HLU-4 Bill 9 (2025) BILL 9 (2025), AMENDING CHAPTERS 19.12, 19.32, AND 19.37, MAUI COUNTY CODE, RELATING TO TRANSIENT VACATION RENTALS IN APARTMENT DISTRICTS (HLU-4)
operated under long-standing county approvals and legal frameworks. Abruptly changing the rules threatens property rights and could result in costly legal challenges for the county.
The exemption for timeshares appears arbitrary and unfair, as both timeshares and vacation rentals serve visitors and often exist in the same complexes. This inconsistency further erodes trust in the process and the fairness of the legislation.
A Call for Balanced Solutions
I respectfully urge the Council to consider alternative approaches that address the housing crisis without causing collateral damage to Maui’s economy and property owners. Options such as tiered tax increases on short-term rentals, auctioning limited permits, or incentivizing voluntary conversion to long-term rentals could provide meaningful results while preserving economic stability.
Let’s work together to create policies that expand affordable housing, protect property rights, and sustain Maui’s unique community and economy for generations to come.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
My family have owned a small one bedroom one bath condo in Wailea Ekahi since it was built in 1976. We never had to rent it till 2 years ago because of the increasing high cost of ownership. The emotional impact of this bill is being well documented in the vast amount of comments opposing this bill, so we will just state the real true costs that make it impossible to fulfill the goal of creating “affordable” housing from our unit. The Facts are these: our unit is small 700 sq ft. Yet the cost to keep our unit is close to $50,000 per year with property tax just increasing to over $20,000 per year. HOA fees, energy costs, maintenance etc., make up the rest. This is not counting the high tax payments we make for GE, TA and state income taxes. We would have to charge over $4,200 per month just to break even. There is a huge misconception about most condo owners being wealthy and these units being 3-4-5th vacation properties making them large sums of money. This is not true for the owners we know. We just want to be able to afford to keep our properties and support the local economy, as we have been doing for many years.
Chair, Vice Chair, and Council Members,
I write to express my family’s concern and opposition to Bill 9, the proposed phase-out of short-term rentals. We respectfully request to reconsider any ban of what we believe to not be part of a solution to create affordable housing, which is likely to result in irreparable further economic harm for years to come to many of our/your community residents and businesses, and that specifically, resort areas as Kapalua should be excluded from any ban of STVR.
My wife and I, Jenny and Craig Reynolds, own a condo at The Ridge at Kapalua Resort. I have been visiting Maui since 1978 when working in Honolulu and then decided in 2006 our second home would be at the Ridge. We travel multiple times a year to Maui where we now have many friends and where we are engaged in many organizations, have positions on multiple Boards, and support many community non-profits and businesses on the island. As we know, the fire created enormous hardships for countless numbers of our associates and friends, many lost everything including our nephew, a former resident of Lahaina.
Kapalua, as all resort area condominiums and timeshares, was legally established and designed as second homes and with a designation to use for short term rentals. A typical mortgage on one of these condos, unless cash paid, would cost a new owner more than $10,000 per month simply for the mortgage. A family would need a net annual income of $180k for a 1 bedroom. A ban of STVR would have to result in a devaluation of resort condominiums of more than 65% in order to be viably affordable. And devaluing will not substantially occur as the properties still maintain a highly desirable use as second homes. These properties are simply not nor will be affordable or appropriate for the majority of those seeking permanent housing.
Today the owners of these resort units pay millions in county taxes, spend millions supporting local businesses, and only marginally and slightly impact the infrastructure of the island due to only being on island occasionally. We are responsible, community and business minded owners who love Maui deeply.
Again, we are opposed to Bill 9. Please seek an appropriate and fair path forward—one that supports residents, reflects the Aloha Spirit and encourages those who visit and help sustain the Maui economy.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Craig and Jenny Reynolds
The Ridge, Kapalua
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair U’u-Hodgins and House and Land Use Committee
We purchased our condo at the Papakea in 2015 as a legal vacation property.
Since our purchase we have employed many who live on Maui for various services they provide. Of these our manager Dave Matthew’s has been dedicated to attend to our condo , us as owners and to everyone that visit our place. So this decision is personal to us as I know with certainty and as he testified this is his sourse of income for him and family .
We at the Papakea support many including
Those who manage the office, pest control, Allen’s Plumbing, Minds Eye furniture ,
Local restaurants, Bad Ass Coffee , as well the local grocery stores.
Tonight we have friends visiting and 6 of us will attend Old Lāhainā Lu’au . The price is a little higher than before however we are grateful they have reopened . My guess is no visitors they will again close.
As we at the Papakea are in the midst of a major plumbing project, seawall repair, increased AOAO fees , special assessments
And fire insurance that is in the millions
I am also requesting you remove the Papakea Resort from this bill.
It is essential to begin the process of recovering housing for Maui County residents. There is far more than enough accommodations for out of state visitors. Please ensure the equity of our residents to live and prosper in their home islands.
Prefatory Note: We previously submitted a comment in opposition to Bill 9 earlier today before 10 am local time in Hawaii, but we are not seeing our comment posted on-line with other comments that appear to have been submitted at the same time. Hence we are re-submitting our comment now and also are emailing it to the County Clerk's Office so to help ensure that our voices are heard in all official hearings relating to Bill 9.
To: Housing and Land Use Committee
Maui County Council
Date: June 7, 2025
Re: Testimony Opposing Bill 9
Submitted by: Honu Hawaii Home LLC
Unit 408, Ma‘alaea Kai Condominium
Ma‘alaea, Maui, HI
Aloha Chair Kama and Honorable Committee Members,
We submit this testimony on behalf of Honu Hawaii Home LLC, a small, family-run business that owns and operates Unit 408 in the Ma‘alaea Kai condominium complex. For the past 12 years, we have operated in full compliance with all tax, regulatory, and community standards. We are part of a broader community of responsible short-term rental (STR) owners who care deeply about Maui’s people, places, and future.
As we expressed in our testimony last June, we extend our deepest sympathies to those still impacted by the devastating Lahaina wildfires. The pain and loss are profound and ongoing. In support, we’ve contributed to Maui Strong, the Maui Humane Society, and Women Helping Women, and continue to back local organizations including the Pacific Whale Foundation the Maui Ocean Center, and the Ma‘alaea Village Association (MVA). We exclusively hire local service providers — from property managers and housekeepers to maintenance teams, electricians, and plumbers — who rely directly on STR-supported income. We guide our guests to local businesses such as the Ma‘alaea General Store, the Maui Ocean Center, Pacific Whale Foundation, and Ma‘alaea’s restaurants and shops. Many of our responsible and conscientious guests return year after year, sharing how staying in the Ma‘alaea area helps them feel a deeper connection to preserving Maui’s precious beauty and appreciating its vibrant, diverse people.
We respectfully urge you to oppose Bill 9 as written. While we fully support the goal of addressing Maui’s housing crisis, this bill’s broad-based approach is unlikely to deliver its intended benefits and carries a high risk of unintentionally harming the very residents and workers it aims to help.
The recent UHERO economic report projects that phasing out all STRs on the Minatoya List would eliminate thousands of local jobs. It would slash state and county tax revenues by tens of millions annually and remove over $1 billion per year from Maui’s economy. These losses will disproportionately harm local workers — cleaners, landscapers, contractors, and vendors — who depend on STRs for their livelihoods. This would come at a time of immense global economic fragility, thus further compounding the pressures already facing everyday families.
As emphasized in the MVA’s testimony, it is important to note that Ma‘alaea condominiums — including Ma‘alaea Kai — were never designed or priced for long-term residential use. Our understanding is that the first landing strip and hotel on Maui were built in Ma‘alaea and that these condominium complexes on Hauoli Street were built to accommodate visitors. Also, high and rising costs related to sanitary treatment facilities, insurance, sea wall maintenance, flood risk, and general infrastructure upkeep make these units ill-suited for affordability-based housing solutions. STR income helps ensure buildings like these are safely maintained and retain their value, while also supporting many small businesses in the Village that rely on local visitor traffic.
We believe a more balanced, data-informed approach is needed — one that targets truly viable pathways to affordable housing; enforces against illegal transient rentals; and upholds responsible STR operations that stabilize Maui’s economy with jobs and revenue streams that benefit all the people of Maui.
We remain committed to being part of the solution and stand ready to collaborate on thoughtful, forward-looking strategies that serve both the housing and economic needs.
With deep respect and sincere gratitude for your public service,
/s/ Sonny Cave & Stefanie Workman
Owners, Honu Hawaii Home LLC
Ma‘alaea Kai Condominium Unit 408, Maui
We support Bill 9. Apartment zoned buildings should never have been allowed to be utilized as short-term rentals. Many other states have counties that limit the use of condominium apartments so that they cannot be rented out on a short-term basis; some ban it outright, some for not less than 30 days. Short-term rentals in apartment zoned buildings put a strain on local resources, remove apartments from housing the local workforce and detract from the residential feel of the neighborhood. Please pass Bill 9.
I write to add my voice to those asking you to vote against bill 9 and the phase-out of Short-Term Rentals on the Minatoya List.
I own a one-bedroom unit in the Kamaole Sands complex. My unit is only 818 square feet and would not be appropriate for long-term housing. I understand Kamaole Sands was approved and built as a short-term rental complex.
I do not see how it would be economically viable for me, or any other owner to rent their unit long-term at anything approaching an affordable price. In a typical month, my expenses run around $1400.00, and local taxes run another $822.51. Last tax year, my property tax was an additional $713.13 per month. Our Homeowners Association dues are $769.00 a month. On top of this, the Homeowners' Association has levied a $36,000.00 assessment on owners to pay for long-term infrastructure repairs. These costs would make our units very expensive, even before the owner's mortgages were considered.
In addition to the economic damage the phase-out of Short-Term Rentals on the Minatoya List would do to the thousands of owners of these units, the economic impact on Maui would be significant.
The Short-Term Vacation Rental units provide accommodations for 1/3 of the visitors to Maui each year. These visitors, in turn, provide jobs in direct support of the units and in all the small businesses these visitors use. The people who come to Maui and stay in these units likely cannot afford to stay in the Fairmont or Sheraton for two weeks and will vacation elsewhere. This loss of visitor dollars will result in job losses and business closures, as well as a significant reduction in revenue for the County, seriously jeopardizing the County's ability to provide services.
The most crucial factor is that this does not solve the housing problem on Maui. Maui needs jobs and affordable housing. This will result in job losses and fail to provide the necessary housing.
Testimony to the Maui County Council
RE: Opposition to Proposed Legislation Phasing Out Vacation Rentals
Date: June, 8 2025
To: Maui County Council Members
From: Michelle Padilla
Subject: Strong Opposition to Phasing Out Over 7,000 Vacation Rentals
Aloha Council Members,
I am writing today to express my strong and heartfelt opposition to the proposed legislation that would phase out over 7,000 legal, tax-paying vacation rentals in Maui County. This measure would not only devastate our economy—it would also restrict access to the island for working families like mine.
1. Short-Term Rentals Provided My Family with the Only Way to Visit Maui.
Growing up, my family had a very limited income, but we were able to visit Maui because of short-term rentals. Hotels were simply not an option—they were too expensive and lacked the flexibility we needed. Vacation rentals gave us the chance to experience the island affordably, cook our own meals, and spend quality time together as a family. This legislation would eliminate that opportunity for countless families like mine. The idea that Maui should only be accessible to the wealthy is deeply unjust.
2. Economic Fallout for Local Workers and Small Businesses
The proposed phase-out would result in thousands of lost jobs and would severely impact local workers—housekeepers, landscapers, handymen, and many others who rely on this sector for steady employment. The ripple effect on small businesses—restaurants, activity providers, local shops—would be devastating.
3. Significant Loss of Tax Revenue
Vacation rentals generate millions in Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), General Excise Tax (GET), and property taxes. These revenues fund schools, road repairs, emergency services, and community programs. Losing them would create a massive budget shortfall that could harm the very people the legislation claims to protect.
4. Betrayal of Law-Abiding Property Owners
Many of these vacation rentals have been operating legally for years, under County-issued permits and regulations. To retroactively revoke those rights would be a betrayal of trust—and would send the message that following the rules offers no security or protection.
5. Misguided Approach to Affordable Housing
This legislation does not address the root causes of the housing crisis. Most short-term rentals are not affordable for long-term residents due to location, zoning, or size. Eliminating them will not automatically result in homes for locals. We need real, data-driven affordable housing strategies—not symbolic actions with devastating real-world consequences.
6. Damage to Tourism Recovery and Maui’s Reputation
Our island is still recovering economically and emotionally from the recent wildfires and global downturn. Reducing lodging options now sends a message that Maui is unwelcoming—and will discourage the very type of responsible visitors who support our local economy.
Conclusion
I urge you to reconsider this legislation and vote NO on the proposal to phase out short-term rentals. Let’s focus instead on regulation, fairness, and real solutions. Protect our economy, our workers, our visitors, and our values.
Mahalo for your time and thoughtful consideration.
A modern enlightened society should take care of its people. However, taking away existing property uses and pointing fingers at TVRs is a blatant attempt to divert attention away from the wholly incompetent efforts by the State and County to create workforce housing over the last three decades. Do your job, make legit housing projects. Don’t just steal property rights from others!
A quick search 5 min ago showed 420 properties on Maui for sale right now for under $800,000. If the aim of the county and Bill 9 is really to increase affordable housing then why aren't you buying up every one of these and housing people NOW? They're available immediately and the overall cost will be far far less than the economic, legal and personal $ costs to all Maui residents if this poorly thought out bill is passed. Bissen could start the ball rolling if he cares so much - buy a few and rent them out for below market/below cost rents. Let's see if that ever happens! Say NO to Bill 9. I do not own Minatoya unit. I am a full time resident of Maui. And I think this is very, very destructive legislation.
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee:
As a short-term rental owner, I strongly oppose Bill 9, though I fully support the urgent need for more affordable housing on Maui. That said, eliminating legal short-term rentals would significantly reduce tax revenue and increase unemployment—two outcomes that no one wants for our island.
Hawaii’s geographic isolation makes its housing challenges unique, but not exclusive. Across the country, communities are facing similar pressures. In the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, housing costs have forced workers to commute up to 90 minutes each way from towns like Tracy, CA. Maui’s challenges are part of a broader issue that requires thoughtful, localized solutions.
I urge the County to pursue more creative and constructive approaches. One option would be to mandate that a set percentage of STR-related tax revenues be earmarked specifically for affordable housing efforts. This would allow Maui to continue benefiting from the economic contributions of STRs while directly funding the housing our local residents need.
June 8, 2025
To: Maui County Housing and Land Use (HLU) Committee
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Buddy Ratner, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County. 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.
The island of Maui is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Furthermore, the Hawaiian culture offers a vibrant tapestry of art, music and beliefs – it is generous, ecologically sound and loving of life and the spirit of the land. I first embraced the “beauty of the land” in a visit in 1970’s. After many, many visits I appreciated that I would like to a part of this community – to contribute to this community, and to share the “beauty of the land” with others. The short-term rental (STR) mechanism offers me (not a wealthy person) a means to do that.
I am a responsible and community-oriented owner. I recommend local restaurants and tour guides in my guests and friends. Let me especially offer a shout-out to Maui Sunday Jazz at the Ku’ia Estate Chocolate Factory – a loving, local event that brings income to the community, charitable contributions to the community and showcases vibrant elements of the Maui community. My guests and I regularly contribute to Sunday Jazz and other local arts events. In addition, I employ local service providers — cleaners, maintenance techs, contractors and landscapers — many of whom have become friends over the years.
The short-term vacation rental option, in contrast to the big hotels, permits our guest to experience the wonderful Maui community, shopping in local grocery stores and engaging many community businesses. If the only option for our guests was to stay in a big hotel, the hotel chains would profit, with minimal interaction with the local community and little going back directly to local businesses. Those hotel chains, massive commercial enterprises, do not have their corporate headquarters in Maui. I do not think they represent the generous spirit of aloha!
This legislation feels rushed and one-sided. 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 Maui economy, and holds STR owners to high standards for maintaining attractive, community-oriented properties, instead of phasing us out completely.
Mahalo for your consideration of this matter that so significantly impacts beautiful Maui.
Sincerely,
Buddy Ratner
206-369-6601
ratner.buddy@gmail.com
Dear Mayor Bissen, Distinguished Council Members, and Maui Residents,
My name is Michael Edward Krupnick, I’ve been a resident of Maui for over 50 years, a former successful business owner deeply invested in this community, and a parent of children with Hawaiian blood, I stand firmly against Bill 9 and the proposed STR phaseout. This isn't a theoretical exercise for me; it's about the very real impact on my family, my neighbors, and the fabric of our island.
The article paints a rosy picture of economic benefits, but it ignores the devastating consequences for countless individuals and families who rely on short-term rentals to make ends meet. It dismisses the hard work and dedication of small business owners like myself who have poured their hearts and souls into creating these rentals, contributing significantly to the local economy.
We've always given back to the community, supporting local charities and initiatives. We've treated our guests with aloha, sharing the beauty and culture of Maui. To suggest that we are somehow detrimental to the island is not only insulting but demonstrably false.
This bill threatens to displace families, destroy livelihoods, and further erode the middle class on Maui. It ignores the fact that many homeowners rely on STR income to afford their mortgages, especially in a place as expensive as Hawaii. Where are these people supposed to go? What will become of the local businesses that depend on the tourism generated by these rentals?
The claim that this will magically create affordable housing is a pipe dream. The real problem is a lack of investment in genuinely affordable housing solutions, not the existence of STRs. This bill is a band-aid solution that will inflict far more pain than it alleviates.
I urge our lawmakers to reconsider this misguided policy and instead focus on sustainable solutions that support both our residents and our tourism industry. We need to find a balance that respects our community, preserves our culture, and protects our economy, not destroy it with sweeping, ill-conceived legislation like Bill 9. This isn't about progress; it's about pushing long-time residents off the island and further enriching those who already have enough. It's a betrayal of the spirit of aloha and a devastating blow to the heart of Maui.
V/r
Michael Edward Krupnick
273 Wailua Nui Rd, Haiku, HI 96708
Please consider an amendment for the local residents who own an STR to be able to keep it. This Bill is to help the local residents with the housing shortage. Taking an STR from a local family who is using that income to help their Ohana is not the right thing to do and it will HURT a local resident, instead of HELP them.
ALL Local residents have suffered financially for years with Covid and the fires. Many locals who own STRS are using that income to pay for family care like cancer treatments or to help their families with housing needs. It is not right to take that income from a local family, leaving them broke, to help with housing locals.
So, if Bill 9 is passed, I hope you consider ALL LOCAL RESIDENTS, and amend the Bill to say that if you are a Full-time resident of Maui you are allowed to keep your current STR.
I also know that Bill 9 will NOT help with affordable housing or housing needs as it has been proven this past year that no local resident wants them. This past year tons of these Minatoya list condos have been sitting on the market at almost half the price they were a year ago and they are not selling. Locals are not buying them due to the high monthly costs and the requirement from lenders to have hurricane insurance for these condos by the water. Mainland investors will buy them eventually. They are waiting to see how this Bill 9 goes and they will buy these up at discount prices for a second home. They will NOT long-term rent them out because the costs are double what they could get for long-term rent.
I have heard the recent HLU meetings, where the budget is about 4 billion for several brand-new affordable housing units to be built with subsidies. That is what the Maui residents need and want. They will be in a huge line for that housing, but NOBODY is standing in line for these Minatoya list condos. Scratch Bill 9 and keep all the billions of dollars that the UHERO study has said the county will lose, and put that towards housing. So many people will have leave island if Bill 9 passes from the reduction in tourists and tourist money. Businesses closing, and jobs lost. Bill 9 does not make sense at all! Please don't pass it! I know people don't want to rely on tourism for the economy but until we FIRST, figure out how to sustain the local economy without tourism money, we need to keep tourism. Otherwise, a tidal wave of people will have to leave island from lost businesses and lost jobs.
Mahalo for listening and I hope you make the right decision.
As a full time Maui resident with my husband since 1996 and owner and operator of a STR since 1999 which is NOT in the apartment zone, I strongly oppose the shutting down of nearly 7,000 STRs. Multiple studies including UHERO forecast more than a $900 million loss in visitor spending should this bill be passed. Additionally, in Maui's tourism driven economy, 1900 jobs would be at risk. I ask that you reconsider, reject this bill and begin building realistic, appropriate and affordable housing immediately.
My wife and I have owned our vacation rental condo for 25 years, and although we are not directly impacted, since we are hotel zoned, we feel strongly that the loss of income to local businesses and the loss of substantial tax revenue would be devastating for many of us. Already, because of this attitude shown towards guests by the county, our condo reservations have dropped off considerably. When I consider how much we paid in combined property, GE, TA and state income taxes of over $30,000 for just one unit last year, I wonder why those tax revenues weren't used for affordable housing, and how you plan to replace those funds without TVR's. I'm sorry, but this bill seems wildly corrupt and would serve only to put more money in the pockets of corporate owned hotels. It is also appalling that the mayor could simply shrug off peoples' investments as "involving risk of loss." How heartless is that? I am 85 years old and will have a difficult time recovering from the current downswing in tourism as it is. There are a lot of sane solutions to the housing crisis, many of which are outlined in the comments here. Please reject this malevolent bill!
I own a small condo in Kahana. I have had short term guests for 6 years. I pay taxes monthly, help support my housekeepers family and my maintenance persons family. I recommend local businesses to my guests. I am proud to be a small but important contributor to the West Side economy. I have watched so many local businesses close during this STR mess! I can’t keep skilled contractor s to maintain my property they had left the island because business is so bad…
Blocking STR has to be the most irresponsible financial decision the councils could make. Face it the island is barely making it now… can you pls think what it would be like without STR?!?
Please think of the people who love and financially support our island and vote NO on the banning of STR.
operated under long-standing county approvals and legal frameworks. Abruptly changing the rules threatens property rights and could result in costly legal challenges for the county.
The exemption for timeshares appears arbitrary and unfair, as both timeshares and vacation rentals serve visitors and often exist in the same complexes. This inconsistency further erodes trust in the process and the fairness of the legislation.
A Call for Balanced Solutions
I respectfully urge the Council to consider alternative approaches that address the housing crisis without causing collateral damage to Maui’s economy and property owners. Options such as tiered tax increases on short-term rentals, auctioning limited permits, or incentivizing voluntary conversion to long-term rentals could provide meaningful results while preserving economic stability.
Let’s work together to create policies that expand affordable housing, protect property rights, and sustain Maui’s unique community and economy for generations to come.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Please put this divisive bill behind us and move forward with more promising options for increasing housing availability. Thank you.
Oppose
Opposing Short-Term Rental Phase-Out.
My family have owned a small one bedroom one bath condo in Wailea Ekahi since it was built in 1976. We never had to rent it till 2 years ago because of the increasing high cost of ownership. The emotional impact of this bill is being well documented in the vast amount of comments opposing this bill, so we will just state the real true costs that make it impossible to fulfill the goal of creating “affordable” housing from our unit. The Facts are these: our unit is small 700 sq ft. Yet the cost to keep our unit is close to $50,000 per year with property tax just increasing to over $20,000 per year. HOA fees, energy costs, maintenance etc., make up the rest. This is not counting the high tax payments we make for GE, TA and state income taxes. We would have to charge over $4,200 per month just to break even. There is a huge misconception about most condo owners being wealthy and these units being 3-4-5th vacation properties making them large sums of money. This is not true for the owners we know. We just want to be able to afford to keep our properties and support the local economy, as we have been doing for many years.
Chair, Vice Chair, and Council Members,
I write to express my family’s concern and opposition to Bill 9, the proposed phase-out of short-term rentals. We respectfully request to reconsider any ban of what we believe to not be part of a solution to create affordable housing, which is likely to result in irreparable further economic harm for years to come to many of our/your community residents and businesses, and that specifically, resort areas as Kapalua should be excluded from any ban of STVR.
My wife and I, Jenny and Craig Reynolds, own a condo at The Ridge at Kapalua Resort. I have been visiting Maui since 1978 when working in Honolulu and then decided in 2006 our second home would be at the Ridge. We travel multiple times a year to Maui where we now have many friends and where we are engaged in many organizations, have positions on multiple Boards, and support many community non-profits and businesses on the island. As we know, the fire created enormous hardships for countless numbers of our associates and friends, many lost everything including our nephew, a former resident of Lahaina.
Kapalua, as all resort area condominiums and timeshares, was legally established and designed as second homes and with a designation to use for short term rentals. A typical mortgage on one of these condos, unless cash paid, would cost a new owner more than $10,000 per month simply for the mortgage. A family would need a net annual income of $180k for a 1 bedroom. A ban of STVR would have to result in a devaluation of resort condominiums of more than 65% in order to be viably affordable. And devaluing will not substantially occur as the properties still maintain a highly desirable use as second homes. These properties are simply not nor will be affordable or appropriate for the majority of those seeking permanent housing.
Today the owners of these resort units pay millions in county taxes, spend millions supporting local businesses, and only marginally and slightly impact the infrastructure of the island due to only being on island occasionally. We are responsible, community and business minded owners who love Maui deeply.
Again, we are opposed to Bill 9. Please seek an appropriate and fair path forward—one that supports residents, reflects the Aloha Spirit and encourages those who visit and help sustain the Maui economy.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Craig and Jenny Reynolds
The Ridge, Kapalua
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair U’u-Hodgins and House and Land Use Committee
We purchased our condo at the Papakea in 2015 as a legal vacation property.
Since our purchase we have employed many who live on Maui for various services they provide. Of these our manager Dave Matthew’s has been dedicated to attend to our condo , us as owners and to everyone that visit our place. So this decision is personal to us as I know with certainty and as he testified this is his sourse of income for him and family .
We at the Papakea support many including
Those who manage the office, pest control, Allen’s Plumbing, Minds Eye furniture ,
Local restaurants, Bad Ass Coffee , as well the local grocery stores.
Tonight we have friends visiting and 6 of us will attend Old Lāhainā Lu’au . The price is a little higher than before however we are grateful they have reopened . My guess is no visitors they will again close.
As we at the Papakea are in the midst of a major plumbing project, seawall repair, increased AOAO fees , special assessments
And fire insurance that is in the millions
I am also requesting you remove the Papakea Resort from this bill.
Thank you for allowing our comments as owners .
Jayne and Warren Grinnell
Papakea D109
It is essential to begin the process of recovering housing for Maui County residents. There is far more than enough accommodations for out of state visitors. Please ensure the equity of our residents to live and prosper in their home islands.
Prefatory Note: We previously submitted a comment in opposition to Bill 9 earlier today before 10 am local time in Hawaii, but we are not seeing our comment posted on-line with other comments that appear to have been submitted at the same time. Hence we are re-submitting our comment now and also are emailing it to the County Clerk's Office so to help ensure that our voices are heard in all official hearings relating to Bill 9.
To: Housing and Land Use Committee
Maui County Council
Date: June 7, 2025
Re: Testimony Opposing Bill 9
Submitted by: Honu Hawaii Home LLC
Unit 408, Ma‘alaea Kai Condominium
Ma‘alaea, Maui, HI
Aloha Chair Kama and Honorable Committee Members,
We submit this testimony on behalf of Honu Hawaii Home LLC, a small, family-run business that owns and operates Unit 408 in the Ma‘alaea Kai condominium complex. For the past 12 years, we have operated in full compliance with all tax, regulatory, and community standards. We are part of a broader community of responsible short-term rental (STR) owners who care deeply about Maui’s people, places, and future.
As we expressed in our testimony last June, we extend our deepest sympathies to those still impacted by the devastating Lahaina wildfires. The pain and loss are profound and ongoing. In support, we’ve contributed to Maui Strong, the Maui Humane Society, and Women Helping Women, and continue to back local organizations including the Pacific Whale Foundation the Maui Ocean Center, and the Ma‘alaea Village Association (MVA). We exclusively hire local service providers — from property managers and housekeepers to maintenance teams, electricians, and plumbers — who rely directly on STR-supported income. We guide our guests to local businesses such as the Ma‘alaea General Store, the Maui Ocean Center, Pacific Whale Foundation, and Ma‘alaea’s restaurants and shops. Many of our responsible and conscientious guests return year after year, sharing how staying in the Ma‘alaea area helps them feel a deeper connection to preserving Maui’s precious beauty and appreciating its vibrant, diverse people.
We respectfully urge you to oppose Bill 9 as written. While we fully support the goal of addressing Maui’s housing crisis, this bill’s broad-based approach is unlikely to deliver its intended benefits and carries a high risk of unintentionally harming the very residents and workers it aims to help.
The recent UHERO economic report projects that phasing out all STRs on the Minatoya List would eliminate thousands of local jobs. It would slash state and county tax revenues by tens of millions annually and remove over $1 billion per year from Maui’s economy. These losses will disproportionately harm local workers — cleaners, landscapers, contractors, and vendors — who depend on STRs for their livelihoods. This would come at a time of immense global economic fragility, thus further compounding the pressures already facing everyday families.
As emphasized in the MVA’s testimony, it is important to note that Ma‘alaea condominiums — including Ma‘alaea Kai — were never designed or priced for long-term residential use. Our understanding is that the first landing strip and hotel on Maui were built in Ma‘alaea and that these condominium complexes on Hauoli Street were built to accommodate visitors. Also, high and rising costs related to sanitary treatment facilities, insurance, sea wall maintenance, flood risk, and general infrastructure upkeep make these units ill-suited for affordability-based housing solutions. STR income helps ensure buildings like these are safely maintained and retain their value, while also supporting many small businesses in the Village that rely on local visitor traffic.
We believe a more balanced, data-informed approach is needed — one that targets truly viable pathways to affordable housing; enforces against illegal transient rentals; and upholds responsible STR operations that stabilize Maui’s economy with jobs and revenue streams that benefit all the people of Maui.
We remain committed to being part of the solution and stand ready to collaborate on thoughtful, forward-looking strategies that serve both the housing and economic needs.
With deep respect and sincere gratitude for your public service,
/s/ Sonny Cave & Stefanie Workman
Owners, Honu Hawaii Home LLC
Ma‘alaea Kai Condominium Unit 408, Maui
I oppose Bill 9.
We support Bill 9. Apartment zoned buildings should never have been allowed to be utilized as short-term rentals. Many other states have counties that limit the use of condominium apartments so that they cannot be rented out on a short-term basis; some ban it outright, some for not less than 30 days. Short-term rentals in apartment zoned buildings put a strain on local resources, remove apartments from housing the local workforce and detract from the residential feel of the neighborhood. Please pass Bill 9.
Aloha:
I write to add my voice to those asking you to vote against bill 9 and the phase-out of Short-Term Rentals on the Minatoya List.
I own a one-bedroom unit in the Kamaole Sands complex. My unit is only 818 square feet and would not be appropriate for long-term housing. I understand Kamaole Sands was approved and built as a short-term rental complex.
I do not see how it would be economically viable for me, or any other owner to rent their unit long-term at anything approaching an affordable price. In a typical month, my expenses run around $1400.00, and local taxes run another $822.51. Last tax year, my property tax was an additional $713.13 per month. Our Homeowners Association dues are $769.00 a month. On top of this, the Homeowners' Association has levied a $36,000.00 assessment on owners to pay for long-term infrastructure repairs. These costs would make our units very expensive, even before the owner's mortgages were considered.
In addition to the economic damage the phase-out of Short-Term Rentals on the Minatoya List would do to the thousands of owners of these units, the economic impact on Maui would be significant.
The Short-Term Vacation Rental units provide accommodations for 1/3 of the visitors to Maui each year. These visitors, in turn, provide jobs in direct support of the units and in all the small businesses these visitors use. The people who come to Maui and stay in these units likely cannot afford to stay in the Fairmont or Sheraton for two weeks and will vacation elsewhere. This loss of visitor dollars will result in job losses and business closures, as well as a significant reduction in revenue for the County, seriously jeopardizing the County's ability to provide services.
The most crucial factor is that this does not solve the housing problem on Maui. Maui needs jobs and affordable housing. This will result in job losses and fail to provide the necessary housing.
I urge you to vote against Bill 9.
Thank you,
David Sanders
Testimony to the Maui County Council
RE: Opposition to Proposed Legislation Phasing Out Vacation Rentals
Date: June, 8 2025
To: Maui County Council Members
From: Michelle Padilla
Subject: Strong Opposition to Phasing Out Over 7,000 Vacation Rentals
Aloha Council Members,
I am writing today to express my strong and heartfelt opposition to the proposed legislation that would phase out over 7,000 legal, tax-paying vacation rentals in Maui County. This measure would not only devastate our economy—it would also restrict access to the island for working families like mine.
1. Short-Term Rentals Provided My Family with the Only Way to Visit Maui.
Growing up, my family had a very limited income, but we were able to visit Maui because of short-term rentals. Hotels were simply not an option—they were too expensive and lacked the flexibility we needed. Vacation rentals gave us the chance to experience the island affordably, cook our own meals, and spend quality time together as a family. This legislation would eliminate that opportunity for countless families like mine. The idea that Maui should only be accessible to the wealthy is deeply unjust.
2. Economic Fallout for Local Workers and Small Businesses
The proposed phase-out would result in thousands of lost jobs and would severely impact local workers—housekeepers, landscapers, handymen, and many others who rely on this sector for steady employment. The ripple effect on small businesses—restaurants, activity providers, local shops—would be devastating.
3. Significant Loss of Tax Revenue
Vacation rentals generate millions in Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), General Excise Tax (GET), and property taxes. These revenues fund schools, road repairs, emergency services, and community programs. Losing them would create a massive budget shortfall that could harm the very people the legislation claims to protect.
4. Betrayal of Law-Abiding Property Owners
Many of these vacation rentals have been operating legally for years, under County-issued permits and regulations. To retroactively revoke those rights would be a betrayal of trust—and would send the message that following the rules offers no security or protection.
5. Misguided Approach to Affordable Housing
This legislation does not address the root causes of the housing crisis. Most short-term rentals are not affordable for long-term residents due to location, zoning, or size. Eliminating them will not automatically result in homes for locals. We need real, data-driven affordable housing strategies—not symbolic actions with devastating real-world consequences.
6. Damage to Tourism Recovery and Maui’s Reputation
Our island is still recovering economically and emotionally from the recent wildfires and global downturn. Reducing lodging options now sends a message that Maui is unwelcoming—and will discourage the very type of responsible visitors who support our local economy.
Conclusion
I urge you to reconsider this legislation and vote NO on the proposal to phase out short-term rentals. Let’s focus instead on regulation, fairness, and real solutions. Protect our economy, our workers, our visitors, and our values.
Mahalo for your time and thoughtful consideration.
Respectfully,
Michelle Padilla
Kaleialoha Owner
MtPadilla92@Gmail.Com
510-461-4062
A modern enlightened society should take care of its people. However, taking away existing property uses and pointing fingers at TVRs is a blatant attempt to divert attention away from the wholly incompetent efforts by the State and County to create workforce housing over the last three decades. Do your job, make legit housing projects. Don’t just steal property rights from others!
A quick search 5 min ago showed 420 properties on Maui for sale right now for under $800,000. If the aim of the county and Bill 9 is really to increase affordable housing then why aren't you buying up every one of these and housing people NOW? They're available immediately and the overall cost will be far far less than the economic, legal and personal $ costs to all Maui residents if this poorly thought out bill is passed. Bissen could start the ball rolling if he cares so much - buy a few and rent them out for below market/below cost rents. Let's see if that ever happens! Say NO to Bill 9. I do not own Minatoya unit. I am a full time resident of Maui. And I think this is very, very destructive legislation.
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee:
As a short-term rental owner, I strongly oppose Bill 9, though I fully support the urgent need for more affordable housing on Maui. That said, eliminating legal short-term rentals would significantly reduce tax revenue and increase unemployment—two outcomes that no one wants for our island.
Hawaii’s geographic isolation makes its housing challenges unique, but not exclusive. Across the country, communities are facing similar pressures. In the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, housing costs have forced workers to commute up to 90 minutes each way from towns like Tracy, CA. Maui’s challenges are part of a broader issue that requires thoughtful, localized solutions.
I urge the County to pursue more creative and constructive approaches. One option would be to mandate that a set percentage of STR-related tax revenues be earmarked specifically for affordable housing efforts. This would allow Maui to continue benefiting from the economic contributions of STRs while directly funding the housing our local residents need.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Reno F. Morella
June 8, 2025
To: Maui County Housing and Land Use (HLU) Committee
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Buddy Ratner, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County. 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.
The island of Maui is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Furthermore, the Hawaiian culture offers a vibrant tapestry of art, music and beliefs – it is generous, ecologically sound and loving of life and the spirit of the land. I first embraced the “beauty of the land” in a visit in 1970’s. After many, many visits I appreciated that I would like to a part of this community – to contribute to this community, and to share the “beauty of the land” with others. The short-term rental (STR) mechanism offers me (not a wealthy person) a means to do that.
I am a responsible and community-oriented owner. I recommend local restaurants and tour guides in my guests and friends. Let me especially offer a shout-out to Maui Sunday Jazz at the Ku’ia Estate Chocolate Factory – a loving, local event that brings income to the community, charitable contributions to the community and showcases vibrant elements of the Maui community. My guests and I regularly contribute to Sunday Jazz and other local arts events. In addition, I employ local service providers — cleaners, maintenance techs, contractors and landscapers — many of whom have become friends over the years.
The short-term vacation rental option, in contrast to the big hotels, permits our guest to experience the wonderful Maui community, shopping in local grocery stores and engaging many community businesses. If the only option for our guests was to stay in a big hotel, the hotel chains would profit, with minimal interaction with the local community and little going back directly to local businesses. Those hotel chains, massive commercial enterprises, do not have their corporate headquarters in Maui. I do not think they represent the generous spirit of aloha!
This legislation feels rushed and one-sided. 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 Maui economy, and holds STR owners to high standards for maintaining attractive, community-oriented properties, instead of phasing us out completely.
Mahalo for your consideration of this matter that so significantly impacts beautiful Maui.
Sincerely,
Buddy Ratner
206-369-6601
ratner.buddy@gmail.com
Dear Mayor Bissen, Distinguished Council Members, and Maui Residents,
My name is Michael Edward Krupnick, I’ve been a resident of Maui for over 50 years, a former successful business owner deeply invested in this community, and a parent of children with Hawaiian blood, I stand firmly against Bill 9 and the proposed STR phaseout. This isn't a theoretical exercise for me; it's about the very real impact on my family, my neighbors, and the fabric of our island.
The article paints a rosy picture of economic benefits, but it ignores the devastating consequences for countless individuals and families who rely on short-term rentals to make ends meet. It dismisses the hard work and dedication of small business owners like myself who have poured their hearts and souls into creating these rentals, contributing significantly to the local economy.
We've always given back to the community, supporting local charities and initiatives. We've treated our guests with aloha, sharing the beauty and culture of Maui. To suggest that we are somehow detrimental to the island is not only insulting but demonstrably false.
This bill threatens to displace families, destroy livelihoods, and further erode the middle class on Maui. It ignores the fact that many homeowners rely on STR income to afford their mortgages, especially in a place as expensive as Hawaii. Where are these people supposed to go? What will become of the local businesses that depend on the tourism generated by these rentals?
The claim that this will magically create affordable housing is a pipe dream. The real problem is a lack of investment in genuinely affordable housing solutions, not the existence of STRs. This bill is a band-aid solution that will inflict far more pain than it alleviates.
I urge our lawmakers to reconsider this misguided policy and instead focus on sustainable solutions that support both our residents and our tourism industry. We need to find a balance that respects our community, preserves our culture, and protects our economy, not destroy it with sweeping, ill-conceived legislation like Bill 9. This isn't about progress; it's about pushing long-time residents off the island and further enriching those who already have enough. It's a betrayal of the spirit of aloha and a devastating blow to the heart of Maui.
V/r
Michael Edward Krupnick
273 Wailua Nui Rd, Haiku, HI 96708
Please consider an amendment for the local residents who own an STR to be able to keep it. This Bill is to help the local residents with the housing shortage. Taking an STR from a local family who is using that income to help their Ohana is not the right thing to do and it will HURT a local resident, instead of HELP them.
ALL Local residents have suffered financially for years with Covid and the fires. Many locals who own STRS are using that income to pay for family care like cancer treatments or to help their families with housing needs. It is not right to take that income from a local family, leaving them broke, to help with housing locals.
So, if Bill 9 is passed, I hope you consider ALL LOCAL RESIDENTS, and amend the Bill to say that if you are a Full-time resident of Maui you are allowed to keep your current STR.
I also know that Bill 9 will NOT help with affordable housing or housing needs as it has been proven this past year that no local resident wants them. This past year tons of these Minatoya list condos have been sitting on the market at almost half the price they were a year ago and they are not selling. Locals are not buying them due to the high monthly costs and the requirement from lenders to have hurricane insurance for these condos by the water. Mainland investors will buy them eventually. They are waiting to see how this Bill 9 goes and they will buy these up at discount prices for a second home. They will NOT long-term rent them out because the costs are double what they could get for long-term rent.
I have heard the recent HLU meetings, where the budget is about 4 billion for several brand-new affordable housing units to be built with subsidies. That is what the Maui residents need and want. They will be in a huge line for that housing, but NOBODY is standing in line for these Minatoya list condos. Scratch Bill 9 and keep all the billions of dollars that the UHERO study has said the county will lose, and put that towards housing. So many people will have leave island if Bill 9 passes from the reduction in tourists and tourist money. Businesses closing, and jobs lost. Bill 9 does not make sense at all! Please don't pass it! I know people don't want to rely on tourism for the economy but until we FIRST, figure out how to sustain the local economy without tourism money, we need to keep tourism. Otherwise, a tidal wave of people will have to leave island from lost businesses and lost jobs.
Mahalo for listening and I hope you make the right decision.
Karen Smart
As a full time Maui resident with my husband since 1996 and owner and operator of a STR since 1999 which is NOT in the apartment zone, I strongly oppose the shutting down of nearly 7,000 STRs. Multiple studies including UHERO forecast more than a $900 million loss in visitor spending should this bill be passed. Additionally, in Maui's tourism driven economy, 1900 jobs would be at risk. I ask that you reconsider, reject this bill and begin building realistic, appropriate and affordable housing immediately.
Opposing Short-Term Rental Phase-Out.
My wife and I have owned our vacation rental condo for 25 years, and although we are not directly impacted, since we are hotel zoned, we feel strongly that the loss of income to local businesses and the loss of substantial tax revenue would be devastating for many of us. Already, because of this attitude shown towards guests by the county, our condo reservations have dropped off considerably. When I consider how much we paid in combined property, GE, TA and state income taxes of over $30,000 for just one unit last year, I wonder why those tax revenues weren't used for affordable housing, and how you plan to replace those funds without TVR's. I'm sorry, but this bill seems wildly corrupt and would serve only to put more money in the pockets of corporate owned hotels. It is also appalling that the mayor could simply shrug off peoples' investments as "involving risk of loss." How heartless is that? I am 85 years old and will have a difficult time recovering from the current downswing in tourism as it is. There are a lot of sane solutions to the housing crisis, many of which are outlined in the comments here. Please reject this malevolent bill!
I own a small condo in Kahana. I have had short term guests for 6 years. I pay taxes monthly, help support my housekeepers family and my maintenance persons family. I recommend local businesses to my guests. I am proud to be a small but important contributor to the West Side economy. I have watched so many local businesses close during this STR mess! I can’t keep skilled contractor s to maintain my property they had left the island because business is so bad…
Blocking STR has to be the most irresponsible financial decision the councils could make. Face it the island is barely making it now… can you pls think what it would be like without STR?!?
Please think of the people who love and financially support our island and vote NO on the banning of STR.