has historically recognized as having A2-H2 zoning.
Papakea Oceanfront Resort is a distinct and longstanding vacation rental property. It was marketed, sold, and operated as a legal short-term rental from the beginning—well before any zoning changes limited such use in apartment-zoned areas. Owners have operated legal vacation rentals here for nearly 50 years and have made substantial investments in reliance on clear and consistent County guidance dating back to 1989, and as recent as 2022.
Importantly, Papakea is not a conversion from workforce housing. Its units are mostly under 600 square feet, with limited parking and full resort amenities such as a front desk, activity concierge, and shared recreational spaces. It is also not located in a residential neighborhood, but rather among hotel- and commercially-zoned properties.
Papakea supports the local community in meaningful ways:
It employs 35 full-time, benefited Maui residents, some for over 17 years.
It sustains local businesses and independent contractors, such as housekeepers, handymen, and tradespeople.
It contributes significant tax revenue through property taxes, GET, TAT, and the Maui County TAT.
Guests frequent local restaurants, tour operators, parks, and cultural sites, fueling the local economy.
Owners and guests regularly volunteer with local nonprofits and participate in philanthropic and cultural initiatives.
Including Papakea in Bill 9 would harm hundreds of local workers, entrepreneurs, and property owners who have operated in good faith and in compliance with the law. A phase-out of short-term rentals here would unjustly undermine decades of legal use and investment-backed expectations.
I urge the Council to amend Bill 9 to explicitly exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Jamie Sharbak
Property Owner Papakea A306
(281) 839-4515
Jamiesharbak32@gmail.com
June 4, 2025
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on the proposed elimination of the Minatoya list for condominiums on Maui. I own two condos in Honokowai, west Maui - both properties are on the Minatoya list. The condos have been in my family for 25+ years and we use both personally, and when we or our friends and family are not on island, rent them as a short term vacation rentals to pay the bills. The issue of lack of affordable housing is a problem everywhere, not just Hawaii. Added to this, the catastrophic events of August 2023 have left many people in need. For the past year and a half, I have been housing families thru the direct lease program with FEMA in both condos. Families, especially multi generational families, need space, storage, parking, and room to live their multi faceted lives. I can attest to that - as that is what the families currently living there are telling me. They deserve real homes, not tiny, expensive, one bedroom condos. I would need to charge $4800 a month for rent to break even, with a mortgage, utilities, HOA fees, assessments and insurance. Not affordable, according to the UHERO report. Should this proposed elimination of short term rentals go ahead, local businesses will fail. People will lose their jobs. The only winner in this proposal will be the huge corporate owned hotels. The system has failed the people of Maui. Why has the Pulelehua development stalled? Years have gone by and nothing has been started. That development alone would credit 1000 affordable housing units, and yet it's held up because of west Maui's water issues. I urge you to vote against the proposed change to the zoning regulations for short term rentals in Maui County and focus of the real problems in Maui - real affordable housing and water. Respectfully, Nicole Olafson, Honokowai
My name is Ann Sarna, and my husband and I are owners of a unit at the Papakea resort in Maui. We 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.
• 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.
In addition to significant tax dollars generated by short term rentals, Papakea contributes other things 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.
• 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 guests support many small businesses on the island including restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, activities, state parks, the national park, and shops.
Please take these facts into consideration when you vote down Bill 9.
June 4, 2025
Dear Committee Members,
My name is John Schmitt, and I am the owner of a short-term rental property in Maui County. I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed legislation that would phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
For over 30 years, my wife and I have spent several weeks each year on Maui and have made meaningful contributions to the island’s economy. We’ve worked hard to be responsible, community-minded owners. I employ local service providers—including cleaners, maintenance technicians, and property managers—who depend on income from properties like ours. Our one-bedroom condominium has become a welcoming, reliable destination for returning guests, many of whom visit Maui annually.
These visitors support local businesses by dining in restaurants, shopping in stores, and participating in island activities. Many have told us they would not return to Maui if hotels were their only lodging option. The unique, personal experience provided by short-term rentals is not only valued by travelers but is also critical to the survival of many small, local businesses.
This legislation appears rushed and overlooks the broader economic and social consequences of removing short-term rentals. A drastic reduction in available accommodations would significantly impact both county and state tax revenues.
I respectfully urge the Council to collaborate with responsible owners like me to develop a balanced, sustainable approach—one that supports local jobs, upholds community standards, and protects the island’s economy, rather than eliminating an important part of Maui’s tourism infrastructure.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
John Schmitt
johnbschmitt@gmail.com
(424) 634-1435
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Vanessa Peters, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County, at Maui Vista. I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
I have owned my condo at Maui Vista since 2019. I love the area and visit with my family 2-3 times per year. We are nearly fully booked with short term rental guests who really enjoy their time in Maui because they have a safe home base and all the amenities of home, for a reasonable price. Our guests are provided a welcome book with a list of local restaurant and activity recommendations.
We employ an amazing group of Maui residents to make this unit successful including a housecleaning team, on island management and a handyman. These folks are so important to us and we treat them like family.
We feel that we can provide a more local stay and allow guests to visit Maui at a more affordable price point than the large hotels. They contribute to the economy.
The cost of owning a condo in Maui Vista has increased dramatically in the past 5 years, and the monthly expenses are over $4000 including a mortgage at 4%. We’ve faced huge maintenance costs, special assessments, and massive increases in insurance after the fires. Since Maui Vista was built it has been marketed as a vacation rental resort and at 591 sf, it is generally not suitable for long term residents due to high costs of condo fees and very little storage space.
I am hopeful that rather than removing the ability for our condos to be listed as Short Term rentals we can find a fair wait to coexist with the hotels. Removing 7000+ rentals from Maui will cripple the tourism economy and leave many residents without jobs.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Peters, MD
760-580-3596, hilltopvanessa@gmail.com
Thank you for the opportunity to tell my story.
My wife and I strongly oppose Bill 9. We are residents of Kihei who have worked and sacrificed to save up enough money for two down payments on STR condos. We purchased our first unit in 2015 and our second in 2022. Because of the high purchase prices, high taxes and high AOAO fees we need to have over $11,000 a month in rental income per month to break even. Once the mortgages are paid off, these units are expected to be our retirement income. I work as a handyman with a significant portion of my business coming from working on STR condos. If this proposed legislation were to be passed, I would not only lose my current source of income, but my wife and I would also lose a significant portion of our future retirement income. Beyond my household, our cleaner who has built her own successful business cleaning a number of units on the Minatoya list would also be out of work along with the two people she employs. We represent just a few of the thousands of people who would be out of work if this proposed legislation were to be passed.
The stated goal of this legislation is to create workforce housing. However, it is unlikely that anything more than a small fraction of the 7000 condos would end up owned or rented by locals. As of 6/4/25 there were more than 30 residential condos for sale in Kihei prices under $600,000 the majority of which have been on the market for more than 2 months. One is a 2-bedroom 2 bathroom with 2 parking spaces and allows pets that is priced at $575,000 and has been on the market for more than 4 months. If there are no ready buyers for this unit, why would we expect there would be a market for our 1 bed 1 bath, 1 parking space no pet units with an AOAO fee $300 higher than this 2-bedroom condo? Our 1-bedroom units would need to drop in value by over 40% to reach the same monthly cost as the 2-bedroom unit currently sitting on the market with little apparent interest. The value of our particular units is in the bottom third of the units on the Minatoya list, so the math is even worse for most of the units which would be affected by this proposed legislation. It is far more likely that off island buyers would purchase these condos as second homes before the prices dropped to levels that locals could afford.
The most likely outcome of this proposed legislation is that thousands of Maui residents will lose their businesses and jobs and thousands of condos will sit empty for much of the year. Both outcomes will cause a major hit to the economy of Maui.
I urge you to protect the Maui Kama’aina and not pass this proposed legislation.
Thank you for your attention,
Wade Koglin
To the Members of the Maui County Council Housing and Land Use Committee:
I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation that would phase out more than 7,000 short-term vacation rentals in apartment districts.
I’m a full-time resident and a small business owner on Molokai, where I operate Molokai Furniture and Gifts and Molokai Island Realty. Like many others in our rural community, my businesses depend heavily on the visitors who choose to stay in short-term rentals. These guests return year after year, and they are a vital part of our local economy — supporting not just my business, but also our local restaurants, grocery stores, and shops. Molokai is home to just a few small, family-owned businesses, and these visitors are often the reason we’re able to stay afloat.
If this proposal goes forward and these rentals are eliminated, I fear we will lose those loyal, respectful visitors — and with them, the economic foundation that supports many of us here. These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet; this is about the survival of real businesses, real jobs, and real families.
I currently employ eight local residents. These are my neighbors and my friends — people who rely on their paychecks to feed their children, pay their rent, and remain rooted in this community. If visitor numbers drop and my businesses suffer, there are no alternative jobs waiting for them on this island. We don’t have large employers or industry here — we have each other, and we have the visitors who keep our economy alive.
Please consider the human cost of this legislation. While well-intentioned, phasing out short-term rentals will do real harm to people who are just trying to make an honest living. I urge you to seek a balanced approach that protects local housing without devastating local jobs and small businesses.
As an owner of a short-term rental in Kapalua, Maui (Golf Villa 19T1), I have an incredible concern about the proposed legislation that would phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals. This property has been cared for not just as a second home, but as a way to share Maui with visitors from around the world in a thoughtful and respectful way.
Every effort has been made to operate responsibly and in alignment with the community. Guests are encouraged to support local restaurants, shops, and tour operators — including all our favorites right here in Kapalua — and that are featured in our welcome guide. Local staff are hired for cleaning, maintenance, and more and we are incredibly grateful to our property manager, KBM and the amazing staff that they employ to keep these short term rentals available. These aren’t just service providers — they are friends, neighbors, and part of the ohana that helps keep things running. Several of them were directly impacted by the fires and continue to rely on the steady work we provide.
Some guests have said they would not have come to Maui at all without the option of a vacation rental. They do not want the confines (and cost) of a hotel room. When they are here, they support the local economy — every meal they eat out, the groceries they buy at Napili Market, every snorkel trip they take, every gift they buy for family back home. It is endless, the support we, and our guests, provide to the local economy. And that doesn’t even touch on the support we provide to the local golf courses here at Kapalua as well.
Ownership at the Golf Villas is expensive. Just the monthly HOA fee could not be afforded by many. Maintenance costs are substantial, insurance premiums have surged, and special assessments will continue in the future. Short-term rental income helps offset these real expenses and keeps the home safe, well-maintained, and available to workers who depend on it.
This legislation to ban short term rentals is wrong. Those of us who are trying to do the right thing encourage the Council to pause and work toward a solution that protects jobs, supports the economy, and sets high standards for all owners, instead of eliminating those who are trying to be part of the solution.
Thank you.
Jayne McCann
RE: HLU-4 Bill 9 (2025)
June 4, 2025
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Melissa Day, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County, in Kihei Town. I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals.
I’ve worked hard to be a responsible and community-oriented owner. I always have recommended local restaurants and tour guides to my guests. I also support local businesses when I visit Maui. I employ local service providers — cleaners, maintenance techs, supply providers, etc. — many of whom have become like family over the years. My guests often leave Maui saying they felt more connected to the island because of the personal experience they had in my home.
Many of my guests have said they would not visit Maui at all if they didn’t have a vacation rental option. The guests who use a vacation rental home want a more private, special experience than staying at a hotel. That matters — not just to me, but to all the small businesses they supported during their stay.
Owning in the Kihei Ali’i Kai complex has not been easy. We’ve faced huge increases in maintenance costs, special assessments, and massive rises in insurance after the fires. These aren’t luxuries — they’re costs that ensure the property remains safe, functional, and appealing. STR income helps cover those costs while supporting local workers.
This legislation feels rushed and it does not seem like ALL of the needs of the community have been considered. I urge the Council to work with owners like me to find a fair and balanced path forward — one that protects local jobs, supports the economy, and holds STR owners to high standards, instead of phasing us out completely.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Melissa E. Day
Mobile: 619-922-1857
Email: mywinwininvesting@gmail.com
I am the owner of a 2 Bed/2 Bath Modest Small , 3 star Condo in Kihei, with a small percentage of days as legal rental stays.
In 2024 for this ONE Condo -I remitted the following Taxes ;
Property Tax $14,000.
TAT Hawaii. $ 4,000
TAT Maui. $. 1,100
GET Hawaii. $. 1,700.
Total for 2024 - $ 20,800. if this condo represents the average which i feel it does x 7000 Units = $145,000,000. were collected in taxes in 2024.
My Neighbour, in the same size identical unit NEXT DOOR is owner occupied . She paid $1300 in Tax in 2024.
If all 7000 units were converted to owner occupied, non rentals, the tax paid would be $1300 x 7000 = $9,100,000.
That is a reduction in tax from $145 Million to less than $10 Million.
i dont understand this discussion and all the damage it has done already and will do permanently to the Island Economy as it has already created a horrific ripple effect.
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Lyndon Ibele. My wife and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County. I am writing today to express my concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation to phase out over 7000 vacation rentals, including the one that I have owned and legally operated for the past 25 years.
I am proud to have supported the Maui economy. I utilize a small, family-owned, Maui-based rental management company. I am proud that many of my family, friends, friends-of-friends, and others have visited Maui to vacation and spend their dollars here. My vacation rental has brought much economic benefit to Maui over the past quarter century. My visitors like the personal experience of an affordable, privately-owned vacation rental, rather than a big resort hotel. Those visitors and that economic activity will cease if STR’s like mine are phased-out.
My local management company does a wonderful job, and employs local residents for cleaning, maintenance, repairs and office needs. They have already suffered a significant loss of business since Bissen announced his proposal to phase out STR’s early last year, and I fear for their future should STR’s be phased out.
My wife and I contribute personally to our Maui community. We financially support local businesses and visitor attractions through memberships and donations to the Maui Ocean Center, Pacific Whale Foundation, Kealia Pond Refuge, Keolahou Church, and the Ma'alaea Village Association (MVA). I spent countless volunteer hours over six years serving as an officer of MVA, including numerous engagements with Maui County Council and others advocating for the needs of my Maui community. My visits to Maui are always filled with volunteer activities. My wife and I start every morning with a litter pick-up on the local street, park and beach. In short, we take great pride in contributing to the betterment of Maui.
At present, my condo association fees and assessments total over $2400/month. This does not include utilities, insurance, and steep property taxes. The buildings are old and assessments are continuously increasing to address maintenance needs and shoreline erosion issues. It is hard to imagine that local residents would want or could afford to purchase or rent units in my condo association.
In short, the goal of Bill 9, to phase out all STR’s in “apartment zoned” properties will not lead to affordable housing or solve Maui’s housing shortage. Other solutions should be pursued.
Mahalo for your consideration.
The minatoya list is outdated
Vacation rentals are not a solution for a long-term residents
We have had two economic studies that said it will be catastrophic for Maui, especially the west side and families and everyone in the vacation rental industry. Please leave things as they are.