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)
Aloha,
I’m Kalani Ross. 36 born and raised in Lahaina. Business owner. Hawaiian. I support this bill.
This bill will greatly support and strengthen our communities. I don’t think I have any points that you aren’t already aware of. So I’ll say this, we as locals appreciate being heard and represented.
Thank you for continuing to support the community bettering the lives of our people.
This bill is a great opportunity to right the canoe to the destination we all want. A strong community of multi generational families who support each other and have a deeper connection than just business.
We can all better serve our community’s with the opportunity and hope this bill supports.
Tamra Paltin saying her proposed bill - on the sale of a place with an STR permit didn't go thru? Currently people that own homes here on Maui that hold STR permits - if the house sells, the permit ends.. so did she forget or not know that? Or is she just trying to send a message that's untrue? Most of the testimony for passing bill 9 is way off track.. no one is going to subsidize a stranger living in their condo.. especially after listening to all the haters that just want their property
Thank you, Chair Kama and members of the Housing and Land Use Committee, for listening to all this testimony.
My name is Cloe Cadiz, and I was born and raised in Pāʻia. I’m 26 years old and wish to continue to live and work in Maui. I oppose this bill. I own, clean, and manage one short-term rental unit with my parents in Maui County. My condominium was not intended to be workforce housing.
My short-term rental job empowered me to be a caregiver for my grandfather. My STR job supports me while I take classes part-time at UHMC to be a future healthcare worker. My STR job allowed me to take a low-paying internship at the National Park. My STR job pays my rent. This is what’s lost when some say, “There will be growing pains.”
STRs, specifically the Minotoya list, decentralize ownership in the hospitality industry. Visitors can choose to stay with local hosts rather than at conglomerate hotels. Since I opened my STR, my central goal has been sustainability. My favorite part of my job is sharing personalized recommendations with my guests: Directing them to restaurants and services owned by my friends, the farmers market, also educating on how to be respectful of nature and locals.
To quote the UHERO report, “…the most direct local impact of prohibiting TVR use in the Apartment Districts will fall on the 450 Maui residents who owned and operated TVR units as of 2023.”
That’s 450 Maui families who would be collateral damage from this bill. They would be part of the 1,900 to 3,800 jobs lost, per the study. This bill is an attack on small local businesses, which benefits corporate hotels.
Taking away one resident’s job to house another does not solve the housing crisis; it pits us against each other, with private equity as the winners. Please protect residents and oppose Bill 9. Thank you.
Hello Chair, Vice Chair, and Council Members. Thank you for your service and for hearing our testimonies. I first want to acknowledge the housing crisis and express my hope that our leaders and our community can come together to find real solutions — ones that support local families without unintentionally harming other residents who are also working hard to survive here.
My name is Melissa. I’m a Maui resident, a single mother of four — with three children still at home — and I personally own and manage two short-term rental properties that are our main source of income. I oppose bill 9
My kids have been raised here on Maui. They attend local schools, play sports in the community, and we are fully invested in life here on Maui. Because of this work, I’ve been able to both support them and stay present in their lives, and contribute to our community.
I do a lot of the work myself — including cleaning and guest care — but I also rely on a team of local service providers for help with maintenance, repairs, and deep cleaning. These jobs support other working families here on island.
I’m also in a unique position to educate my guests. I talk with them before and during their stay about respectful behavior, environmental care, and local culture. I include information on how to be good visitors — where to shop locally, where to eat, and how to support small businesses. Most of my guests follow those suggestions, and leave with a deeper understanding and love for Maui thanks to that personal connection.
I also want to share something I hope you’ll consider carefully:
Both of my properties are in condo complexes on the Minatoya list, and both explicitly include short-term rentals in their original bylaws. For example, Kihei Resort’s governing documents — dating back to 1987 — clearly state that units may be rented on a short-term or daily basis. Haleakala Shores includes language as early as 1992 stating that units may be used for transient lodging under 30 days.
These aren’t recent changes — short-term rentals have been a legal and intended use of these properties for decades.
If this bill passes, it will wipe out not just my income, but the purpose these properties were built around — and it will hurt the small businesses and service workers that myself and my guests support and rely on.
I urge you to consider a path forward that allows responsible, locally involved owners like me to continue contributing to Maui in a positive way.
Please do not pass this bill. Thank you for your time and your service.
“DECLARATION OF HORIZONTAL PROPERTY REGIME”
for Kihei Resort built in 1981
Page 6
“June 22, 1987
10. Purposes and Uses. The Project and each of the apartments are intended for and shall be restricted to the following purposes and uses: a. Each apartment shall at all times be used only as a private residential or vacation dwelling for the owner, his family, tenants and social guests, and for such other purposes which art! compatible with the applicable zoning ordinances. The owners of the respective apartments may rent or lease their apartments to any persons on any long-term or short-term (including· daily) basis for such residential or vacation use. “
“By laws Haleakala Shores page 6 1992, Dec 19, 1995, also revised 1997,
origin built 1974
2. All units shall be utilized for lawful purposes only, including the provision of transient lodging for periods of less than thirty (30) days, as may be allowed by law. (prior amendment recorded 12/22/95 as Document No. 95-166220)”
Upon further review of operator disclosures and facility data, I wish to correct an earlier statement in my submitted testimony titled “Throwing Holy Water on Mā‘alaea.” The Ma‘alaea Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant, operated by DLNR’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR), is importing up to three truckloads of activated sludge per month, not per week as originally stated.
While this reduces the volume, it does not change the legal reality: importing activated sludge from an external County of Maui facility remains a direct violation of the plant’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit, which authorizes only treatment of wastewater generated on-site. This unauthorized discharge still constitutes a violation of state and federal law, and enforcement action remains warranted.
Testimony in Strong Support of a Ban on Short-Term Rentals in Maui
Title: Throwing Holy Water on Mā‘alaea
Aloha Chair and Councilmembers,
I submit this testimony in the spirit of aloha, accountability, and restoration. This is a call to take up the holy water of the law—not only the statutes in the books but the codes of honor publicly proclaimed by agencies, organizations, and individuals. The path to healing our communities and our coastlines begins here, and it begins with a ban on short-term rentals (STRs) across Maui.
Chapter 1: Jubilee for the Waters – DLNR’s Harbor Wastewater Plant Must Pay
The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), through the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR), operates the Ma‘alaea Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant under a UIC permit allowing only treatment of effluent generated on-site. However, for years, this facility has quietly accepted up to three truckloads of activated sludge per week from a County of Maui municipal plant—an illegal act that increases pollution loading in Ma’alaea and directly violates their injection well permit.
This is not a technicality. It is a systemic, years-long breach of federal environmental law. The Clean Water Act and UIC rules are not guidelines. They are enforceable commitments—made not just to regulators but to the land and the sea.
The maximum penalty is $25,000 per day per violation. Just one illegal leach field over a 10-year period could yield over $91 million in potential fines. And those funds could immediately serve Maui:
• $15–$20 million to install UV disinfection at the Kahului Wastewater Reclamation Facility
• Infrastructure improvements at Kihei WWRF to achieve 100% R-1 reuse
• Expanded cesspool conversion grants for working families
Let this be our Jubilee—a year of ecological reckoning, debt cancellation, and the restoration of what is rightfully owed to our waters. DLNR’s own 2014 report (Maui’s Coral Reef Decline) cannot be taken seriously until the department addresses the contradiction of harboring chronic injection violations. Let every agency be subject to the same enforcement as every citizen.
Chapter 2: The Coral Contradiction – Maui Ocean Center Must Pay
We now turn to the Maui Ocean Center (MOC), operated by Coral World International, with their stated vision:
“To conserve and sustain Hawai‘i’s marine life for future generations through education and stewardship.”
This facility has long marketed itself as a beacon of marine education and reef conservation, yet it has been disclosed to the safe Drinking Water Branch in April 2025 to be the site of chronic UIC violations, discharging unapproved aquarium water treatment process effluent into the Triangle WWTP and injection wells while reporting only human domestic restroom influent for years. An enforcement investigation is currently underway by SDWB.
The Safe Drinking Water Branch penalty for this type of violation can be up to $50,000 per day. If the illegal process effluent comprising aquarium water treatment filter backwash and protein skimmer material has been happening for the entire estimated 10,000 days since the MOC opened in 1998, then the potential fine reaches $500 million—enough to fund a HI state cesspool conversion grant for 25,000 local households, fixing every high risk cesspool in the state to launch a new era of environmental justice for our island.
Under the Hawaiʻi Cesspool Compliance Pilot Grant Program (CPGP)—established by Act 153 (2022) and implemented under the DOH Wastewater Branch—eligible households were offered reimbursements up to $20,000 toward cesspool conversion or sewer connection, drawing from a $5 million fund on a first-come, first-served basis for Priority Level 1–2 areas .
The program launched on March 15, 2023, under HDOH’s oversight, with a strict 270‑day compliance window, requiring licensed-engineer design, DOH approval, and supporting inspections .
Deputy Director Kathleen Ho underscored the program’s importance: “This is truly an exciting program… provide a healthier environment for future generations” .
However, by mid-2025, all funds were exhausted, with approximately 225 households awarded, and a waiting list established. The framework for healing is in place. It would be so poetic and cool if Coral World funded this in a revolutionary act of accountability.
Statements from Coral World make it clear that the only way for them to stay true to their own morals is to pay the full UIC fine voluntarily:
“Prioritize the Ocean. Our foremost commitment is to the oceans. We wholeheartedly champion and support marine life.”
South African-born Morris Kahn, the founder of Coral World International, is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $1 billion, according to public sources such as Forbes and Celebrity Net Worth.
We ask only this: live up to your own words. Pay the fine. Restore the trust. Align your actions with your values.
Let Tapani Vuori, General Manager of MOC and signatory of the UIC permit in violation, be remembered not for the infraction but for the act of redemption. If he helps to convince Coral World International to render full penalty fine payment and the state of Hawaii allocates UIC penalty resources toward $25,000 upgrade grants for Maui households, he will step into a sacred role—not merely as a manager, but as a redeemer. With full support of Governor Green, the grants could start going out by the end of 2025.
The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Safe Drinking Water Branch (SDWB), in coordination with EPA Region 9, enforces underground injection control (UIC) violations through Consent Agreements and Final Orders (CAFOs) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. § 300h–2(c)) and HAR Chapter 11-23. These legally binding restitution agreements allow regulators to impose monetary penalties—up to $25,000 or $50,000 per day, depending on severity—and can direct those penalties into Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) such as cesspool conversion grants or wastewater treatment upgrades. The CAFO process includes public notice and comment under 40 CFR § 22.45, a negotiated compliance schedule, and enforceable reporting obligations. Funds from such agreements may be allocated toward projects that directly remediate environmental harm in the impacted community, as seen in prior Hawai‘i enforcement actions. This mechanism provides a lawful pathway to transform fines into targeted restitution.
Tapani Vuori, General Manager of Maui Ocean Center, has served as a member of the Hawaiʻi Department of Health’s Cesspool Conversion Working Group since at least 2021, a body tasked with guiding the statewide transition from cesspools to environmentally responsible alternatives pursuant to Act 125 (2017). His participation places him in a position of direct influence over state policy, funding priorities, and public education on wastewater impacts—further underscoring the urgency of full compliance with his facility’s own injection well obligations.
Chapter 3: Save MVA – A Reckoning for the Soul of Mā‘alaea
Mā‘alaea is a mirror of Maui. The fight unfolding there is not just a local skirmish—it is a signal of the deeper crisis we face island-wide. When housing is chopped into daily rentals for passive profit, it no longer serves the people—it serves capital. This is not innovation. It is extraction.
The only way to accumulate excess is to take more than one gives. That is not wisdom. That is imbalance. And when that imbalance is centered on shelter, the result is displacement, despair, and spiritual decay.
Donors volunteering their time for years for the Ma‘alaea Village Association (MVA) have quietly endured personal tragedies—lives lost, healthcare denied, careers ended—all traceable to policies aligned with political candidates from the American continent that have been funded by an MVA STR profiteer and MVA officer. These aren’t vague political talking points. These are real-world, life-altering consequences suffered by volunteers who serve their community, while watching others extract wealth with no accountability.
What are we to make of this moral inversion?
We affirm that those who work, who build, who serve—are the true foundation of Maui. And those who sit on idle STR investments, extracting income while contributing nothing to the commons—are not stewards. They are colonizers of convenience.
Let us speak clearly: this is not a class war. It is a battle between people with class and those without.
To have class is to maintain balance in every transaction: to give and take in measure, to uplift others when you rise. To lack class is to sit on hoarded wealth while others sleep in their cars. And that is what passive income has become—a form of spiritual kleptomania.
We issue this challenge: let every STR owner in Mā‘alaea—indeed, across all of Maui—rent their unit long term at truly affordable rates to the applicant who can afford it with the lowest credit score and the most urgent housing need. Offer it not for praise, but as a way to unburden your karma. If the afterlife is real, then wealth hoarded now becomes labor owed later. Why not settle the debt in this life, where it can still help someone?
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Conclusion: Holy Water and the Rule of Law
Let this STR ban be our act of holy water: not poured in anger, but in cleansing.
The laws exist. The mission statements exist. The permits, codes, and public promises exist. If each individual, each agency, and each corporation simply follows the laws they wrote for themselves, we could resolve nearly all of Maui’s wastewater and housing crises in this generation.
The rule of law by this Council—here in this occupied nation—must be followed like the word of God. And the statements made by our institutions must be honored as sacred covenants, or else be stripped away as fraud.
ALOHA! My name is Rick Quosig. I am an owner of a 1Bed 1Bath STVR condo the past 4 years at the Maui Eldorado in West Maui. My HOA is $1700 Mthly; Landlease is $700 Mthly; Resort fees are $540 Mthly; Property taxes are $300 Mthly; Insurance is $100 Mthly. TOTAL monthly is $3240....which does NOT include Mortgage. Even though I am for and against certain elements of Bill 9, at this time this should NOT be an "either/or" situation. Many on both sides of the issue have testified that the choice as stated in Bill 9 continues to create division among us. By definition, this clearly falls into a "Negotiation/Compromise" scenario. Here's my suggestion: Instead of the Maui Council pushing for 1 side against the other, I implore the council to offer up a list of potential compromises for further discussion in the next Bill 9 STVR community meeting. This will bring people together instead of pitting us against each other. This can also be the start of a healing process that is long overdue. The following are just (2) examples of a potential compromise: ** Impose a limit of 1 or 2 STVRs per Owner. ** Exclude STVRs that are designated for "Resort/Hotel" use under the West Maui Community Plan. Those are just 2 of many more I am sure that can possibly be a way out of this unfortunate conundrum. Please reach out to me if you want to discuss in more detail. My email is: rjquosig@gmail.com. MAHALO!
To: Maui County Council Housing and Land Use Committee
From: Edward Codelia
Aloha Chair Kama and Committee Members,
I am submitting this testimony in strong support of **Bill 9**, which closes the apartment zoning loophole that has enabled widespread misuse of land intended for local housing. As a Maui resident and real estate professional, I believe this measure is not only legally and morally justified — it is also **fiscally responsible** and economically strategic in the face of rising inflation, global instability, and federal austerity.
Short-Term Revenue Impacts
There will be an initial hit to County revenues if Bill 9 is passed. Current estimates suggest Maui could see a **\$15 to \$28 million annual reduction** in Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and property tax premiums during the first two years. This loss is tied directly to 1,000 to 1,400 short-term rental units operating in apartment-zoned areas, each generating an average of \$80,000 to \$120,000 per year in short-term income.
But this temporary dip in revenue is **not a fiscal crisis — it is a necessary correction**. We must stop treating investor profits as the baseline for County sustainability.
Long-Term Financial Stability
By year three, we expect Maui County to begin recovering and even **exceeding previous revenue levels** through rediversified, long-term economic activity. Gains from long-term rental taxation, stabilized property values, increased home turnover, and the reinvestment of local tenant income are projected to generate **\$10 to \$17 million annually**, with significant additional value created through federal housing grants and public cost avoidance.
The economic activity generated by permanent residents — who buy food, raise families, maintain homes, and pay taxes here year-round — is more stable and recession-resistant than short-term tourist activity.
We Cannot Rely on Tourism to Bail Us Out Again
Let us not forget: tourism came to a grinding halt during COVID-19. It can happen again. The visitor industry is **not recession-proof** — especially with current inflation, declining mainland discretionary income, new federal tariffs, volatile fuel prices, and rising travel costs. A correction is coming whether we like it or not.
If we fail to act, we will be stuck holding the bag when investor interest dries up and tourism declines — while our residents are still displaced, and our infrastructure and emergency services continue to be overburdened by unsustainable use.
New Jobs, Lower Costs, and Real Local Benefits
Transitioning apartment-zoned STVRs to long-term use or legal rental models will stimulate **local employment in construction, elder care, maintenance, and property management**. An estimated **200 to 400 new local jobs** can be created through this transition.
At the same time, apartment owners and associations will benefit from **reduced maintenance and security costs** — with some HOAs projected to see **10% to 25% reductions in fees** as transient occupancy declines.
This is real, measurable relief for local residents — and a sustainable model for managing our housing and labor markets.
Moral Responsibility and Public Trust
At the heart of this debate is a question of values: **Should Maui County prioritize speculative ROI for absentee investors, or secure housing and dignity for our working families, kūpuna, and keiki?**
The answer is clear.
We are not obligated to preserve investor returns. We are obligated to serve the public interest. That means using zoning laws as intended — for long-term housing — and ensuring that our scarce land resources are used to sustain a resilient population, not subsidize outside wealth.
Bill 9 is not just about zoning. It is about economic transition, moral responsibility, and long-term survival. While it may involve short-term sacrifices, it will restore balance, integrity, and sustainability to our local economy. It will make our budget more resilient to recession, inflation, and federal cuts. And it will signal that Maui governs for its people, not for speculation.
Please vote **YES on Bill 9**.
Mahalo,
Edward Codelia
Resident & Real Estate Professional
I am a long-term owner of a 555 sq /ft condo in Maalaea Bay. My parents bought our condo in 1978. We have rented it out to local residents, traveling nurses and others needing a short-term accommodation. We have also rented it out to FEMA when the island was in need of housing. We have always contributed to the island’s culture and economy , whether it be to fundraisers, to picking up trash, to employing local contractors or service people and of course trying to always spread the Aloha spirit. To lose this because of the inability to have short term rentals would have a very negative effect on the local citizens, economy and owners. All of the rental income we receive is used to defray the costs of maintaining the unit. I would like to think that the planning commission could be more innovative to find a solution to everyone's benefit. I ask that you do NOT pass Bill 9.
Our experience with the long-term FEMA rental was rewarding in being able to provide a place for someone in need. However, it showed me that the 555 sq/ft did not fill the needs of the single person that lived there more than short time. She moved out well short of the year contract, when she found another larger accommodation. 555 sq/ft is not a good solution for even a single person for a long-term stay.
I appreciate your consideration to not pass Bill 9.
Taking other people's property does not get anyone a place to live. No one should be forced to rent out their home to anyone - No one stole anyones land.. people do not understand how condo's operate.. all the owners in a condo complex decide on everything.. doesn't matter if the condos are owner occupied or rented out.. condo dues have to insure for the building regardless of occupancy .. its pretty clear the hotels/unions/locals that can't afford here want your place.. America doesn't work like that.. if Hotels want the condo's buy them.. you could use the money that you're going to waste in lawsuits to fight peoples home ownership
People of Lahaina, who were affected from wild fires , deserve a recovered normal life as soon as possible.
Please pass this bill as soon as possible IF
1. It really brings the apartments from the list of minatoya to the affordable level for the residents
2. It really solves the housing problem
3. It does not create any law suites and making the situations persistent for the years to come and which does worsen peoples emotions and ultimately affecting the daily lives, cost and inflation.
CONCERNS:
1. Do we really need all about 7000 units from minatoya list where the displaced count is about 5 - 6 thousands
2. Are you going to take out HOA s and manage those units maintained by county, which will bring down the cost to afford the apartment
3. How residents going to pay the rents for the units being rented to them, meaning do they going to have jobs to support the rent and family, when many jobs are lost and not being created with minatoya list is taken out from STVR.
4. What about the units that are going to be vacant for long time and owner will get a situation to sell them for lower price ( thinking the housing crash) which results in a lot of loss of income to the county.
Being said all above points , I totally support the Bill 9 and I am also a owner of STVR unit in west maui.
Dear Members, I oppose Bill 9 that changes transient vacation rentals in apartment zones to long term rentals only. The U.S. Constitution protects the right to own & enjoy property through the 5th & 14th Amendments. These constitutional protections ensure that individuals can own, use, & dispose of their property, and that the government cannot arbitrarily seize or "RESTRICT" its use without proper legal process and compensation. This will not only incur economic negative repercussions on our county income but also the individual owners. There is NO WAY individual owners can service their mortgages with long term rental income alone. Too Bad, Soo Sad is not the responsible answer. Many will be forced to sell and perhaps still have to service a mortgage for real estate they no longer own. Surely, the county can resolve long term rental situations other ways. Perhaps renovating the planning department so the plans for building are processed more timely. EVERYBODY knows we have one of the longest building permit processes in the nation. This is ALWAYS been a challenge that should not exist when MOST planning departments in the nation have a MUCH shorter window of process. Additionally, for large scale community projects the developer should be able to have less units designated for low income, etc. Consequently, big developers have scaled back on providing much needed housing.. Mahalo for your time and we hope you vote against this bill and determine other ways to provide for Maui citizens.
I am in support of Bill 9. I am a Lahaina resident and currently have 4 generations under one roof with no room for expansion. We have hotels sitting at low occupancy, have the visitors stay there. This would also create more jobs as hotels will need more workers based on occupancy and need. We need to take care of our local families and keep them here. Please consider supporting this bill, this is our chance at an opportunity to help our people. Not putting money in the pockets of people who aren't even residents of Maui. Mahalo
I am writing to provide some history about the Paki Maui complex, and provide details of the carrying costs for our 2 bedroom unit (located in phase 1 building next to the ocean). My husband and I are neither for or against the proposed TVR ban. We simply pray that the council finds a way to provide affordable housing solutions for locals, without hurting owners of Minatoya properties.
We bought our unit in 2016, after consulting with a Maui real estate attorney about the legality of using our unit as a TVR, as the seller was doing. He provided us copies of a 1989 ordinance allowing A1 and A2 permits for short term rentals, the 2001 legal opinion by Richard Montoya, the 2014 ordinance (4176) and 2016 ordinances (4315 and 4369) codifying into law all Minatoya properties as TVRs. Our attorney confirmed it was legal to continue using our unit as a TVR, and didn’t see a legal way for the county or state to remove that right in the future. After our purchase, we were pleased in 2020-23 to see further qualifying conditions for ongoing Minatoya TVR operations (Ordinances 5126, 5301, 5473, 5502).
Paki History (from online research and talking to generational owners and old timers who have lived at Paki):
The first two phases/buildings in Paki Maui were built in 1974-75 (one building with ocean views, the other more inland building with garden views). A third phase/building (mostly ocean/pool views) was built between 1978-79.
Paki Maui started out selling units as timeshares, and when they didn't sell that well after 6-12 months, they began selling them as short term rentals and permanent residences (in accordance with their declarations). One of my neighbors has an original sale brochures, titled "Paki Maui Vacation Rentals". I also have a Paki Maui brochure from the 70's, touting Paki Maui as "the ideal Hawaiian Resort". Joseph Paki (who was born in Lahaina, worked at Pioneer Mill and later served as a police officer, fireman, and Postmaster) originally owned the land and he developed them in the 70's as vacation rentals with the help of his best friend and some investors. The complex may have housed some workforce employees over the years, but it was never built for that purpose.
The Monthly Fixed Carrying Costs for our 1000 sq ft, 2 bedroom unit is as follows:
We have been told to expect some assessments in the future to pay for the repair of the seawall, sinkholes, aging plumbing, and concrete spalling.
I will let you decide whether this unit qualifies as affordable long term housing, based on all of these fixed costs.
My husband and I respect the local people, culture and environment. We give generously to Make-A-Wish Hawaii, Maui Foodbank, and Maui Humane Society. After the wildfires, we volunteered for a month at the Honokowai Park, buying/hauling supplies from Kahului, and managing the Maui Humane Society supply tent. All of our guests must take the Malama Maui County Pledge, and we give them a list of volunteer opportunities to take part in during their stay (most take us up on it). Also, my husband has stage 4 metastatic cancer, we use a significant amount of our TVR income to pay for his medical treatment that is not covered by insurance.
I am in strong support of Bill 9. I am a resident of Makawao and have family that has been here for decades.
The fires were a beyond traumatic experience for our community. I lost my hanai aunty, and some of my best friends are still in FEMA housing.
As a young person, my fiance and I have not been able to find affordable housing. We have not been able to move out of our family home. We plan to start a family and begin our life, and we are unable to get a place of our own. The most affordable units available on Maui are not affordable for working class folks, and have outrageous HOAs- rates in which we cannot afford.
The Minatoya list units fit our needs. Please do not tell me what is appropriate for me to live in or tell me what I can or cannot afford. Let me make that decision for myself.
Furthermore, we cannot build our way out of this crisis. The process will take too long, and we don’t have the time, as we saw from the presentation earlier. We need action now. We don’t have enough resources to sustain these STRs. We are a small island. Our island is already suffering from over development. Developing more will not only have environmental impacts such as high waste, water, and energy usage, but also potentially damaging to ancestral land could disrupt iwi kupuna. To develop more is not the answer.
Although I am not kanaka, I stand behind the preservation of Hawai’i and its beautiful, unique culture as an ally. We should prioritize Maui residents and families over developers, business owners, people who live off island, and those who own multiple homes. To support bill 9 is to protect the families who have been here for time immemorial, and those who have been here for decades.
As owners of a legal STR at the Kamaole Sands property, I strongly OPPOSE Bill 9 which would eliminate the long-standing, legal use of short-term rentals in A-1 and A-2 Apartment Zoning Districts.
The shortage of affordable housing has existed in Maui decades before the devastating Lahaina fire, and I understand that this disaster has created an immediate need; but the Maui government and deceitful lobbyists surrounding them, continue to use the phrase “convert into long-term rentals”. There is NO CONVERSION!! The regulations can change to eliminate STR as a use, but they cannot force an owner to long-term rent; thus, creating NO additional housing.
Phasing out short-term rentals is not the solution to years and years of the government failing to provide affordable housing to local families and will, without a doubt, create a much bigger financial deficit to the County of Maui when all of these owners start legal proceedings, if this bill is passed.
These condos are already available as long-term rental properties and have been since they were constructed. There is nothing currently prohibiting them from being owner occupied or from being a long-term rental, so the idea that they need to be "returned to their intended long-term residential use" is a ridiculous thought process. They were always intended to be used for short-term, vacation rentable spaces.
The lack of affordable housing is not exclusive to the State of Hawaii or the County of Maui. There are affordable housing deficiencies all over the entire country. An outrageous amount of tax dollars are already being collected from Maui STRs that are specifically intended to be used for affordable housing, yet, that money seems to “disappear” into a general fund and no housing is built. Maui government claims delays in permit processes and water issues, yet somehow a massive Hilton Vacation Resort was built in Kihei in a flood zone!! More luxury units are being built in Wailea as we speak. How can all of this get approval, yet still NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
Wouldn’t it be great if every state could turn back the clock 50 years or so? It seems that the supporters of this bill think that can and will happen. There are many, many properties that are for sale at substantially reduced prices and yet, no locals are lining up for them. Because they are not affordable! They will still not be affordable even if market drops further down.
Bill 9 is not about creating affordable housing. This is about the government appeasing a very small, loud group of people that clearly do not care about devasting the economy of Maui. Some supporters say that the jobs lost due to eliminating STRs can “pivot” to another field. Do you not think people would be working in the “other field” if they could or wanted to? So, a landscaper at a STR complex is just now magically qualified and wants to go to work in the education, medical or IT sector? There are apparently over 600 jobs available at the County of Maui, yet these “locals” say they can’t commit to those jobs because they need housing. Make it make sense to those of us that actually can do the math!
Please OPPOSE Bill 9 as it is written as it will create nothing more than further division of the people of Maui and an economic disaster. This will not result in more affordable housing and even more “locals” will need to leave Maui to find sustainable work.
Please consider other options that will not create such economic damage. There is for sure a better solution that does not upend the lives of so many 1000's of people while simultaneously draining away so much in tax revenue. Please scrap this bill entirely and work towards a better solution that does not simply exchange one person's rights for another's.
11,600 Maui Households earn $15,300 per month!!????
On June 9 Mayor's staff presented these figures....that with a Bill 9 phase out the
"carrying costs" for a Minatoya apt would decrease to $4601/mo. (taxes, mortgage,
HOA fees,etc.),and that 11.600 Maui households could afford this..at 30% of their income
..WHICH THEREFORE CALCULATES AS $15,300 PER MONTH!!! At this income who would buy
a 1 or 2 bedroom apt., instead of a house????
Clearly at $4601/mo. Minatoya apts. would not be an affordable solution
for our workers. ie no"workers housing" solution.
Bill 9 gives little or no housing relief...but it definitely takes jobs,
family incomes, and small business profits.
Responsible government requires us all to vote NO on Bill 9
Aloha,
I’m Kalani Ross. 36 born and raised in Lahaina. Business owner. Hawaiian. I support this bill.
This bill will greatly support and strengthen our communities. I don’t think I have any points that you aren’t already aware of. So I’ll say this, we as locals appreciate being heard and represented.
Thank you for continuing to support the community bettering the lives of our people.
This bill is a great opportunity to right the canoe to the destination we all want. A strong community of multi generational families who support each other and have a deeper connection than just business.
We can all better serve our community’s with the opportunity and hope this bill supports.
Mahalo,
Tamra Paltin saying her proposed bill - on the sale of a place with an STR permit didn't go thru? Currently people that own homes here on Maui that hold STR permits - if the house sells, the permit ends.. so did she forget or not know that? Or is she just trying to send a message that's untrue? Most of the testimony for passing bill 9 is way off track.. no one is going to subsidize a stranger living in their condo.. especially after listening to all the haters that just want their property
Thank you, Chair Kama and members of the Housing and Land Use Committee, for listening to all this testimony.
My name is Cloe Cadiz, and I was born and raised in Pāʻia. I’m 26 years old and wish to continue to live and work in Maui. I oppose this bill. I own, clean, and manage one short-term rental unit with my parents in Maui County. My condominium was not intended to be workforce housing.
My short-term rental job empowered me to be a caregiver for my grandfather. My STR job supports me while I take classes part-time at UHMC to be a future healthcare worker. My STR job allowed me to take a low-paying internship at the National Park. My STR job pays my rent. This is what’s lost when some say, “There will be growing pains.”
STRs, specifically the Minotoya list, decentralize ownership in the hospitality industry. Visitors can choose to stay with local hosts rather than at conglomerate hotels. Since I opened my STR, my central goal has been sustainability. My favorite part of my job is sharing personalized recommendations with my guests: Directing them to restaurants and services owned by my friends, the farmers market, also educating on how to be respectful of nature and locals.
To quote the UHERO report, “…the most direct local impact of prohibiting TVR use in the Apartment Districts will fall on the 450 Maui residents who owned and operated TVR units as of 2023.”
That’s 450 Maui families who would be collateral damage from this bill. They would be part of the 1,900 to 3,800 jobs lost, per the study. This bill is an attack on small local businesses, which benefits corporate hotels.
Taking away one resident’s job to house another does not solve the housing crisis; it pits us against each other, with private equity as the winners. Please protect residents and oppose Bill 9. Thank you.
Hello Chair, Vice Chair, and Council Members. Thank you for your service and for hearing our testimonies. I first want to acknowledge the housing crisis and express my hope that our leaders and our community can come together to find real solutions — ones that support local families without unintentionally harming other residents who are also working hard to survive here.
My name is Melissa. I’m a Maui resident, a single mother of four — with three children still at home — and I personally own and manage two short-term rental properties that are our main source of income. I oppose bill 9
My kids have been raised here on Maui. They attend local schools, play sports in the community, and we are fully invested in life here on Maui. Because of this work, I’ve been able to both support them and stay present in their lives, and contribute to our community.
I do a lot of the work myself — including cleaning and guest care — but I also rely on a team of local service providers for help with maintenance, repairs, and deep cleaning. These jobs support other working families here on island.
I’m also in a unique position to educate my guests. I talk with them before and during their stay about respectful behavior, environmental care, and local culture. I include information on how to be good visitors — where to shop locally, where to eat, and how to support small businesses. Most of my guests follow those suggestions, and leave with a deeper understanding and love for Maui thanks to that personal connection.
I also want to share something I hope you’ll consider carefully:
Both of my properties are in condo complexes on the Minatoya list, and both explicitly include short-term rentals in their original bylaws. For example, Kihei Resort’s governing documents — dating back to 1987 — clearly state that units may be rented on a short-term or daily basis. Haleakala Shores includes language as early as 1992 stating that units may be used for transient lodging under 30 days.
These aren’t recent changes — short-term rentals have been a legal and intended use of these properties for decades.
If this bill passes, it will wipe out not just my income, but the purpose these properties were built around — and it will hurt the small businesses and service workers that myself and my guests support and rely on.
I urge you to consider a path forward that allows responsible, locally involved owners like me to continue contributing to Maui in a positive way.
Please do not pass this bill. Thank you for your time and your service.
“DECLARATION OF HORIZONTAL PROPERTY REGIME”
for Kihei Resort built in 1981
Page 6
“June 22, 1987
10. Purposes and Uses. The Project and each of the apartments are intended for and shall be restricted to the following purposes and uses: a. Each apartment shall at all times be used only as a private residential or vacation dwelling for the owner, his family, tenants and social guests, and for such other purposes which art! compatible with the applicable zoning ordinances. The owners of the respective apartments may rent or lease their apartments to any persons on any long-term or short-term (including· daily) basis for such residential or vacation use. “
“By laws Haleakala Shores page 6 1992, Dec 19, 1995, also revised 1997,
origin built 1974
2. All units shall be utilized for lawful purposes only, including the provision of transient lodging for periods of less than thirty (30) days, as may be allowed by law. (prior amendment recorded 12/22/95 as Document No. 95-166220)”
Correction Statement Regarding Testimony:
Upon further review of operator disclosures and facility data, I wish to correct an earlier statement in my submitted testimony titled “Throwing Holy Water on Mā‘alaea.” The Ma‘alaea Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant, operated by DLNR’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR), is importing up to three truckloads of activated sludge per month, not per week as originally stated.
While this reduces the volume, it does not change the legal reality: importing activated sludge from an external County of Maui facility remains a direct violation of the plant’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit, which authorizes only treatment of wastewater generated on-site. This unauthorized discharge still constitutes a violation of state and federal law, and enforcement action remains warranted.
Testimony in Strong Support of a Ban on Short-Term Rentals in Maui
Title: Throwing Holy Water on Mā‘alaea
Aloha Chair and Councilmembers,
I submit this testimony in the spirit of aloha, accountability, and restoration. This is a call to take up the holy water of the law—not only the statutes in the books but the codes of honor publicly proclaimed by agencies, organizations, and individuals. The path to healing our communities and our coastlines begins here, and it begins with a ban on short-term rentals (STRs) across Maui.
Chapter 1: Jubilee for the Waters – DLNR’s Harbor Wastewater Plant Must Pay
The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), through the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR), operates the Ma‘alaea Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant under a UIC permit allowing only treatment of effluent generated on-site. However, for years, this facility has quietly accepted up to three truckloads of activated sludge per week from a County of Maui municipal plant—an illegal act that increases pollution loading in Ma’alaea and directly violates their injection well permit.
This is not a technicality. It is a systemic, years-long breach of federal environmental law. The Clean Water Act and UIC rules are not guidelines. They are enforceable commitments—made not just to regulators but to the land and the sea.
The maximum penalty is $25,000 per day per violation. Just one illegal leach field over a 10-year period could yield over $91 million in potential fines. And those funds could immediately serve Maui:
• $15–$20 million to install UV disinfection at the Kahului Wastewater Reclamation Facility
• Infrastructure improvements at Kihei WWRF to achieve 100% R-1 reuse
• Expanded cesspool conversion grants for working families
Let this be our Jubilee—a year of ecological reckoning, debt cancellation, and the restoration of what is rightfully owed to our waters. DLNR’s own 2014 report (Maui’s Coral Reef Decline) cannot be taken seriously until the department addresses the contradiction of harboring chronic injection violations. Let every agency be subject to the same enforcement as every citizen.
Chapter 2: The Coral Contradiction – Maui Ocean Center Must Pay
We now turn to the Maui Ocean Center (MOC), operated by Coral World International, with their stated vision:
“To conserve and sustain Hawai‘i’s marine life for future generations through education and stewardship.”
This facility has long marketed itself as a beacon of marine education and reef conservation, yet it has been disclosed to the safe Drinking Water Branch in April 2025 to be the site of chronic UIC violations, discharging unapproved aquarium water treatment process effluent into the Triangle WWTP and injection wells while reporting only human domestic restroom influent for years. An enforcement investigation is currently underway by SDWB.
The Safe Drinking Water Branch penalty for this type of violation can be up to $50,000 per day. If the illegal process effluent comprising aquarium water treatment filter backwash and protein skimmer material has been happening for the entire estimated 10,000 days since the MOC opened in 1998, then the potential fine reaches $500 million—enough to fund a HI state cesspool conversion grant for 25,000 local households, fixing every high risk cesspool in the state to launch a new era of environmental justice for our island.
Under the Hawaiʻi Cesspool Compliance Pilot Grant Program (CPGP)—established by Act 153 (2022) and implemented under the DOH Wastewater Branch—eligible households were offered reimbursements up to $20,000 toward cesspool conversion or sewer connection, drawing from a $5 million fund on a first-come, first-served basis for Priority Level 1–2 areas .
The program launched on March 15, 2023, under HDOH’s oversight, with a strict 270‑day compliance window, requiring licensed-engineer design, DOH approval, and supporting inspections .
Deputy Director Kathleen Ho underscored the program’s importance: “This is truly an exciting program… provide a healthier environment for future generations” .
However, by mid-2025, all funds were exhausted, with approximately 225 households awarded, and a waiting list established. The framework for healing is in place. It would be so poetic and cool if Coral World funded this in a revolutionary act of accountability.
Statements from Coral World make it clear that the only way for them to stay true to their own morals is to pay the full UIC fine voluntarily:
“Prioritize the Ocean. Our foremost commitment is to the oceans. We wholeheartedly champion and support marine life.”
South African-born Morris Kahn, the founder of Coral World International, is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $1 billion, according to public sources such as Forbes and Celebrity Net Worth.
We ask only this: live up to your own words. Pay the fine. Restore the trust. Align your actions with your values.
Let Tapani Vuori, General Manager of MOC and signatory of the UIC permit in violation, be remembered not for the infraction but for the act of redemption. If he helps to convince Coral World International to render full penalty fine payment and the state of Hawaii allocates UIC penalty resources toward $25,000 upgrade grants for Maui households, he will step into a sacred role—not merely as a manager, but as a redeemer. With full support of Governor Green, the grants could start going out by the end of 2025.
The Hawai‘i Department of Health’s Safe Drinking Water Branch (SDWB), in coordination with EPA Region 9, enforces underground injection control (UIC) violations through Consent Agreements and Final Orders (CAFOs) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. § 300h–2(c)) and HAR Chapter 11-23. These legally binding restitution agreements allow regulators to impose monetary penalties—up to $25,000 or $50,000 per day, depending on severity—and can direct those penalties into Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) such as cesspool conversion grants or wastewater treatment upgrades. The CAFO process includes public notice and comment under 40 CFR § 22.45, a negotiated compliance schedule, and enforceable reporting obligations. Funds from such agreements may be allocated toward projects that directly remediate environmental harm in the impacted community, as seen in prior Hawai‘i enforcement actions. This mechanism provides a lawful pathway to transform fines into targeted restitution.
Tapani Vuori, General Manager of Maui Ocean Center, has served as a member of the Hawaiʻi Department of Health’s Cesspool Conversion Working Group since at least 2021, a body tasked with guiding the statewide transition from cesspools to environmentally responsible alternatives pursuant to Act 125 (2017). His participation places him in a position of direct influence over state policy, funding priorities, and public education on wastewater impacts—further underscoring the urgency of full compliance with his facility’s own injection well obligations.
Chapter 3: Save MVA – A Reckoning for the Soul of Mā‘alaea
Mā‘alaea is a mirror of Maui. The fight unfolding there is not just a local skirmish—it is a signal of the deeper crisis we face island-wide. When housing is chopped into daily rentals for passive profit, it no longer serves the people—it serves capital. This is not innovation. It is extraction.
The only way to accumulate excess is to take more than one gives. That is not wisdom. That is imbalance. And when that imbalance is centered on shelter, the result is displacement, despair, and spiritual decay.
Donors volunteering their time for years for the Ma‘alaea Village Association (MVA) have quietly endured personal tragedies—lives lost, healthcare denied, careers ended—all traceable to policies aligned with political candidates from the American continent that have been funded by an MVA STR profiteer and MVA officer. These aren’t vague political talking points. These are real-world, life-altering consequences suffered by volunteers who serve their community, while watching others extract wealth with no accountability.
What are we to make of this moral inversion?
We affirm that those who work, who build, who serve—are the true foundation of Maui. And those who sit on idle STR investments, extracting income while contributing nothing to the commons—are not stewards. They are colonizers of convenience.
Let us speak clearly: this is not a class war. It is a battle between people with class and those without.
To have class is to maintain balance in every transaction: to give and take in measure, to uplift others when you rise. To lack class is to sit on hoarded wealth while others sleep in their cars. And that is what passive income has become—a form of spiritual kleptomania.
We issue this challenge: let every STR owner in Mā‘alaea—indeed, across all of Maui—rent their unit long term at truly affordable rates to the applicant who can afford it with the lowest credit score and the most urgent housing need. Offer it not for praise, but as a way to unburden your karma. If the afterlife is real, then wealth hoarded now becomes labor owed later. Why not settle the debt in this life, where it can still help someone?
⸻
Conclusion: Holy Water and the Rule of Law
Let this STR ban be our act of holy water: not poured in anger, but in cleansing.
The laws exist. The mission statements exist. The permits, codes, and public promises exist. If each individual, each agency, and each corporation simply follows the laws they wrote for themselves, we could resolve nearly all of Maui’s wastewater and housing crises in this generation.
The rule of law by this Council—here in this occupied nation—must be followed like the word of God. And the statements made by our institutions must be honored as sacred covenants, or else be stripped away as fraud.
Aloha
ALOHA! My name is Rick Quosig. I am an owner of a 1Bed 1Bath STVR condo the past 4 years at the Maui Eldorado in West Maui. My HOA is $1700 Mthly; Landlease is $700 Mthly; Resort fees are $540 Mthly; Property taxes are $300 Mthly; Insurance is $100 Mthly. TOTAL monthly is $3240....which does NOT include Mortgage. Even though I am for and against certain elements of Bill 9, at this time this should NOT be an "either/or" situation. Many on both sides of the issue have testified that the choice as stated in Bill 9 continues to create division among us. By definition, this clearly falls into a "Negotiation/Compromise" scenario. Here's my suggestion: Instead of the Maui Council pushing for 1 side against the other, I implore the council to offer up a list of potential compromises for further discussion in the next Bill 9 STVR community meeting. This will bring people together instead of pitting us against each other. This can also be the start of a healing process that is long overdue. The following are just (2) examples of a potential compromise: ** Impose a limit of 1 or 2 STVRs per Owner. ** Exclude STVRs that are designated for "Resort/Hotel" use under the West Maui Community Plan. Those are just 2 of many more I am sure that can possibly be a way out of this unfortunate conundrum. Please reach out to me if you want to discuss in more detail. My email is: rjquosig@gmail.com. MAHALO!
100 percent support this bill yesterday today and forever. Amen
To: Maui County Council Housing and Land Use Committee
From: Edward Codelia
Aloha Chair Kama and Committee Members,
I am submitting this testimony in strong support of **Bill 9**, which closes the apartment zoning loophole that has enabled widespread misuse of land intended for local housing. As a Maui resident and real estate professional, I believe this measure is not only legally and morally justified — it is also **fiscally responsible** and economically strategic in the face of rising inflation, global instability, and federal austerity.
Short-Term Revenue Impacts
There will be an initial hit to County revenues if Bill 9 is passed. Current estimates suggest Maui could see a **\$15 to \$28 million annual reduction** in Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and property tax premiums during the first two years. This loss is tied directly to 1,000 to 1,400 short-term rental units operating in apartment-zoned areas, each generating an average of \$80,000 to \$120,000 per year in short-term income.
But this temporary dip in revenue is **not a fiscal crisis — it is a necessary correction**. We must stop treating investor profits as the baseline for County sustainability.
Long-Term Financial Stability
By year three, we expect Maui County to begin recovering and even **exceeding previous revenue levels** through rediversified, long-term economic activity. Gains from long-term rental taxation, stabilized property values, increased home turnover, and the reinvestment of local tenant income are projected to generate **\$10 to \$17 million annually**, with significant additional value created through federal housing grants and public cost avoidance.
The economic activity generated by permanent residents — who buy food, raise families, maintain homes, and pay taxes here year-round — is more stable and recession-resistant than short-term tourist activity.
We Cannot Rely on Tourism to Bail Us Out Again
Let us not forget: tourism came to a grinding halt during COVID-19. It can happen again. The visitor industry is **not recession-proof** — especially with current inflation, declining mainland discretionary income, new federal tariffs, volatile fuel prices, and rising travel costs. A correction is coming whether we like it or not.
If we fail to act, we will be stuck holding the bag when investor interest dries up and tourism declines — while our residents are still displaced, and our infrastructure and emergency services continue to be overburdened by unsustainable use.
New Jobs, Lower Costs, and Real Local Benefits
Transitioning apartment-zoned STVRs to long-term use or legal rental models will stimulate **local employment in construction, elder care, maintenance, and property management**. An estimated **200 to 400 new local jobs** can be created through this transition.
At the same time, apartment owners and associations will benefit from **reduced maintenance and security costs** — with some HOAs projected to see **10% to 25% reductions in fees** as transient occupancy declines.
This is real, measurable relief for local residents — and a sustainable model for managing our housing and labor markets.
Moral Responsibility and Public Trust
At the heart of this debate is a question of values: **Should Maui County prioritize speculative ROI for absentee investors, or secure housing and dignity for our working families, kūpuna, and keiki?**
The answer is clear.
We are not obligated to preserve investor returns. We are obligated to serve the public interest. That means using zoning laws as intended — for long-term housing — and ensuring that our scarce land resources are used to sustain a resilient population, not subsidize outside wealth.
Bill 9 is not just about zoning. It is about economic transition, moral responsibility, and long-term survival. While it may involve short-term sacrifices, it will restore balance, integrity, and sustainability to our local economy. It will make our budget more resilient to recession, inflation, and federal cuts. And it will signal that Maui governs for its people, not for speculation.
Please vote **YES on Bill 9**.
Mahalo,
Edward Codelia
Resident & Real Estate Professional
Aloha Members,
I am a long-term owner of a 555 sq /ft condo in Maalaea Bay. My parents bought our condo in 1978. We have rented it out to local residents, traveling nurses and others needing a short-term accommodation. We have also rented it out to FEMA when the island was in need of housing. We have always contributed to the island’s culture and economy , whether it be to fundraisers, to picking up trash, to employing local contractors or service people and of course trying to always spread the Aloha spirit. To lose this because of the inability to have short term rentals would have a very negative effect on the local citizens, economy and owners. All of the rental income we receive is used to defray the costs of maintaining the unit. I would like to think that the planning commission could be more innovative to find a solution to everyone's benefit. I ask that you do NOT pass Bill 9.
Our experience with the long-term FEMA rental was rewarding in being able to provide a place for someone in need. However, it showed me that the 555 sq/ft did not fill the needs of the single person that lived there more than short time. She moved out well short of the year contract, when she found another larger accommodation. 555 sq/ft is not a good solution for even a single person for a long-term stay.
I appreciate your consideration to not pass Bill 9.
Elaine Baker
Taking other people's property does not get anyone a place to live. No one should be forced to rent out their home to anyone - No one stole anyones land.. people do not understand how condo's operate.. all the owners in a condo complex decide on everything.. doesn't matter if the condos are owner occupied or rented out.. condo dues have to insure for the building regardless of occupancy .. its pretty clear the hotels/unions/locals that can't afford here want your place.. America doesn't work like that.. if Hotels want the condo's buy them.. you could use the money that you're going to waste in lawsuits to fight peoples home ownership
People of Lahaina, who were affected from wild fires , deserve a recovered normal life as soon as possible.
Please pass this bill as soon as possible IF
1. It really brings the apartments from the list of minatoya to the affordable level for the residents
2. It really solves the housing problem
3. It does not create any law suites and making the situations persistent for the years to come and which does worsen peoples emotions and ultimately affecting the daily lives, cost and inflation.
CONCERNS:
1. Do we really need all about 7000 units from minatoya list where the displaced count is about 5 - 6 thousands
2. Are you going to take out HOA s and manage those units maintained by county, which will bring down the cost to afford the apartment
3. How residents going to pay the rents for the units being rented to them, meaning do they going to have jobs to support the rent and family, when many jobs are lost and not being created with minatoya list is taken out from STVR.
4. What about the units that are going to be vacant for long time and owner will get a situation to sell them for lower price ( thinking the housing crash) which results in a lot of loss of income to the county.
Being said all above points , I totally support the Bill 9 and I am also a owner of STVR unit in west maui.
Thanks
Dear Members, I oppose Bill 9 that changes transient vacation rentals in apartment zones to long term rentals only. The U.S. Constitution protects the right to own & enjoy property through the 5th & 14th Amendments. These constitutional protections ensure that individuals can own, use, & dispose of their property, and that the government cannot arbitrarily seize or "RESTRICT" its use without proper legal process and compensation. This will not only incur economic negative repercussions on our county income but also the individual owners. There is NO WAY individual owners can service their mortgages with long term rental income alone. Too Bad, Soo Sad is not the responsible answer. Many will be forced to sell and perhaps still have to service a mortgage for real estate they no longer own. Surely, the county can resolve long term rental situations other ways. Perhaps renovating the planning department so the plans for building are processed more timely. EVERYBODY knows we have one of the longest building permit processes in the nation. This is ALWAYS been a challenge that should not exist when MOST planning departments in the nation have a MUCH shorter window of process. Additionally, for large scale community projects the developer should be able to have less units designated for low income, etc. Consequently, big developers have scaled back on providing much needed housing.. Mahalo for your time and we hope you vote against this bill and determine other ways to provide for Maui citizens.
Aloha Council Members,
I am in support of Bill 9. I am a Lahaina resident and currently have 4 generations under one roof with no room for expansion. We have hotels sitting at low occupancy, have the visitors stay there. This would also create more jobs as hotels will need more workers based on occupancy and need. We need to take care of our local families and keep them here. Please consider supporting this bill, this is our chance at an opportunity to help our people. Not putting money in the pockets of people who aren't even residents of Maui. Mahalo
Honorable Members of the Maui City Council,
I am writing to provide some history about the Paki Maui complex, and provide details of the carrying costs for our 2 bedroom unit (located in phase 1 building next to the ocean). My husband and I are neither for or against the proposed TVR ban. We simply pray that the council finds a way to provide affordable housing solutions for locals, without hurting owners of Minatoya properties.
We bought our unit in 2016, after consulting with a Maui real estate attorney about the legality of using our unit as a TVR, as the seller was doing. He provided us copies of a 1989 ordinance allowing A1 and A2 permits for short term rentals, the 2001 legal opinion by Richard Montoya, the 2014 ordinance (4176) and 2016 ordinances (4315 and 4369) codifying into law all Minatoya properties as TVRs. Our attorney confirmed it was legal to continue using our unit as a TVR, and didn’t see a legal way for the county or state to remove that right in the future. After our purchase, we were pleased in 2020-23 to see further qualifying conditions for ongoing Minatoya TVR operations (Ordinances 5126, 5301, 5473, 5502).
Paki History (from online research and talking to generational owners and old timers who have lived at Paki):
The first two phases/buildings in Paki Maui were built in 1974-75 (one building with ocean views, the other more inland building with garden views). A third phase/building (mostly ocean/pool views) was built between 1978-79.
Paki Maui started out selling units as timeshares, and when they didn't sell that well after 6-12 months, they began selling them as short term rentals and permanent residences (in accordance with their declarations). One of my neighbors has an original sale brochures, titled "Paki Maui Vacation Rentals". I also have a Paki Maui brochure from the 70's, touting Paki Maui as "the ideal Hawaiian Resort". Joseph Paki (who was born in Lahaina, worked at Pioneer Mill and later served as a police officer, fireman, and Postmaster) originally owned the land and he developed them in the 70's as vacation rentals with the help of his best friend and some investors. The complex may have housed some workforce employees over the years, but it was never built for that purpose.
The Monthly Fixed Carrying Costs for our 1000 sq ft, 2 bedroom unit is as follows:
AOAO (HOA) fees:= $2504
Mortgage (w/ 30% down and 4.25% interest rate) = $3288
Property taxes (2024): $1257
Insurance: $156
MONTHLY TOTAL: $7205
We have been told to expect some assessments in the future to pay for the repair of the seawall, sinkholes, aging plumbing, and concrete spalling.
I will let you decide whether this unit qualifies as affordable long term housing, based on all of these fixed costs.
My husband and I respect the local people, culture and environment. We give generously to Make-A-Wish Hawaii, Maui Foodbank, and Maui Humane Society. After the wildfires, we volunteered for a month at the Honokowai Park, buying/hauling supplies from Kahului, and managing the Maui Humane Society supply tent. All of our guests must take the Malama Maui County Pledge, and we give them a list of volunteer opportunities to take part in during their stay (most take us up on it). Also, my husband has stage 4 metastatic cancer, we use a significant amount of our TVR income to pay for his medical treatment that is not covered by insurance.
Mahalo for reading my written testimony.
Respectfully,
Kana Makino
I am in strong support of Bill 9. I am a resident of Makawao and have family that has been here for decades.
The fires were a beyond traumatic experience for our community. I lost my hanai aunty, and some of my best friends are still in FEMA housing.
As a young person, my fiance and I have not been able to find affordable housing. We have not been able to move out of our family home. We plan to start a family and begin our life, and we are unable to get a place of our own. The most affordable units available on Maui are not affordable for working class folks, and have outrageous HOAs- rates in which we cannot afford.
The Minatoya list units fit our needs. Please do not tell me what is appropriate for me to live in or tell me what I can or cannot afford. Let me make that decision for myself.
Furthermore, we cannot build our way out of this crisis. The process will take too long, and we don’t have the time, as we saw from the presentation earlier. We need action now. We don’t have enough resources to sustain these STRs. We are a small island. Our island is already suffering from over development. Developing more will not only have environmental impacts such as high waste, water, and energy usage, but also potentially damaging to ancestral land could disrupt iwi kupuna. To develop more is not the answer.
Although I am not kanaka, I stand behind the preservation of Hawai’i and its beautiful, unique culture as an ally. We should prioritize Maui residents and families over developers, business owners, people who live off island, and those who own multiple homes. To support bill 9 is to protect the families who have been here for time immemorial, and those who have been here for decades.
Mahalo.
We oppose this bill
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair and Committee Members,
As owners of a legal STR at the Kamaole Sands property, I strongly OPPOSE Bill 9 which would eliminate the long-standing, legal use of short-term rentals in A-1 and A-2 Apartment Zoning Districts.
The shortage of affordable housing has existed in Maui decades before the devastating Lahaina fire, and I understand that this disaster has created an immediate need; but the Maui government and deceitful lobbyists surrounding them, continue to use the phrase “convert into long-term rentals”. There is NO CONVERSION!! The regulations can change to eliminate STR as a use, but they cannot force an owner to long-term rent; thus, creating NO additional housing.
Phasing out short-term rentals is not the solution to years and years of the government failing to provide affordable housing to local families and will, without a doubt, create a much bigger financial deficit to the County of Maui when all of these owners start legal proceedings, if this bill is passed.
These condos are already available as long-term rental properties and have been since they were constructed. There is nothing currently prohibiting them from being owner occupied or from being a long-term rental, so the idea that they need to be "returned to their intended long-term residential use" is a ridiculous thought process. They were always intended to be used for short-term, vacation rentable spaces.
The lack of affordable housing is not exclusive to the State of Hawaii or the County of Maui. There are affordable housing deficiencies all over the entire country. An outrageous amount of tax dollars are already being collected from Maui STRs that are specifically intended to be used for affordable housing, yet, that money seems to “disappear” into a general fund and no housing is built. Maui government claims delays in permit processes and water issues, yet somehow a massive Hilton Vacation Resort was built in Kihei in a flood zone!! More luxury units are being built in Wailea as we speak. How can all of this get approval, yet still NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
Wouldn’t it be great if every state could turn back the clock 50 years or so? It seems that the supporters of this bill think that can and will happen. There are many, many properties that are for sale at substantially reduced prices and yet, no locals are lining up for them. Because they are not affordable! They will still not be affordable even if market drops further down.
Bill 9 is not about creating affordable housing. This is about the government appeasing a very small, loud group of people that clearly do not care about devasting the economy of Maui. Some supporters say that the jobs lost due to eliminating STRs can “pivot” to another field. Do you not think people would be working in the “other field” if they could or wanted to? So, a landscaper at a STR complex is just now magically qualified and wants to go to work in the education, medical or IT sector? There are apparently over 600 jobs available at the County of Maui, yet these “locals” say they can’t commit to those jobs because they need housing. Make it make sense to those of us that actually can do the math!
Please OPPOSE Bill 9 as it is written as it will create nothing more than further division of the people of Maui and an economic disaster. This will not result in more affordable housing and even more “locals” will need to leave Maui to find sustainable work.
Please consider other options that will not create such economic damage. There is for sure a better solution that does not upend the lives of so many 1000's of people while simultaneously draining away so much in tax revenue. Please scrap this bill entirely and work towards a better solution that does not simply exchange one person's rights for another's.
11,600 Maui Households earn $15,300 per month!!????
On June 9 Mayor's staff presented these figures....that with a Bill 9 phase out the
"carrying costs" for a Minatoya apt would decrease to $4601/mo. (taxes, mortgage,
HOA fees,etc.),and that 11.600 Maui households could afford this..at 30% of their income
..WHICH THEREFORE CALCULATES AS $15,300 PER MONTH!!! At this income who would buy
a 1 or 2 bedroom apt., instead of a house????
Clearly at $4601/mo. Minatoya apts. would not be an affordable solution
for our workers. ie no"workers housing" solution.
Bill 9 gives little or no housing relief...but it definitely takes jobs,
family incomes, and small business profits.
Responsible government requires us all to vote NO on Bill 9