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)
June 4, 2025
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 condominiums 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, handypeople, 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 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,
Elizabeth Jensen
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Apartment H205
Lahaina HI 96761
Attachment
This bill (if passed) will cause jmany ob losses for local people. Please DO NOT pass this bill as is. Any current resort areas should definitely be exempt.
Subject: Opposition to Bill 9 and Request for Amendment to Exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins, and Esteemed Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to Bill 9 in its current form and to respectfully urge the Council to amend it to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort, which has long been recognized by the County as having A2-H2 zoning.
About Papakea Oceanfront Resort
Papakea was originally developed and sold as a property for legal short-term vacation rentals, well before any zoning regulations restricted such activities in apartment-zoned properties. For nearly five decades, Papakea owners have operated lawful vacation rentals. Unlike some properties that shifted from workforce housing to short-term rentals, Papakea has always functioned as a resort, not as residential housing. Most units are compact, under 600 square feet, with limited parking availability. Situated among hotel-zoned and commercially-zoned properties, Papakea is not part of a residential neighborhood. It features resort-style amenities such as a front desk, activity concierge, and shared recreational spaces, distinguishing it from typical long-term residential buildings.
Papakea owners purchased their units with the reasonable understanding that short-term rentals were permitted, based on Maui County ordinances dating back to 1989 and as recently as 2022. Relying on these ordinances, state laws, and constitutional protections, owners have made significant investments in renovations, furnishings, and long-term financial obligations like mortgages. Phasing out short-term rentals at Papakea would undermine these investment-backed expectations.
Papakea’s Community Contributions
Papakea’s resort operations sustain 35 full-time, benefited jobs for local residents, some of whom have been employed for over 17 years, advancing from entry-level roles to supervisory positions. The property also supports a diverse group of local tradespeople, including those in pest control, HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, painting, masonry, tile installation, fitness instruction, entertainment, and landscaping.
Contributions from Individual Owners
Short-term rentals at Papakea support numerous small businesses owned by Maui residents, including housekeepers, handymen, on-island agents, and contractors. These entrepreneurs set their own rates, schedules, and working conditions, enjoying the flexibility to operate independently. Eliminating short-term rentals at Papakea would disrupt these businesses, forcing local entrepreneurs to seek less flexible, lower-paying jobs under restrictive corporate policies.
Additionally, Papakea’s short-term rentals generate significant tax revenue for the State of Hawaii and Maui County, including property taxes (often at the short-term rental rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and Maui County Transient Accommodations Tax. Guests at Papakea patronize local businesses, such as restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, shops, state parks, and the national park, boosting the island’s economy. Both owners and guests actively engage in community initiatives, volunteering for beach cleanups, the Maui Humane Society, local hospitals, and other charitable and cultural organizations.
I appreciate the opportunity to provide input on this matter and thank the committee for its consideration.
Jordan Ruidas and other Lahaina Strong member are soliciting the community in order to find one or two people who used to live in Noelani back in 1993 so that she can then argue that all 7100 condos used to house locals.
I was born on Kauai in 1977. Moved to Maui in 1982. I was too young to notice what was going on with these places in the late 80's , but over my life I've seen them used as short term rentals mainly. Some have retired people in them, but for the most part, they've not been used for local residences. These Lahaina Strong radicals are straight up lying when they say that they'd want to live in these condos. Straight up lying when they say that these condos crept into residential neighborhoods. They haven't moved because they are BUILDINGS.
if the argument is that these used to be used for residential housing, wasn't it the prerogative of the LOCAL OWNER at the time whether they wanted to keep the condo or sell the condo? Then wasn't it the prerogative of the new owner to live in it, leave it vacant, rent it long term or rent it short term? IF these ever did house locals, they've had every opportunity to hold on to them as a primary residence, and over the years had every opportunity to buy them and use them for whatever use they wanted. If locals really used to own these then locals are the ones who really sold them. Aren't we a culture of personal responsibility?
These are condos that stack beside hotels in a heavy tourist area. Nobody wants to live there and they are lying if they say they'd want to now. What these guys want to do is reduce tourism.
The "good old days" to them was COVID. No traffic, nobody on the beach. Nevermind the death and all that.
The good old days were after the fire when they could dictate to the government when tourists could return, then become incandescent when the government couldn't be brought to heel.
All you hear on social media is "we need to heal", "we are dealing with so much trauma", but all my friends and all my family just want to get back to normal. But people like Mark Ing want to make sure we are perpetually a victim.
Anyway I don't support this bill because my brother's food truck needs tourists. Kai Nishiki - as much as I hate her - her family needs tourists to support her market.
Also, there are people who own these condos, not some nameless, faceless multinational.
They are being treated like collateral damage, and our community seems to accept that because of a lie they've been told about who they are. My sister cleans STRs and every owner is so kind and so generous to her.
If you want to bring down tourist numbers, then say that and do something to make that happen.
If you want housing for locals, then do things that GUARANTEE that will happen. This bill doesn't do that.
Right now all possible outcomes are negative. STR owners lose their business (because that's what this is to them), locals aren't guaranteed any housing. The county loses valuable revenues and taxes. Locals lose jobs.
WHO IS THIS BILL ACTUALLY BENEFITTING?? Not anyone I know.
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.
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins, and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee,
I am writing to respectfully oppose Bill 9 as currently drafted, and to urge the Council to amend the measure to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort, which the County has long recognized as having A-2/H-2 zoning.
Background on Papakea
Papakea was marketed and sold from its inception as a legal vacation rental property, well before zoning restrictions limited transient vacation rentals in apartment-zoned areas. For nearly 50 years, owners at Papakea have operated legal short-term rentals in good faith and in full compliance with the applicable laws and ordinances.
Importantly, Papakea has never been workforce housing. It did not convert from residential to vacation use—it was built and has always functioned as a resort property. Most of its units are under 600 square feet and are not suited to long-term residential living. The property lacks residential-scale parking and is located outside residential neighborhoods, surrounded instead by hotel-zoned and commercially-zoned properties.
Unlike apartment buildings designed for long-term residents, Papakea features resort-style amenities such as a front desk, activity concierge, shared recreation areas, and other hospitality infrastructure.
Owners purchased units with the clear and reasonable expectation—based on Maui County ordinances dating back to 1989 and reaffirmed as recently as 2022—that short-term rental use was legal. Many invested heavily in renovations, furnishings, and long-term mortgages. For the County to now abruptly revoke that right would violate both state law and constitutional protections, particularly regarding investment-backed expectations.
Economic and Community Contributions
Papakea supports the local Maui economy in multiple ways:
It provides full-time, benefited employment for 35 Maui residents, many of whom have built long careers at the property.
The resort contracts with a broad network of local tradespeople and service providers—from plumbers and electricians to yoga instructors and musicians.
Numerous small business owners—including housekeepers, on-island agents, and handymen—depend on Papakea for their livelihood. Many of these professionals are self-employed entrepreneurs whose independence and earnings would be severely threatened by a loss of STR activity.
Papakea pays substantial tax revenues including property taxes (often at the higher STR rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and the Maui County TAT.
Our guests support local businesses—restaurants, farmers markets, food trucks, tour companies, and cultural and recreational sites across the island.
Owners and guests also volunteer and give back to the community, participating in beach cleanups, supporting the Maui Humane Society, and contributing to local cultural and philanthropic initiatives.
In Closing
Papakea is not the problem Bill 9 is seeking to solve. It is not taking homes from residents. It is not destabilizing neighborhoods. Rather, it is a longstanding, legally operating resort property that has been a good neighbor and a positive economic force in West Maui.
I respectfully request that the Council amend Bill 9 to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort and allow it to continue operating as it has—lawfully, responsibly, and beneficially—for almost five decades.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment and for your service to the people of Maui.
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. Below I have listed some of the reasons I believe Papakea Oceanfront Resort should be excluded from Bill 9:
* 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.
Here are some of 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; many 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.
Here are just some of the individual Owner Contributions to the Community:
* Owners support/hire 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 on the opposition of Bill 9.
My Name is Mary Loventhal Jones and I am the owner of 3 condo on the West side of Maui.
We have been renting out units for many years and the people that come make the island viable. These people keep business open because they eat out, buy food, buy clothing,and perticipate in tourist activities. If you take these people away the business in the area will not survive. Thank you for your time
THE MATH AIN’T MATHIN’:
Not that it’s anyone’s business, but my lawfully owned STR private property (studio) costs me over 6k per month. AOAO alone is $1400. I am not going to bear the burden of renting long-term in an unfavorable landlord/tenant situation at a known loss. I’m not the government or a charity, and in my blue collar upbringing/life I have never had anyone prop me up let alone to the tune of 40-50k per year. Just so we are all clear, you would be asking me to subsidize a fellow adult’s life at an excess of $500,000 over a ten year period. That number also assumes no special assessments that are now the norm (I will be paying $80k for a plumbing project next year) or any other increases.
LEGAL/VESTED USE:
The false narrative we have proliferated seems to be coming from the predatory hotel industry. Hate to tell LS and their supporters but you can’t lose something you’ve never had. The property I own was designed and built to be a vacation rental property. The County has now also codified the legal TVR use on multiple occasions. My property has historically been referred to with dual A2/H2 zoning in County documents …only recently (and suspiciously) has the H2 notation been removed. I did the research on my unit and it’s never been anything but a vacation rental since inception in 1977. If housing and infrastructure is (and has been) such an issue why does the County continue to approve hotels and new resorts? As an example, why were westside Westin and Honua Kai properties ever built? Why so many Launiupoko and Kaanapali Coffee Farms mansions built? Why are single family homes deep in residential areas permitted to TVR? Why no crackdown on illegal rentals? Why is my nearly half century old, legal, STR property that’s never been anything but what it is now taking the fall for the mismanagement of the island?
IMMORALITY/COVETING:
Comments over the course of this process have included “hitting those financially vulnerable first.” Physical threats have been made to stab, slap, clap, and find STR owners. Threats to squat, damage, or otherwise harm properties have been made. Ironic that Jordan Rudias has a Bible verse in her IG profile while also having just put out a whiny rant on LS social media saying “we deserve this…we deserve this housing.” Gentle reminder about what the Bible says about coveting other’s things: “you shall not covet your neighbor’s house … nor anything else which is your neighbor’s”…said another way “the intense desire for what belongs to another person or entity, to the point where it’s an inordinate or excessive desire. It’s a deeper desire that can lead to a variety of negative emotions and behaviors including resentment, jealousy, and even bitterness.” During the planning commission testimony supporters openly admitted to being jealous. To wanting to take from others…even Bissen said that.
ANSWERS FOR EVERYTHING:
LS and other smooth brained folks spin everything…have an answer for everything even if it isn’t rooted in any realm of reality or facts. Defaults lately have been “you coming from a place of I”…um well it is my privately owned condo that I bought and am personally liable for financially and otherwise. They say these properties don’t provide jobs with benefits, but over 40% of my AOAO is personnel costs. These are good, benefitted jobs that pay beyond market rates. They say we don’t have a front desk, but we do. They say the profits (I don’t have profits) go offshore but in reality we pay the most in taxes (more than hotels), we spend off and on nearly 6 months on island and spend on rental cars, restaurants, groceries, gifts for family and friends, supplies and services to maintain our space, etc. We personally renovated our condo and paid well into the 6 figures to do so with all local businesses. We donate and volunteer locally (have for many many years), and definitely don’t need organized beach cleanups to care and do the right thing as we enjoy the ocean surfing, diving, swimming, etc. Can’t say I’ve ever burned a car or left a fridge along the side of the road but I know who has. I could go on forever on how inaccurate all the points made on the other side are.
XENOPHOBIA/RACISM:
I’ve watched and listened for nearly two years to the hateful and divisive rhetoric. We’ve been inhumanely referred to as colonizers, rapists, slavers, pimps, and so on. We have been told we aren’t welcome in the community…frankly aren’t part of it (ironic when you look at how much we contribute to the taxes that make the island hum along and the fact that you don’t know who most of us are and what we do with our time here). We have be categorized as all white, fat, rich, mainland boomers. Funny when that couldn’t be further from who I am and my generational ties. The vitriol from Lahaina Strong and its supporters is stain your soul stuff. Pretty wild when you couple all of that hate with “ok open your front door and give us a deal on rent." Nah…I’ve seen what I need to see and if this bill passes I will be forced to sue, and if the heat gets too hot with all of this I will find a solution but it will never be to LTR. I’ve personally had a lot of health challenges in the past few years and so in the words of LS grifter Courtney Lazo “I’ll never forget who gave me a hard time when I was having a hard time.”
The other side is going to put forth a lot of lies and fake testimony because that is what they do. You’re going to hear lies about a lot of aunties and such that claim to have lived at our properties until they were kicked out for tourists. They have threatened and intimidated a lot of people that oppose from testifying in-person or by identifying themselves.
I will close with asking the County Council to inject leadership and objectivity into what is undeniably an unlawful and unproductive bill. Honor your fiduciary duties. Put an end to the viciousness that has seeped into every nook and cranny of the island by allowing this nonsense to fester. Find real solutions. Oppose this bill.
Aloha Council Members:
Short term accommodations in Resort Areas such as Mahina Surf Hotel/ Condo should be excluded from the ban. To believe that residents should live full time in these resorts is not reasonable. They were created for short term use. We purchased our unit in hopes of one day living the Maui dream, and would loose our property should we not be able to rent our unit. The bill needs amendment to be acceptable.
Mahalo,
Kelly Sandstrom (Mahina Surf Unit 114 owner)
Aloha Council Members:
Transient Accommodations in Resort Areas such as Kaanapali Beach Resort should be excluded from the ban on TVRs in residential zoning. While I support controls on TVRs, the bill needs to be amended to exclude residences in destinartion resort areas: i.e. Wailea, Kaanapali, Kapalua. To believe that residents should live full time in these resorts is not reasonable. They were created to meet demand of transient visitors and are needed to fulfill that demand so it does not spill over into local residential areas. The bill needs amendment to be acceptable.
Mahalo,
Wayne N. Hedani
Former Chair of the Planning Commission and 10 year Maui Planning Commissioner
808-281-3686
586 Kuikahi Drive
Wailuku HI ds96793
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. I sincerely understand the county’s desire to find solutions for affordable housing options in West Maui. However, elimination of transient/short-term vacation rental rights for the Papakea would not result in the creation of any affordable long-term housing. Furthermore, it would have a negative economic impact on the local community.
Papakea has never been workforce housing, so it is not example of a property that converted from workforce housing to transient vacation rental use. Additionally, well before any zoning restrictions were put in place to limit transient vacation rentals in apartment zones, Papakea was marketed and sold as a legal vacation rental. I purchased my condo at Papakea with the reasonable expectation that short-term rentals were legal based on Maui County ordinances and documents as far back as 1989, and as recent as 2022. All of which indicated I could legally operate vacation rentals at the Papakea. Phasing out short-term rental rights on the property now is in direct conflict with investment-backed expectations I relied upon at purchase.
Designed as an oceanfront resort, Papakea is not well suited to long-term housing. Many units at Papakea are under 600 square feet and the property has limited parking. Furthermore, 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.
Excluding Papakea from the bill will also protect numerous local jobs. 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 also 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. Additionally, 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. Shutting down short-term rentals at Papakea means eliminating local jobs and shuttering numerous local businesses.
Papakea owners and guests have a significant and positive economic and community impact. 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. Additionally, Papakea owners and 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 also 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. I encourage you to exclude Papakea from Bill 9.
Sincerely,
Doug Kueker
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Unit L-301
I am reaching out to share my story. I have lived on Maui since 1989. As a single mother of two wonderful girls—one of whom was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at a tender age of 22 months—I was determined to build a better life for us. I was paid $13.50 as an aide at King Kamehameha Elementary School because they didn't have a nurse who could care for my daughter in Kindergarten.
My journey into real estate began from a place of necessity. I passed my exam in 2009 and poured my energy into developing my career while juggling the demands of motherhood. The hard work paid off when I opened my brokerage after passing the Broker's Exam in 2012.
The journey has been challenging. I’ve sacrificed vacations and countless leisure moments to put food on the table and ensure my children have opportunities for a bright future, including a college education. The real estate landscape here is tough, and the narrow economic opportunities—largely centered on tourism—make it even harder for locals like me to thrive. I took a leap of faith in 2009 by renting out my first property at the Kuleana Resort as a vacation rental, despite the risks. Every client I’ve gained has led to new opportunities, and I’ve built my vacation rental business from the ground up with integrity and professionalism. I have diligently met all professional requirements, from passing exams and completing continuing education to paying taxes and following local laws. After ten long years of hard work, the thought of losing everything due to proposed changes is incredibly distressing. I’ve lived on this island since 1989, and both of my daughters were born and raised here, proudly graduating from Lahainaluna High School. Our community means everything to me. My business doesn’t just provide for my family; it also supports my employees and their families. This proposed bill poses a real threat to the livelihood of many local residents who have poured their hearts into creating a home and a future here. I hope you can understand my perspective and the impact this may have on our community.
Since opening Epic Realty in 2012, I’ve devoted my life to helping others find their place in this beautiful community we call home. I employ three dedicated individuals and work closely with five talented subcontractors, all of whom rely on our success for their livelihoods. I oppose this bill and its potentially devastating effects on the Maui community.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my thoughts.
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.
We strongly oppose the passage of SB2929, the short-term zoning bill, for the devastating impact it will have on the local economy, jobs, and residents.
We own a condo in Maui Vista and are strongly against the passing of this bill. It will not only affect us negatively but will also have a huge negative impact on the local residents.
Our property manager alone, will have to terminate nearly half of their employees which a majority are born and raised of Hawaiian and Filipino decent. They also will have to reduce how many workers they contract from cleaning services and all sorts of repair services. Also, all the small local businesses will suffer with the passing of this.
The tax revenue that will be lost is huge. We have read $200 million dollars in lost tax revenue plus all the losses on the visitor expenditures that use these facilities if this law is passed. People that use these accommodations, mostly do not prefer the “hotel vibe” and it can’t be assumed that these people will still come to Maui and just find other accommodations. How will the locals survive without this tax revenue? Will more have to move off island????
The 2022 impact report supports that this is a disaster waiting to happen.
The cause and affect may be separated by years but many see this very clearly right now, that in time, financial damage caused by this will far out way the good they are attempting to do here now.
These condos on the list have very high HOA dues which get higher every year and the insurance also increases every year, not to mention the property taxes and electrical bills. This is not “affordable” housing. We vacation rental our condo to barely pay the bills. Our condo is a one bedroom with a very small kitchen and limited closet space, it is not suited for “family” accommodations.
We understand the “covid buying spree” changed things but we are not those people. We have owned our condo for many years. Love it and Love Maui.
Please do not pass this bill.
June 3, 2025
Office of the Mayor County of Maui 200 South High Street Wailuku, HI 96793
Subject: Opposition to Short-Term Vacation Rentals (STVRs) in Maui County
Aloha Mayor Richard Bissen and Maui County Council Members,
I am writing as a concerned multigenerational kama’aina, I strongly urge the County to take decisive action to reduce or phase out short-term vacation rentals (STVRs). The unchecked growth of STVRs is contributing significantly to our island's housing crisis and eroding the very fabric of our local communities.
Vacation rentals remove desperately needed housing from the long-term rental market, making it increasingly difficult for local families, essential workers, and young people to find and afford homes. In many cases, entire neighborhoods have been transformed into commercial zones where local culture, community cohesion, and resident well-being are being displaced by transient tourism.
The impacts are real and worsening:
* Housing affordability has plummeted due to the speculative purchase of homes for vacation rental use.
* Longtime residents are being pushed out as landlords convert units to STVRs for higher profits.
* Neighborhoods lose their sense of community when homes sit empty between guest stays or are filled with tourists who have no stake in local life.
* Infrastructure and resources are strained to support visitors rather than residents.
Maui is not just a tourist destination—it is home to families, kūpuna, and future generations who deserve to live with dignity in the place they were born and raised. Prioritizing tourism over community well-being is not sustainable, and it is time for the County to take bold steps to restore balance.
I respectfully urge you to:
1. Phase out non-owner-occupied STVRs
2. Strengthen enforcement of existing vacation rental laws.
3. Invest in affordable housing and long-term rental incentives for local residents.
Mahalo for your leadership and for listening to the voices of your constituents who are asking for a more just and livable Maui.
Sincerely, Heidi Kreul
Subject: Opposition to Proposed Phase-Out of Short-Term Rentals in Apartment Districts
Dear Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee,
I am a Maui vacation rental owner and a parent raising a family of five. The proposed legislation to phase out short-term rentals (STRs) in apartment-zoned districts threatens not only my family's livelihood but also the broader economic and social fabric of Maui.
Economic Impact
The University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (UHERO) projects that eliminating STRs in apartment zones could reduce visitor accommodations by 25%, leading to a 15% decline in visitor spending—approximately $900 million annually. This downturn could result in the loss of 1,900 jobs and a 4% contraction in Maui's GDP.
Tax Revenue Decline
The proposed phase-out could decrease property tax revenues by up to $60 million annually by 2029, due to both changes in tax classifications and declining property valuations. Additionally, General Excise Tax (GET) and Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) revenues are projected to fall by 10% and 8% respectively, totaling an additional $15 million annual loss.
Housing Market Considerations
While the policy aims to increase long-term housing availability by converting up to 6,127 STR units, many of these units are not suitable for long-term residency due to their design and amenities tailored for short-term stays. Moreover, the high carrying costs—including mortgage payments, HOA dues, maintenance, and taxes—can easily exceed $6,000 monthly, far beyond what most local families can afford in rent.
Legal and Social Implications
The abrupt revocation of long-standing legal allowances for STRs raises significant legal concerns and undermines property rights. In Oahu, a similar attempt to restrict STRs was struck down in federal court. In 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson ruled that Honolulu's ordinance, which sought to impose a 90-day minimum stay for short-term rentals, violated state law and property owners' rights. The city was ordered to pay over $292,000 in legal fees.
This precedent suggests that Maui's proposed legislation could face similar legal challenges, leading to years of litigation without delivering the intended benefits. The legal uncertainty could deter investment and strain county resources.
Alternative Solutions
Rather than an outright ban, consider alternative measures such as:
Implementing higher property tax rates on STRs to generate additional revenue.
Auctioning a limited number of STR permits to capture value for public use.
Enforcing existing regulations to eliminate illegal STR operations.
These approaches could address housing affordability without inflicting severe economic harm.
Personal Impact
Our family's income from our vacation rental is essential for our financial stability. The proposed legislation jeopardizes our ability to support our children and contribute to the local economy.
I urge the committee to reconsider the proposed phase-out and explore balanced solutions that address housing concerns while preserving economic vitality.
Dear Mayor, County Council, and Planning Director,
My name is Merry Chu-Suzuki, and I own a Short-Term Rental at the Maalaea Banyons and I strongly oppose the proposed legislation aimed at phasing out over 7,000 short-term rental units.
1. Economic Impact:
○ My condo heavily relies on tourists who stay in short-term rentals.
○ These rentals contribute significantly to the local economy by attracting visitors who patronize local businesses.
○ Decrease in short-term rentals will lead to a decline in revenue, impacting not only my condo rentals but also others in the community.
2. Small Business Vitality:
○ Short-Term Rentals are an essential role to small businesses play in Maui's economy.
○ The reduction in tourism due to the elimination of short-term rentals would force many businesses to downsize or close, resulting in job losses and economic hardship.
3. Support for Local Service Providers:
○ Short-Term Rentals support many local service providers, including property managers, cleaners, landscapers, and maintenance workers.
○ These jobs are important & essential for residents' livelihoods and eliminating short-term rentals would diminish these opportunities in terms of equity and compensation.
4. Cultural Exchange and Understanding:
○ Short-Term Rentals facilitate cultural exchange as visitors engage with local communities and support local businesses.
○ This enriches the experience for both visitors and residents, fostering a deeper appreciation for Maui's heritage and traditions.
My name is Jenn Alberts, and I own a second unit at The Palms at Wailea, which has been operated responsibly as a short-term rental. I’m writing to express strong opposition to Bill 9 (2025), CD1, and to urge the Council to recognize the economic role responsible TVRs play in Maui’s recovery and long-term stability.
Our unit supports multiple local workers — from cleaners and maintenance professionals to property managers and laundry vendors. Our guests contribute to local businesses across the island, including many family-owned restaurants and shops that rely on tourism to survive. Many of these guests return every year, building respectful, long-term ties to the Wailea community.
STR income has also helped us navigate costly repairs, insurance increases, and inflationary pressures without passing financial strain onto our workers. This is not passive ownership. It’s active participation in a small, interconnected economy.
Rather than eliminate units like ours, Maui County should build a smart framework that rewards good actors: enforce quality standards, implement caps where needed, and collect data on impact. But removing legal units across the board will put good jobs and community connections at risk — without guaranteeing more long-term housing.
Please reconsider. Let’s protect the parts of the STR ecosystem that work and collaborate toward a future that balances housing, employment, and responsible tourism.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration.
Attached is my written testimony.
June 4, 2025
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 condominiums 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, handypeople, 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 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,
Elizabeth Jensen
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Apartment H205
Lahaina HI 96761
Attachment
This bill (if passed) will cause jmany ob losses for local people. Please DO NOT pass this bill as is. Any current resort areas should definitely be exempt.
Subject: Opposition to Bill 9 and Request for Amendment to Exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins, and Esteemed Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to Bill 9 in its current form and to respectfully urge the Council to amend it to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort, which has long been recognized by the County as having A2-H2 zoning.
About Papakea Oceanfront Resort
Papakea was originally developed and sold as a property for legal short-term vacation rentals, well before any zoning regulations restricted such activities in apartment-zoned properties. For nearly five decades, Papakea owners have operated lawful vacation rentals. Unlike some properties that shifted from workforce housing to short-term rentals, Papakea has always functioned as a resort, not as residential housing. Most units are compact, under 600 square feet, with limited parking availability. Situated among hotel-zoned and commercially-zoned properties, Papakea is not part of a residential neighborhood. It features resort-style amenities such as a front desk, activity concierge, and shared recreational spaces, distinguishing it from typical long-term residential buildings.
Papakea owners purchased their units with the reasonable understanding that short-term rentals were permitted, based on Maui County ordinances dating back to 1989 and as recently as 2022. Relying on these ordinances, state laws, and constitutional protections, owners have made significant investments in renovations, furnishings, and long-term financial obligations like mortgages. Phasing out short-term rentals at Papakea would undermine these investment-backed expectations.
Papakea’s Community Contributions
Papakea’s resort operations sustain 35 full-time, benefited jobs for local residents, some of whom have been employed for over 17 years, advancing from entry-level roles to supervisory positions. The property also supports a diverse group of local tradespeople, including those in pest control, HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, painting, masonry, tile installation, fitness instruction, entertainment, and landscaping.
Contributions from Individual Owners
Short-term rentals at Papakea support numerous small businesses owned by Maui residents, including housekeepers, handymen, on-island agents, and contractors. These entrepreneurs set their own rates, schedules, and working conditions, enjoying the flexibility to operate independently. Eliminating short-term rentals at Papakea would disrupt these businesses, forcing local entrepreneurs to seek less flexible, lower-paying jobs under restrictive corporate policies.
Additionally, Papakea’s short-term rentals generate significant tax revenue for the State of Hawaii and Maui County, including property taxes (often at the short-term rental rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and Maui County Transient Accommodations Tax. Guests at Papakea patronize local businesses, such as restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, shops, state parks, and the national park, boosting the island’s economy. Both owners and guests actively engage in community initiatives, volunteering for beach cleanups, the Maui Humane Society, local hospitals, and other charitable and cultural organizations.
I appreciate the opportunity to provide input on this matter and thank the committee for its consideration.
Sincerely,
Joseph Gunselman
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road
Jordan Ruidas and other Lahaina Strong member are soliciting the community in order to find one or two people who used to live in Noelani back in 1993 so that she can then argue that all 7100 condos used to house locals.
I was born on Kauai in 1977. Moved to Maui in 1982. I was too young to notice what was going on with these places in the late 80's , but over my life I've seen them used as short term rentals mainly. Some have retired people in them, but for the most part, they've not been used for local residences. These Lahaina Strong radicals are straight up lying when they say that they'd want to live in these condos. Straight up lying when they say that these condos crept into residential neighborhoods. They haven't moved because they are BUILDINGS.
if the argument is that these used to be used for residential housing, wasn't it the prerogative of the LOCAL OWNER at the time whether they wanted to keep the condo or sell the condo? Then wasn't it the prerogative of the new owner to live in it, leave it vacant, rent it long term or rent it short term? IF these ever did house locals, they've had every opportunity to hold on to them as a primary residence, and over the years had every opportunity to buy them and use them for whatever use they wanted. If locals really used to own these then locals are the ones who really sold them. Aren't we a culture of personal responsibility?
These are condos that stack beside hotels in a heavy tourist area. Nobody wants to live there and they are lying if they say they'd want to now. What these guys want to do is reduce tourism.
The "good old days" to them was COVID. No traffic, nobody on the beach. Nevermind the death and all that.
The good old days were after the fire when they could dictate to the government when tourists could return, then become incandescent when the government couldn't be brought to heel.
All you hear on social media is "we need to heal", "we are dealing with so much trauma", but all my friends and all my family just want to get back to normal. But people like Mark Ing want to make sure we are perpetually a victim.
Anyway I don't support this bill because my brother's food truck needs tourists. Kai Nishiki - as much as I hate her - her family needs tourists to support her market.
Also, there are people who own these condos, not some nameless, faceless multinational.
They are being treated like collateral damage, and our community seems to accept that because of a lie they've been told about who they are. My sister cleans STRs and every owner is so kind and so generous to her.
If you want to bring down tourist numbers, then say that and do something to make that happen.
If you want housing for locals, then do things that GUARANTEE that will happen. This bill doesn't do that.
Right now all possible outcomes are negative. STR owners lose their business (because that's what this is to them), locals aren't guaranteed any housing. The county loses valuable revenues and taxes. Locals lose jobs.
WHO IS THIS BILL ACTUALLY BENEFITTING?? Not anyone I know.
Kanoe from Kula
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.
Dear Chair Kama, Vice Chair Uʻu-Hodgins, and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee,
I am writing to respectfully oppose Bill 9 as currently drafted, and to urge the Council to amend the measure to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort, which the County has long recognized as having A-2/H-2 zoning.
Background on Papakea
Papakea was marketed and sold from its inception as a legal vacation rental property, well before zoning restrictions limited transient vacation rentals in apartment-zoned areas. For nearly 50 years, owners at Papakea have operated legal short-term rentals in good faith and in full compliance with the applicable laws and ordinances.
Importantly, Papakea has never been workforce housing. It did not convert from residential to vacation use—it was built and has always functioned as a resort property. Most of its units are under 600 square feet and are not suited to long-term residential living. The property lacks residential-scale parking and is located outside residential neighborhoods, surrounded instead by hotel-zoned and commercially-zoned properties.
Unlike apartment buildings designed for long-term residents, Papakea features resort-style amenities such as a front desk, activity concierge, shared recreation areas, and other hospitality infrastructure.
Owners purchased units with the clear and reasonable expectation—based on Maui County ordinances dating back to 1989 and reaffirmed as recently as 2022—that short-term rental use was legal. Many invested heavily in renovations, furnishings, and long-term mortgages. For the County to now abruptly revoke that right would violate both state law and constitutional protections, particularly regarding investment-backed expectations.
Economic and Community Contributions
Papakea supports the local Maui economy in multiple ways:
It provides full-time, benefited employment for 35 Maui residents, many of whom have built long careers at the property.
The resort contracts with a broad network of local tradespeople and service providers—from plumbers and electricians to yoga instructors and musicians.
Numerous small business owners—including housekeepers, on-island agents, and handymen—depend on Papakea for their livelihood. Many of these professionals are self-employed entrepreneurs whose independence and earnings would be severely threatened by a loss of STR activity.
Papakea pays substantial tax revenues including property taxes (often at the higher STR rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and the Maui County TAT.
Our guests support local businesses—restaurants, farmers markets, food trucks, tour companies, and cultural and recreational sites across the island.
Owners and guests also volunteer and give back to the community, participating in beach cleanups, supporting the Maui Humane Society, and contributing to local cultural and philanthropic initiatives.
In Closing
Papakea is not the problem Bill 9 is seeking to solve. It is not taking homes from residents. It is not destabilizing neighborhoods. Rather, it is a longstanding, legally operating resort property that has been a good neighbor and a positive economic force in West Maui.
I respectfully request that the Council amend Bill 9 to exclude Papakea Oceanfront Resort and allow it to continue operating as it has—lawfully, responsibly, and beneficially—for almost five decades.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment and for your service to the people of Maui.
Sincerely,
Beverly Herrington
3543 Lower Honoapiʻilani Road
Lahaina, HI. 96762
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. Below I have listed some of the reasons I believe Papakea Oceanfront Resort should be excluded from Bill 9:
* 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.
Here are some of 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; many 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.
Here are just some of the individual Owner Contributions to the Community:
* Owners support/hire 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 on the opposition of Bill 9.
Sincerely,
Leslie Ringstad
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Apartment K206
My Name is Mary Loventhal Jones and I am the owner of 3 condo on the West side of Maui.
We have been renting out units for many years and the people that come make the island viable. These people keep business open because they eat out, buy food, buy clothing,and perticipate in tourist activities. If you take these people away the business in the area will not survive. Thank you for your time
THE MATH AIN’T MATHIN’:
Not that it’s anyone’s business, but my lawfully owned STR private property (studio) costs me over 6k per month. AOAO alone is $1400. I am not going to bear the burden of renting long-term in an unfavorable landlord/tenant situation at a known loss. I’m not the government or a charity, and in my blue collar upbringing/life I have never had anyone prop me up let alone to the tune of 40-50k per year. Just so we are all clear, you would be asking me to subsidize a fellow adult’s life at an excess of $500,000 over a ten year period. That number also assumes no special assessments that are now the norm (I will be paying $80k for a plumbing project next year) or any other increases.
LEGAL/VESTED USE:
The false narrative we have proliferated seems to be coming from the predatory hotel industry. Hate to tell LS and their supporters but you can’t lose something you’ve never had. The property I own was designed and built to be a vacation rental property. The County has now also codified the legal TVR use on multiple occasions. My property has historically been referred to with dual A2/H2 zoning in County documents …only recently (and suspiciously) has the H2 notation been removed. I did the research on my unit and it’s never been anything but a vacation rental since inception in 1977. If housing and infrastructure is (and has been) such an issue why does the County continue to approve hotels and new resorts? As an example, why were westside Westin and Honua Kai properties ever built? Why so many Launiupoko and Kaanapali Coffee Farms mansions built? Why are single family homes deep in residential areas permitted to TVR? Why no crackdown on illegal rentals? Why is my nearly half century old, legal, STR property that’s never been anything but what it is now taking the fall for the mismanagement of the island?
IMMORALITY/COVETING:
Comments over the course of this process have included “hitting those financially vulnerable first.” Physical threats have been made to stab, slap, clap, and find STR owners. Threats to squat, damage, or otherwise harm properties have been made. Ironic that Jordan Rudias has a Bible verse in her IG profile while also having just put out a whiny rant on LS social media saying “we deserve this…we deserve this housing.” Gentle reminder about what the Bible says about coveting other’s things: “you shall not covet your neighbor’s house … nor anything else which is your neighbor’s”…said another way “the intense desire for what belongs to another person or entity, to the point where it’s an inordinate or excessive desire. It’s a deeper desire that can lead to a variety of negative emotions and behaviors including resentment, jealousy, and even bitterness.” During the planning commission testimony supporters openly admitted to being jealous. To wanting to take from others…even Bissen said that.
ANSWERS FOR EVERYTHING:
LS and other smooth brained folks spin everything…have an answer for everything even if it isn’t rooted in any realm of reality or facts. Defaults lately have been “you coming from a place of I”…um well it is my privately owned condo that I bought and am personally liable for financially and otherwise. They say these properties don’t provide jobs with benefits, but over 40% of my AOAO is personnel costs. These are good, benefitted jobs that pay beyond market rates. They say we don’t have a front desk, but we do. They say the profits (I don’t have profits) go offshore but in reality we pay the most in taxes (more than hotels), we spend off and on nearly 6 months on island and spend on rental cars, restaurants, groceries, gifts for family and friends, supplies and services to maintain our space, etc. We personally renovated our condo and paid well into the 6 figures to do so with all local businesses. We donate and volunteer locally (have for many many years), and definitely don’t need organized beach cleanups to care and do the right thing as we enjoy the ocean surfing, diving, swimming, etc. Can’t say I’ve ever burned a car or left a fridge along the side of the road but I know who has. I could go on forever on how inaccurate all the points made on the other side are.
XENOPHOBIA/RACISM:
I’ve watched and listened for nearly two years to the hateful and divisive rhetoric. We’ve been inhumanely referred to as colonizers, rapists, slavers, pimps, and so on. We have been told we aren’t welcome in the community…frankly aren’t part of it (ironic when you look at how much we contribute to the taxes that make the island hum along and the fact that you don’t know who most of us are and what we do with our time here). We have be categorized as all white, fat, rich, mainland boomers. Funny when that couldn’t be further from who I am and my generational ties. The vitriol from Lahaina Strong and its supporters is stain your soul stuff. Pretty wild when you couple all of that hate with “ok open your front door and give us a deal on rent." Nah…I’ve seen what I need to see and if this bill passes I will be forced to sue, and if the heat gets too hot with all of this I will find a solution but it will never be to LTR. I’ve personally had a lot of health challenges in the past few years and so in the words of LS grifter Courtney Lazo “I’ll never forget who gave me a hard time when I was having a hard time.”
The other side is going to put forth a lot of lies and fake testimony because that is what they do. You’re going to hear lies about a lot of aunties and such that claim to have lived at our properties until they were kicked out for tourists. They have threatened and intimidated a lot of people that oppose from testifying in-person or by identifying themselves.
I will close with asking the County Council to inject leadership and objectivity into what is undeniably an unlawful and unproductive bill. Honor your fiduciary duties. Put an end to the viciousness that has seeped into every nook and cranny of the island by allowing this nonsense to fester. Find real solutions. Oppose this bill.
Aloha Council Members:
Short term accommodations in Resort Areas such as Mahina Surf Hotel/ Condo should be excluded from the ban. To believe that residents should live full time in these resorts is not reasonable. They were created for short term use. We purchased our unit in hopes of one day living the Maui dream, and would loose our property should we not be able to rent our unit. The bill needs amendment to be acceptable.
Mahalo,
Kelly Sandstrom (Mahina Surf Unit 114 owner)
Aloha Council Members:
Transient Accommodations in Resort Areas such as Kaanapali Beach Resort should be excluded from the ban on TVRs in residential zoning. While I support controls on TVRs, the bill needs to be amended to exclude residences in destinartion resort areas: i.e. Wailea, Kaanapali, Kapalua. To believe that residents should live full time in these resorts is not reasonable. They were created to meet demand of transient visitors and are needed to fulfill that demand so it does not spill over into local residential areas. The bill needs amendment to be acceptable.
Mahalo,
Wayne N. Hedani
Former Chair of the Planning Commission and 10 year Maui Planning Commissioner
808-281-3686
586 Kuikahi Drive
Wailuku HI ds96793
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. I sincerely understand the county’s desire to find solutions for affordable housing options in West Maui. However, elimination of transient/short-term vacation rental rights for the Papakea would not result in the creation of any affordable long-term housing. Furthermore, it would have a negative economic impact on the local community.
Papakea has never been workforce housing, so it is not example of a property that converted from workforce housing to transient vacation rental use. Additionally, well before any zoning restrictions were put in place to limit transient vacation rentals in apartment zones, Papakea was marketed and sold as a legal vacation rental. I purchased my condo at Papakea with the reasonable expectation that short-term rentals were legal based on Maui County ordinances and documents as far back as 1989, and as recent as 2022. All of which indicated I could legally operate vacation rentals at the Papakea. Phasing out short-term rental rights on the property now is in direct conflict with investment-backed expectations I relied upon at purchase.
Designed as an oceanfront resort, Papakea is not well suited to long-term housing. Many units at Papakea are under 600 square feet and the property has limited parking. Furthermore, 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.
Excluding Papakea from the bill will also protect numerous local jobs. 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 also 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. Additionally, 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. Shutting down short-term rentals at Papakea means eliminating local jobs and shuttering numerous local businesses.
Papakea owners and guests have a significant and positive economic and community impact. 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. Additionally, Papakea owners and 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 also 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. I encourage you to exclude Papakea from Bill 9.
Sincerely,
Doug Kueker
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Unit L-301
Aloha, my name is Cimi Morgan.
I am reaching out to share my story. I have lived on Maui since 1989. As a single mother of two wonderful girls—one of whom was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at a tender age of 22 months—I was determined to build a better life for us. I was paid $13.50 as an aide at King Kamehameha Elementary School because they didn't have a nurse who could care for my daughter in Kindergarten.
My journey into real estate began from a place of necessity. I passed my exam in 2009 and poured my energy into developing my career while juggling the demands of motherhood. The hard work paid off when I opened my brokerage after passing the Broker's Exam in 2012.
The journey has been challenging. I’ve sacrificed vacations and countless leisure moments to put food on the table and ensure my children have opportunities for a bright future, including a college education. The real estate landscape here is tough, and the narrow economic opportunities—largely centered on tourism—make it even harder for locals like me to thrive. I took a leap of faith in 2009 by renting out my first property at the Kuleana Resort as a vacation rental, despite the risks. Every client I’ve gained has led to new opportunities, and I’ve built my vacation rental business from the ground up with integrity and professionalism. I have diligently met all professional requirements, from passing exams and completing continuing education to paying taxes and following local laws. After ten long years of hard work, the thought of losing everything due to proposed changes is incredibly distressing. I’ve lived on this island since 1989, and both of my daughters were born and raised here, proudly graduating from Lahainaluna High School. Our community means everything to me. My business doesn’t just provide for my family; it also supports my employees and their families. This proposed bill poses a real threat to the livelihood of many local residents who have poured their hearts into creating a home and a future here. I hope you can understand my perspective and the impact this may have on our community.
Since opening Epic Realty in 2012, I’ve devoted my life to helping others find their place in this beautiful community we call home. I employ three dedicated individuals and work closely with five talented subcontractors, all of whom rely on our success for their livelihoods. I oppose this bill and its potentially devastating effects on the Maui community.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my thoughts.
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,
Mark Cospito
3543 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Apartment E405
We strongly oppose the passage of SB2929, the short-term zoning bill, for the devastating impact it will have on the local economy, jobs, and residents.
We own a condo in Maui Vista and are strongly against the passing of this bill. It will not only affect us negatively but will also have a huge negative impact on the local residents.
Our property manager alone, will have to terminate nearly half of their employees which a majority are born and raised of Hawaiian and Filipino decent. They also will have to reduce how many workers they contract from cleaning services and all sorts of repair services. Also, all the small local businesses will suffer with the passing of this.
The tax revenue that will be lost is huge. We have read $200 million dollars in lost tax revenue plus all the losses on the visitor expenditures that use these facilities if this law is passed. People that use these accommodations, mostly do not prefer the “hotel vibe” and it can’t be assumed that these people will still come to Maui and just find other accommodations. How will the locals survive without this tax revenue? Will more have to move off island????
The 2022 impact report supports that this is a disaster waiting to happen.
The cause and affect may be separated by years but many see this very clearly right now, that in time, financial damage caused by this will far out way the good they are attempting to do here now.
These condos on the list have very high HOA dues which get higher every year and the insurance also increases every year, not to mention the property taxes and electrical bills. This is not “affordable” housing. We vacation rental our condo to barely pay the bills. Our condo is a one bedroom with a very small kitchen and limited closet space, it is not suited for “family” accommodations.
We understand the “covid buying spree” changed things but we are not those people. We have owned our condo for many years. Love it and Love Maui.
Please do not pass this bill.
Sue & Gregg Henrikson
June 3, 2025
Office of the Mayor County of Maui 200 South High Street Wailuku, HI 96793
Subject: Opposition to Short-Term Vacation Rentals (STVRs) in Maui County
Aloha Mayor Richard Bissen and Maui County Council Members,
I am writing as a concerned multigenerational kama’aina, I strongly urge the County to take decisive action to reduce or phase out short-term vacation rentals (STVRs). The unchecked growth of STVRs is contributing significantly to our island's housing crisis and eroding the very fabric of our local communities.
Vacation rentals remove desperately needed housing from the long-term rental market, making it increasingly difficult for local families, essential workers, and young people to find and afford homes. In many cases, entire neighborhoods have been transformed into commercial zones where local culture, community cohesion, and resident well-being are being displaced by transient tourism.
The impacts are real and worsening:
* Housing affordability has plummeted due to the speculative purchase of homes for vacation rental use.
* Longtime residents are being pushed out as landlords convert units to STVRs for higher profits.
* Neighborhoods lose their sense of community when homes sit empty between guest stays or are filled with tourists who have no stake in local life.
* Infrastructure and resources are strained to support visitors rather than residents.
Maui is not just a tourist destination—it is home to families, kūpuna, and future generations who deserve to live with dignity in the place they were born and raised. Prioritizing tourism over community well-being is not sustainable, and it is time for the County to take bold steps to restore balance.
I respectfully urge you to:
1. Phase out non-owner-occupied STVRs
2. Strengthen enforcement of existing vacation rental laws.
3. Invest in affordable housing and long-term rental incentives for local residents.
Mahalo for your leadership and for listening to the voices of your constituents who are asking for a more just and livable Maui.
Sincerely, Heidi Kreul
Subject: Opposition to Proposed Phase-Out of Short-Term Rentals in Apartment Districts
Dear Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee,
I am a Maui vacation rental owner and a parent raising a family of five. The proposed legislation to phase out short-term rentals (STRs) in apartment-zoned districts threatens not only my family's livelihood but also the broader economic and social fabric of Maui.
Economic Impact
The University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (UHERO) projects that eliminating STRs in apartment zones could reduce visitor accommodations by 25%, leading to a 15% decline in visitor spending—approximately $900 million annually. This downturn could result in the loss of 1,900 jobs and a 4% contraction in Maui's GDP.
Tax Revenue Decline
The proposed phase-out could decrease property tax revenues by up to $60 million annually by 2029, due to both changes in tax classifications and declining property valuations. Additionally, General Excise Tax (GET) and Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) revenues are projected to fall by 10% and 8% respectively, totaling an additional $15 million annual loss.
Housing Market Considerations
While the policy aims to increase long-term housing availability by converting up to 6,127 STR units, many of these units are not suitable for long-term residency due to their design and amenities tailored for short-term stays. Moreover, the high carrying costs—including mortgage payments, HOA dues, maintenance, and taxes—can easily exceed $6,000 monthly, far beyond what most local families can afford in rent.
Legal and Social Implications
The abrupt revocation of long-standing legal allowances for STRs raises significant legal concerns and undermines property rights. In Oahu, a similar attempt to restrict STRs was struck down in federal court. In 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson ruled that Honolulu's ordinance, which sought to impose a 90-day minimum stay for short-term rentals, violated state law and property owners' rights. The city was ordered to pay over $292,000 in legal fees.
This precedent suggests that Maui's proposed legislation could face similar legal challenges, leading to years of litigation without delivering the intended benefits. The legal uncertainty could deter investment and strain county resources.
Alternative Solutions
Rather than an outright ban, consider alternative measures such as:
Implementing higher property tax rates on STRs to generate additional revenue.
Auctioning a limited number of STR permits to capture value for public use.
Enforcing existing regulations to eliminate illegal STR operations.
These approaches could address housing affordability without inflicting severe economic harm.
Personal Impact
Our family's income from our vacation rental is essential for our financial stability. The proposed legislation jeopardizes our ability to support our children and contribute to the local economy.
I urge the committee to reconsider the proposed phase-out and explore balanced solutions that address housing concerns while preserving economic vitality.
Sincerely,
Andrew Kruger
508-280-4491
Dear Mayor, County Council, and Planning Director,
My name is Merry Chu-Suzuki, and I own a Short-Term Rental at the Maalaea Banyons and I strongly oppose the proposed legislation aimed at phasing out over 7,000 short-term rental units.
1. Economic Impact:
○ My condo heavily relies on tourists who stay in short-term rentals.
○ These rentals contribute significantly to the local economy by attracting visitors who patronize local businesses.
○ Decrease in short-term rentals will lead to a decline in revenue, impacting not only my condo rentals but also others in the community.
2. Small Business Vitality:
○ Short-Term Rentals are an essential role to small businesses play in Maui's economy.
○ The reduction in tourism due to the elimination of short-term rentals would force many businesses to downsize or close, resulting in job losses and economic hardship.
3. Support for Local Service Providers:
○ Short-Term Rentals support many local service providers, including property managers, cleaners, landscapers, and maintenance workers.
○ These jobs are important & essential for residents' livelihoods and eliminating short-term rentals would diminish these opportunities in terms of equity and compensation.
4. Cultural Exchange and Understanding:
○ Short-Term Rentals facilitate cultural exchange as visitors engage with local communities and support local businesses.
○ This enriches the experience for both visitors and residents, fostering a deeper appreciation for Maui's heritage and traditions.
Thank you for your consideration.
Aloha Chair Kama and Committee Members,
My name is Jenn Alberts, and I own a second unit at The Palms at Wailea, which has been operated responsibly as a short-term rental. I’m writing to express strong opposition to Bill 9 (2025), CD1, and to urge the Council to recognize the economic role responsible TVRs play in Maui’s recovery and long-term stability.
Our unit supports multiple local workers — from cleaners and maintenance professionals to property managers and laundry vendors. Our guests contribute to local businesses across the island, including many family-owned restaurants and shops that rely on tourism to survive. Many of these guests return every year, building respectful, long-term ties to the Wailea community.
STR income has also helped us navigate costly repairs, insurance increases, and inflationary pressures without passing financial strain onto our workers. This is not passive ownership. It’s active participation in a small, interconnected economy.
Rather than eliminate units like ours, Maui County should build a smart framework that rewards good actors: enforce quality standards, implement caps where needed, and collect data on impact. But removing legal units across the board will put good jobs and community connections at risk — without guaranteeing more long-term housing.
Please reconsider. Let’s protect the parts of the STR ecosystem that work and collaborate toward a future that balances housing, employment, and responsible tourism.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration.