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 County Council Members,
First, I would like to say thank you for all the tireless efforts of this Council on behalf of our community. You have given many of us hope for a better future for ourselves and our children.
I am writing in strong support of Bill 9 to phase out vacation rentals in apartment zoned buildings. I have lived on the westside of Maui for 30 years. It has been heartbreaking to see so many vacation rentals replace the homes of our residents. I have watched friends and family forced repeatedly to move as their apartments and homes were sold and converted to vacation rentals, so wealthy mainlanders and Canadians can have even more passive income. I have moved more times than I can count. It has gotten to the point that I try to only rent foreclosed units, as they provide more stability than a regular rental. The last regular place I rented was at Napili Ridge, which has both long-term and short-term rentals. My daughter and I rented a one bedroom on the ground floor. The three units above us and the one next door were all vacation rentals. It was very disturbing to have weekly groups of different people partying and being loud and disrespectful, dumping their coolers filled with ice and food bits over their lanai and onto ours. My biggest concern-I could not vet them for sex offender registration to keep my daughter safe. People vacationing have no business being in residential family-oriented neighborhoods, it is disruptive and potentially dangerous to our children.
In recent years the lack of inventory of long-term rentals has driven the price up so high that even people making above average wages cannot afford to rent. I have friends currently looking who tell me that they are 1 out 100 applicants, and landlords are increasing their profits by raising the rent. Local families with pets or children don’t stand a chance of being selected. People I know who work good jobs and own businesses are ending up in their cars or camping. My own mother lives in her van. Businesses are having to close early or not open at all due to severe staffing shortages, as more and more local hardworking families move off island.
When I listen to the testimony of those against this policy, every single one has a financial conflict of interest. Every one of them is currently profiting from our lack of housing and over-tourism. Of course they would not support this policy, as they have already shown that they do not support our community or our local families. They care only about the money they would lose, which ultimately makes their testimony paid for.
Another benefit of this policy is that it will naturally help control the over-tourism that has for so long increased unchecked. We were already over our carrying capacity as a destination with 3 million visitors a year coming. Even before Covid-19, our ratio of visitors to residents was more than we could sustain with our resources and infrastructure. When the tourists came flooding back during the pandemic, demanding Aloha, and endangering our unvaccinated children’s lives, it became abundantly clear to a lot more people that it is just too much. After the fire it has become an even worse problem. This last year, even the tourists are complaining about the traffic, long lines at stores, la k of service, and not being able to get reservations at restaurants, on boat tours, etc. There is a point when there are simply not enough workers to provide services to the people who want their vacations. Additionally, the tensions between locals and tourists have reached a boiling point. Instances of incidences erupting into violent altercations are becoming more and more common. This is a problem. If the people who profit from the tourism industry want to continue to do so, then there must be a balance. If it becomes too tedious, unfriendly, and unenjoyable, they will simply go somewhere else.
In closing, I believe this method of increasing inventory for our residents while simultaneously limiting the amount of tourist accommodations in our residential neighborhoods is brilliant. We don’t need more tourists. We need to control the over-tourism that is currently destroying the island and dislodging our local families. We need to make sure that the people who work in necessary industries can afford to live where they work and stay with their families. Thank you for coming up with a plan that will eventually and fairly solve multiple problems that we are all dealing with as a community.
I am not a property owner or business owner in Maui. I am a resident of California and have been fortunate to visit Maui almost annually for 15 years.
I strongly oppose bill 9.
I have stayed in both hotels and rental units. Hotels kept me dining and spending most of my time on site, but STRs led me to local markets, family-owned restaurants, and small businesses—stuff I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. STRs enrich both visitor experience and the local economy. I did not find Kihei rent a car and try every grocery and convenience store poke until I left the Wailea resort area.
Removing legal short-term rentals won’t solve Maui’s housing crisis. Instead, I urge exploring proven U.S. models of government-backed, affordable housing:
• West Hartford, CT: A $25.5 million redevelopment added 65 modern rental units for seniors and people with disabilities, funded by state/federal grants and tax credits. It’s expanding to 300 units by July 2025.
• Laredo, TX (NeighborWorks): Built 24 homes under $200 k for low-to-moderate-income families. Public-private collaboration created instant equity value for residents.
• Montgomery County, MD: Its Housing Opportunities Commission built mixed-income housing, pairing subsidized units with market-rate rentals to reduce poverty concentration—maintaining high occupancy and financial health.
These programs demonstrate that targeted subsidies, mixed-income development, and land-use planning can increase housing affordability without eliminating visitor accommodations or harming economic vitality.
I’ve also heard that many residents who oppose the bill feel unable to speak due to backlash or work demands. Please consider those silenced voices as well.
Please reject Bill 9 and instead pursue housing initiatives that both preserve island tourism and address affordability through sustainable, community-supported programs. My family has been through cat 5 hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes as well. The Maui fire victims deserve a true solution.
Please consider the profound impact of your decision on those that could not speak to you face to face.
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.
We were specifically mentioned as a property that should not have STR rights removed when the bill was forwarded to you from Land Use. And I ask that recommendation be honored. Please feel free to come visit the property to see for your own eyes the reason that Papakea was excluded in the recommendation for removing STR rights.
Background on Papakea
Papakea was initially marketed and sold as a legal vacation rental property before any zoning restrictions limited transient vacation rentals in apartment zoned properties.
Papakea owners have been operating legal vacation rentals for almost fifty years.
Papakea has never been workforce housing so Papakea is not an example of a property that converted from workforce housing to transient vacation rental use.
The majority of units at Papakea are under 600 square feet and the property has limited parking.
Papakea is not in a residential neighborhood and is located alongside a long stretch of hotel-zoned properties and directly adjacent to multiple commercially-zoned properties.
Unlike apartment buildings designed for long-term residential use, Papakea has a front desk, an activity concierge, shared activity space, and numerous other common resort amenities.
Owners purchased condos at Papakea with the reasonable expectation that short-term rentals were legal based on ordinances as far back as 1989, and as recent as 2022.
In reliance on the Maui County ordinances and published documents, Hawaii state law, and constitutional protections, owners invested in costly renovations, furnishings, and long-term financial commitments such as mortgages that make any phase out of short-term rental right offensive of each buyer’s investment-backed expectations.
Papakea’s Contributions to the Community
Papakea’s resort operations provide full-time, benefited, employment for 35 local resident employees; some have worked at the property for over 17 years; some started in entry-level positions and worked into supervisory roles.
Papakea supports a wide variety of local trade professionals including pest control, HVAC, painting, plumbing, electrical, general contracting, masonry, tile and flooring, fitness instructors, entertainers, and tree trimming.
Individual Owner Contributions to the Community
Many small businesses owned and operated by local residents from the Maui community rely on Papakea short-term rentals including housekeepers, handymen, on-island agents, and contractors. These service providers set their own rates, work hours, select their own clients, work conditions and standard operating procedures. Shutting down short-term rentals at Papakea means telling local entrepreneurs that worked hard to build a small business that they need to just go get a job somewhere else to make less money, have less flexibility, and be subject to oppressive corporate policies.
Papakea STRs support the State of Hawaii and County of Maui through payment of property taxes (many at the short-term rental rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and Maui County Transient Accommodations Tax.
Papakea guests support many small businesses on the island including restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, activities, state parks, the national park, and shops.
Papakea owners and guests regularly participate in community activities including volunteering at beach cleanups, Maui Humane Society, the hospital, and many other local organizations, and contribute to local philanthropic and cultural efforts.
I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Owner
3543 Lower Honoapiilani rd Unit L206
Lahaina, HI
Aloha,
I am a resident of maui
Born and raised and have worked in the cleaning business for over 20 years... I've been cleaning for half of my life and that's how I make a living and how I support, me n my family... If they decide to phase out strs I am not quite sure how I would make a living... I oppose to bill 9
I oppose Bill 9 because it will cause massive loss of essential jobs for Maui residents and also cause a huge decrease in tax revenue for Maui County. These jobs and revenue are not replaceable and implementing Bill 9 will therefore cause severe suffering for many Maui workers, families and taxpayers.
Instead, consider using the massive amount of funds generated yearly from Maui visitor taxes to create, renovate and subsidize affordable housing for those Maui families who cannot provide for themselves.
No on 9 -There is a better way forward!
My name is Ricky Lew. I have lived in Maui for eleven years. I work as the full-time Resident Maintenance Manager at Makani Sands Condominiums in Lahaina. I oppose Bill 9. If this legislation is enacted, I will lose my job and the accompanying residence. Please do not vote to approve this bill. I do not want to become homeless and jobless.
My husband and I have been a residents of Maui for 45yrs. I am opposed to Bill 9 and the TVR rental phase-out in apartment districts except for work force housing that became STR's.
My husband and I purchased our Condo at The Palms at Wailea in 1997. We've owned it 28yrs. and never once wanted to sell it. It was always to be handed down to our daughter who was born and raised here. It was understood at the time, we would be able to rent it out short term ,that it was grandfathered in. Never were we ever told that it was on a Minatoya list. I would have thought that even Escrow would have mentioned this at the time or someone. We purchased direct from the owner and not one word of it until now.
We invested our hard earned money into Maui. We were not outside investors. This is our home. We pay top GET and TAT and property taxes .
The Palms at Wailea is in the resort of Wailea surrounded by homes mostly owned by 2nd home owners. The condo would not accommodate a family and no pets. There is only one designated parking spot. Also, nowhere for storage. We have a high homeowners association fee and still after all these years have a mortgage. With the higher taxes and all the fees we would not be able to rent it long term.
Our condo has been empty now because of what is going on. We are usually booked solid. Our rate has also gone up to cover all the expenses, electricity costs, fees and taxes , as well as any appliances that need fixing or replaced. We are at our max and cannot raise our rental prices anymore. If anything we have to reduce our rates . At $299/nt for a 2BR/2BA we are giving it away for a 1200 sq. ft. condo in Wailea and I still am not getting any takers. As a result , the County is losing revenue because we are not rented and wide open. Tourists are not coming. They are going other places that are a lot cheaper and where they feel wanted. It's a shame what has happened here and I'm afraid more businesses will close.
Covid and The fires have hurt Maui tremendously. This will put the nail on the coffin if this is allowed to happen.
We need to do something to bring tourists back . We need a full on media blitz to welcome tourists back. Tourism is the lifeline for our community.It is very sad what has happened to come to this.
Something needs to be done to lower taxes for local STR investors too. We pay high property taxes for STR's, GET and TAT taxes. The same rates as Out of State investors. We should not be paying the same rates as Out of State investors. We keep our money here. This is not fair to long time residents that live here , buy goods , services, banking, etc. to pay the same as Out of State investors.
STR's, have to increase their rates to be able to stay in business along with fees that rental companies charge and everything else to keep the condo updated . We pay our cleaners $200, every time they clean when visitors leave, which they are not getting also. This loss of revenue filters down to everyone. Let's face it, Tourism has been our main source of income here. Too many people make a living here from it. We cannot afford to lose this. So many condo's sitting empty now. We are headed for another recession that will be devastating for everyone. It will take another 7 yrs. to recover if not longer.
STR's should not be taken away. The writing was on the wall to see Real Estate prices , rental costs and tourism going up for years and yet nothing was done to provide workforce and low income housing. Where was the foresight? The STR industry should not have to suffer as a result of the Government's short sidedness . Instead everything was focused on high end developments and now we are here. We have 2 sides. One for tourism and the one's that do not want it and make their voices loud and clear to turn tourists off from coming here and feel entitled to take away the zoning of these condo's thinking there will be more housing. This will not happen and will be tied up in the courts for years.
It's easy to see where Maui is headed and it's not progressing, it's going backwards. Money will not come into Maui if there is no shopping, no boutiques, empty malls along with high costs to go to restaurants, activities and all the nickel and diming for attractions and loss of tourists coming and spending. Why would anyone want to invest here with all this going on. There are just too many fun, cheaper places to go that offer so much more. The writing is on the wall.
In conclusion, I feel it will be devastating if the STR's are taken away. This is a free country. The Government should not be able to take away people's investments , create hardships for so many because of a housing shortage the Government is responsible for to begin with. There will be so many law suits that it will bankrupt Maui and be held up in courts for years and only hurt ourselves.
I've been through 4 recessions here and this will be worse than ever. I sold products to all the stores in the State. I've seen what they went through and how hard it was then to stay in business. I can't imagine now. With shipping costs to bring goods in , will bring up the costs of everything including the high rents they already pay and no tourists to support local businesses. We will have empty stores and malls everywhere with NO takers. People are moving in droves. Maui has lost its charm and it's so sad. The Government needs to make wise choices at this time.
I'm glad I got to experience it at a time when Maui was Maui. Such great memories . I only hope that something is done for the better of Maui and all it's citizen's that live here, retired ,working and families before everyone leaves as well as all the people all over the World that Love Maui and want to come back.
Resident kupuna should not have their apartments that were designated as such years ago, be prohibited from short term rentals in Resort areas, or over property taxed based on outrageous rates due to housing prices having been driven up from outside investors. Long time residents and owners should have their tax basis be on what they paid for their homes, not the artificial unsustainable and inflated "assessed value". I was able to hang on to my original 1/1 apartment when I upsized decades ago, in order to provide for my retirement and for my ohana to stay in their homeland rather than have to move to Las Vegas. The inflated tax rates, and inability to do short term rental in Resort designated areas, are contributing to the downward spiral in income of Hawaii Resident owners and especially retiree kupuna. It will also devastate the tax income to the County from these rentals.
As a condo owner on Molokai, I oppose this bill. When it is all said and done, if this bill is passed, it will fail in the courts. It will take years to work its way through the courts, but it will fail. The Land Reform Act isn't going to help you. Midkiff isn't going to help you. Eminent Domain isn't going to work. The bill is up against the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution and the Takings clause. UHERO is against you. Simple equitable estoppel is against you. I'm sure your legal counsel has already told you all this. Maui County will be paying for attorneys from the inevitable injunction to the loss at the Supreme Court years down the road. How much money do you really want to waste here? How many homes could you build with that money? How much time do you really want to waste? How long are you going to wait to actually help the people of Maui? Regards, Ken Carpenter, Wavecrest, Molokai.
I oppose vehemently the bill 9 that is being forced on to the Maui community. I am a proud resident and an owner of the STVR there is no one that would benefit from rescinding the permissions. These are STVR permissions that were provided to the community of short term rentals and the rentals thrived all these years based on those facts. There is no evidence that suggests that the removing these permissions would aid affordable housing as the cost of HOA and property taxes would be prohibitive for anyone to own a home in these communities on the aegis of affordable housing. The HOA + property tax + insurance for these homes themselves would cost around $25000 to $30000 per year which in itselves puts the home out of reach for many who is looking for affordable homes. These homes through the property taxes, the vacation taxes and HOA does invaluable service to the community and feed many people and this again benefits the community of Hawaii. Please reconsider this bill and do not revise it after all these years on the name of affordable housing as it clearly cannot lead to affordable housing. thank you for your consideration!
I am writing in support of bill 9. My name is Archie McLeod, I live in Wailuku. Maui County possesses the authority to establish and enforce local laws that regulate housing and rental practices, including renting, subletting, and property conditions. This authority allows the county to implement policies such as rent stabilization without needing state approval. Given the escalating rents and affordability challenges faced by residents, Maui County has the power to adopt measures that protect tenants and better manage the housing market.
Although there is no formal rent stabilization policy in place at the moment, the county can introduce various local housing regulations to tackle these issues. This includes rent stabilization, rent control, or a combination of both. However, implementing a rent stabilization program based on inflated market conditions could lead to unintended consequences such as reduced housing supply and market inefficiencies. To mitigate these issues, it is essential that rent stabilization policies be based on accurate, long-term market data and continuously monitored and adjusted as market conditions evolve. This approach will ensure that the policies address housing affordability effectively without distorting the market.
The proposed zoning changes for A-1 and A-2 zoned properties are crucial to managing Maui County’s housing market. These changes could significantly impact rental supply and affordability. If approved, they could lead to increased density and more diverse property uses, potentially increasing the availability of rental units and alleviating some pressure on rental prices. This increase in supply could enhance the effectiveness of any rent stabilization policies implemented following the zoning amendments.
Conversely, if these zoning changes are not approved, the county may continue to face constraints on rental supply, which could worsen existing affordability issues. In this case, rent stabilization may become more urgent to protect tenants from rapidly rising rents and ensure that affordable housing remains accessible to community members. A more aggressive rent control policy might then be necessary.
Rent stabilization is a valuable tool for addressing immediate affordability challenges, but it must be understood within the broader context of the housing landscape. Effective rent stabilization policies should consider current market conditions, including how zoning decisions impact housing supply and rental rates. Without this consideration, rent stabilization alone might not fully address the root causes of high rents. Additionally, the rental market is currently adjusting to FEMA rentals, above-market rates, and the influx of unemployed tenants under the FEMA program.
If zoning changes lead to higher property values, the county will need to adjust real property taxes accordingly. Increased property values from new developments or higher density could result in higher tax revenues, which could support affordable housing initiatives or mitigate potential negative effects of rent stabilization. It is vital that county tax policies align with housing strategies to ensure fair and effective outcomes.
The proposed zoning changes are essential for addressing Maui’s housing crisis. By increasing property flexibility and density, these changes will significantly boost the availability of sustainable housing units, which is crucial for meeting growing demand and alleviating rental market pressures.
Current zoning regulations limit new developments and conversions, contributing to a strained rental market. By approving these zoning amendments, the County Council can facilitate the development of more rental units, helping balance supply and demand and reduce rent pressures.
Given the complexities of these issues, the committee must approach the discussion with a comprehensive perspective. The decision on zoning changes will affect not only rental unit availability but also the effectiveness of any rent stabilization policies. Therefore, a thorough examination of both zoning and rent stabilization, along with potential tax law adjustments, is essential for crafting effective solutions that address the community’s needs.
Additionally, while rent control might be more effective in curbing real estate speculation due to its strict limits on rent increases, it could discourage new construction or property renovations. Rent control can also lead to market distortions, such as property shortages if landlords withdraw units or convert them to other uses.
On the other hand, rent stabilization allows for moderate, predictable rent increases, which helps tenants manage affordability while still providing flexibility for landlords. It balances tenant protection with allowing landlords to adjust rents in response to changing market conditions, preventing extreme market fluctuations.
Given Maui’s high real estate prices and the impact of speculation on affordability, a combination of policies may be needed. Implementing rent stabilization along with measures to curb speculative buying, such as increased property taxes for non-resident investors or additional regulations on property transactions, could offer a more comprehensive solution.
Maui County’s authority to regulate housing practices provides a significant opportunity to address pressing affordability issues and market inefficiencies. While the county can implement rent stabilization policies without state approval, it is crucial to approach these measures with careful consideration and evidence-based data. The interplay between proposed zoning amendments and rent stabilization is critical. Zoning changes, particularly those that increase density and diversify property uses, could enhance rent stabilization’s effectiveness by boosting rental supply and easing market pressures.
I oppose Bill 9. It will negatively affect Maui residents and those wanting to vacation on our beautiful island. We have owned our condo since it was built 51 years ago. As one of the first built specifically for short term rentals our original paperwork states it is approved for short term rentals. There's no evidence this will lead to more affordable housing. Instead it will hurt as all the workers who support the short term rentals will be out of work. Thank you
I oppose Bill 9 because it will hurt local residents and does not solve the housing crisis.
We are a family of three living full-time on Maui, with a new baby on the way. Our livelihood depends on the short-term rental (STR) industry—we rely on cleaning and hosting work to help cover our basic living expenses, including housing, food, and childcare. STRs provide steady income that helps many local families like ours stay rooted here. Removing this legally codified use—approved by the County and supported in our condo’s governing documents—introduces financial instability at a time when many residents are already struggling to stay afloat.
There’s no evidence this bill will result in more long-term rentals, but there is clear and immediate economic harm. Most STRs in apartment-zoned areas are small studios or one-bedroom condos with high HOA fees and minimal amenities, making them unsuitable and unaffordable for long-term renters. According to County data, less than 10% of STR owners say they would convert to long-term rental use if forced out—meaning the vast majority would remain empty, be sold to second homeowners, or fall into disrepair. Meanwhile, STRs generate over $60 million annually in property taxes and contribute nearly $900 million in visitor spending. That revenue funds schools, parks, road repairs, and county jobs. Losing that would create more harm than good.
STR owners and operators are not the problem—we are part of the solution. We are regulated, pay taxes, and follow the rules. The better path forward is enforcement against illegal operators, not punishing legal ones. Maui needs real housing policies: fast-tracked development, affordable housing incentives, and cost-reduction programs for residents. Bill 9 doesn’t solve the housing crisis—it destabilizes local families and undermines our island economy. I oppose Bill 9 and ask you to protect Maui’s working families.
I oppose this Bill. I won't repeat the arguments that others have already made. I just like to bring to your esteemed attention, simple fact that adding HOA fees + property taxes already puts the cost above affordable housing. Thats not even considering any mortgages and high cost of repairs. On the human side, there are many retired couples who "winter" in Maui. These people are mostly retired Americans from colder climate. Many people in support of the bill have the image of multi-millionaires who come to Maui and exploit lower income natives. While there might be some cases like this, these big corporations don't need to make $1000 a month from a studio in Maui, they have far better sources of income. Many folks have worked hard during their productive years, saved and planned for a retirement and now we are telling them too bad, you shouldn't have planned your retirement in Maui. One of the worst things that any legislation can do, is to be retroactive. Its the very signature of a non-democratic jurisdiction. We know what the problem is, we have survived the Lahaina fires, its time to re-build Lahaina, but we can rebuild it with consideration of affordable housing. We can increase the zoning to allow more units per lot, no STR permits, we could even model after other municipalities such as Santa Monica, that gives incentives and designates certain number of affordable units per project, for example require 3 low rent units per every 10 units in a new project. Bill 9 if passed, will not survive test of time, it will cause entire buildings turn into derelict districts, left in state of disrepair, while Maui will keep raising (property) taxes to make up for lost revenue simultaneously reducing services (police, fire, environment etc), which will become a viscous circle until the whole system breaks down like New York City of 70's and 80's. To be sure, there will be pockets of super high-end homes in isolated areas (Wailea, Makena....) that don;t use any of the products or services that create jobs for residents. But without low and middle-class tourism, Maui will be a shadow of its past and right now this is what the Bill is proposing, no visitors on a low budget. It will hurt the very people its trying to help. Thank you for your time.
I strongly oppose Bill 9 because it will vastly hurt so many local residents of the Island of Maui.
Tourism in Hawaii and Maui County is the lifeblood of the community.
Countless Maui County residents rely on the tourism industry for their livelihoods and to care for their families.
By eliminating a vast amount of options for tourists, these Maui residents and community members will be devastated by the final impacts of this bill.
There has to be a better solution that focuses on bringing all residents together compared to ripping them apart.
Even larger vendors like the hotel industry will suffer as many of those workers have family members that rely on short term rentals as part of their family livelihoods.
Maui County has suffered far too much from the horrific fires in Lahaina and now this would be a further crippling blow for those who need stability the most.
Please focus on affordable housing and working to increase the types of industries that rely on Maui such as agriculture, science and technology. Maui County has a tremendous opportunity to be back at the forefront again.
We implore you to oppose this legislation for the future of Maui County.
I oppose the elimination of LEGAL transient vacation rentals in A-1 and A-2 apartment zoning districts.
I am a permanent resident of Kauai. I purchased I GO MAUI VACATION RENTALS AND REALTY almost 8 years ago in addition to the property management company I own in Kauai - SUITE PARADISE, consisting of approximately 150 rentals there. The STR ban will affect the company I own in Maui and this ban will put my business out of business in addition to the unemployment of the employees I have and consider my ohana.
I GO MAUI VACATION RENTALS AND REALTY currently consists of 4 permanent residents - an operations manager, 2 housekeepers, and one assistant to our office. See their names listed below:
· Amy Prentice- Operations Manager
· Abigail Christopherson- Office Assistant
· Danielle Bennett- Housekeeper
· Pifany Sanchez- Housekeeper
I GO MAUI VACATION RENALS AND REALTY also contracts out to over 33 different locally owned independent contractors and companies to service our units consisting of plumbers, electricians, handymen, cleaners, and more. Please see the list of the major ones we CURRENTLY use weekly if not daily and the companies we use for the operations of the company:
· James Christopherson- Handyman
· Eric Schiebel- Handyman
· Matt Carlson- Handyman
· Robert Baloran- Handyman
· Jalvin Endriga- Appliance Repairman
· Doug Bell- Appliance Repairman
· Gina Baker- Cleaner
· Jules Iraha- Cleaner
· Lace Souza- Cleaner
· Sherrel Romero- Cleaner
· Misty Gonzoles- Cleaner
· Juliana Grinle- Cleaner
· Ryan Cocco- Window Cleaner
· Jason Moreen- Window Cleaner and Upholstery Cleaner
· Neil Swanson- Upholstery Cleaner
· Vic Mannoia- Drapery cleaning
· Alonso Ortiz- Drywall and Tiler
· Reid Bellmore- Plumber
· Alejandro Angel-Franco- Plumber
· Kiakona Ordonez- Photographer
· Aloha Termite and Pest Control - pest treatment
· Chris Wallace- AC maintenance technician
· Makana at RIP AIir Conditioning - AC maintenance technician
· Air Conditioning of Maui Inc - AC maintenance technician
· South Shore AC- AC maintenance technician
· Certified Air Conditioning LLC- AC maintenance technician
· Carol Vanderlubbe- CPA Bookkeeper
· Parish of Good Shepard Episcopal- Church for rental of our office
· Menehune Water- Water supply in our office
· William Waters- Locksmith
· Mark Logan- Electrician
· Maui Blinds- Blind Repair and Installation
· Budget Blinds - Blind Repair and Installation
· Lifestyle Maui- furnishings
· Maui Coffee- coffee supply for guest arrivals
Even these food vendors we use for staff lunches and meetings will be affected by our company's lack of service requests:
· HI Thai- lunch meeting service
· Wailuku Coffee company- lunch meeting service
· 808 on Main- lunch meeting service
· Seascape Restaurant- Holiday party lunch meeting service
· Hula Cookies- we purchase gifts here
I oppose this ban because it will result in serious financial implications, such as lost jobs, and harm to small businesses and county revenues. Even before this bill passed, this has negatively impacted our permanent residential contractors and employees – whether full-time or part-time in producing job and work orders for these contractors due to lack of tourism since the fires.
am a 30 year long time west maui resident. I strongly oppose this. Converting small condominiums to fit families is not the solution building more affordable houses are. Who wants to squeeze into a small condo. Pay high rent. Not have animals. I sure don’t. I need a home not a condo. Please do not pass this bill. It is not the solution and will only cause more problems for our community. We need visitors and not all visitors want to stay in hotels. This will create Less jobs and People leaving because People won’t have jobs to pay rent. This will only create more problems for or community. Build more affordable homes not take away jobs as those that are employed by short term vacation rentals. Building more affordable housing not destroy livelihoods that’s the solution. Thank you for your consideration to NOT pass this.
Aloha Chair Kama and committee members,
I am writing in strong opposition to Bill 9. This Bill is ill-conceived and politically motivated and will not address the lack of affordable housing on Maui. What it will do is punish STR and small business owners for a problem they did not create.
I ask that the council members go out in the community and speak to their constituents about this Bill. Small business owners who cater to tourists will be severely affected by the passing of Bill 9 but many are afraid to speak publicly. Please read the many testimonies of these small business owners asking that the Bill not be passed. Please do not listen to the very vocal minority who want this Bill passed. It is disrespectful and hypocritical of these activists (some who worked in the tourism industry pre-fire and are now paid lobbyists) to tell small business owners who have spent years building up a business to simply PIVOT when their businesses have to close due to this Bill and the resultant lack of tourist dollars. If STR cleaners wanted to work for the hotels they would do so.
The argument that the people who stay in STRs only shop at Costco and do not eat in local restaurants or shop in local stores is not based in reality. They may eat one meal a day in their rental but are spending their days and dollars touring the island enjoying all it has to offer by shopping and eating out and that money stays on island. If anything, it is the hotel resort guests who are encouraged to stay on hotel property as much as possible eating in hotel restaurants, going to their luaus and taking surf lessons in-house and that money goes into corporate not local pockets. And as we all know there are plenty of local people who shop at Costco.
By my count there are about 43 STR apartments up for sale for under $500,000 – why haven’t these been purchased? You know why – HOAs and other carrying costs are very expensive and will continue to rise in the coming years. If this Bill passes there will be thousands of apartments either up for sale or sitting empty being used by their owners for a few weeks or months per year.
The argument that draining swimming pools/fountains and ripping out landscaping will lower HOA fees is ridiculous. Those actions will make zero difference. It is the insurance costs, repairs/maintenance (including labor costs), and special assessments to replace roofs and sewers systems of these decades-old buildings that keep the HOAs incredibly high. Very few if any STR owners make a profit and most take losses on their properties. And if these apartments were to be rented long-term the rent would have to be very high to cover these costs.
Please do not pass Bill 9. It will not provide the affordable housing needed and will punish STR and small business owners who have done nothing wrong. We all want affordable housing for everyone – this is not the way to achieve that. Thank you.
I am in strong support of Bill 9 and phasing out the short-term rentals in Minatoya properties.
I am in support of local families and workers that desperately need housing.
We have had to move away from the Island of Maui due to the high cost of housing and living.
Especially those that were impacted by the fires, deserve housing before visitors.
Investors should not be profiting at the expense of suffering community members.
Please stand in support with the community and help local families who are the heart and soul of the island have long-term, sustainable housing by supporting Bill 9.
I have chosen to not provide my personal information because of the fact that I and my family have been subject to online harassment and inappropriate calls from blocked numbers because I am a realtor and because of my opposition to Bill 9.
I am 100% supportive of the need to create more affordable housing. However, Bill 9 is not the way to do it. As much as the Mayor and supporters of Bill 9 believe it will, let's simply review the facts. The assumption is that by passing Bill 9, owners of Minatoya properties will either sell or rent long-term, and you know what they say about assumptions.
There has been a lot of talk about making housing affordable for purchase by local families. But, as I stated earlier, let's look at the facts. Let's look at prices prior to Covid. In 2019, the median sales price for a two-bedroom condo in Harbor Lights was $135,000. There were 24 sales in the complex that year. There were 35 active listings in January 2019 and 45 active listings in December 2019. That means that there were more listings than buyers for condos with an average price of $135,000, with the lowest sale being $97,000. The question has to be asked. Why, given the low prices in 2019, were local residents not buying when the prices were so low? Even today, you can buy a two-bedroom condo in Harbor Lights for under $200,000.
If local residents aren't able or willing to spend $200,000 on a condo in Harbor LIghts, how can you say that the Minatoya condos will be affordable to local residents? The numbers don't make sense!
In addition to Harbor Lights, for under $300,000, one could buy a two-bedroom condo in Maui Sands! You can buy a two-bedroom condo in West Maui Trades for $199,000! There is a one-bedroom condo in Maui Sands that is listed for $149,000 that has been on the market for 49 days as of today. Yet, there isn't anyone lining up to purchase any of these properties.
Actions speak louder than words. If one couldn't afford a $100k, condo in 2019, or a $150k condo today, I'd like someone to explain how they think these same local residents will be able to afford a $300,000+ condo (which is likely the low end of where the Minatoya properties would trade if Bill 9 were passed).
If anything, please look at the facts and consider what I've shared. The only result from Bill 9 is going to be island-wide economic disaster. Unfortunately, the Mayor and supporters of Bill 9 want you to think otherwise. But many of those same families, who are supporting Bill 9, need to realize that they too will be adversely impacted by Bill 9's passage. Loss of jobs means loss of income which means either continuing to rent or worse, loss of property to the lender.
I am asking that you come up with a strategy that makes more sense that this wholesale economic-killing bill. Take back the $33 million that the council funneled to the convicted criminal from Texas and reallocate that to local families to help them purchase in Maui Sands, Maui Trades, Maui Lani Terraces, Maui Sands, etc., and allow the short-term rentals to provide the benefit that they do - local jobs AND funds that support affordable housing.
Aloha County Council Members,
First, I would like to say thank you for all the tireless efforts of this Council on behalf of our community. You have given many of us hope for a better future for ourselves and our children.
I am writing in strong support of Bill 9 to phase out vacation rentals in apartment zoned buildings. I have lived on the westside of Maui for 30 years. It has been heartbreaking to see so many vacation rentals replace the homes of our residents. I have watched friends and family forced repeatedly to move as their apartments and homes were sold and converted to vacation rentals, so wealthy mainlanders and Canadians can have even more passive income. I have moved more times than I can count. It has gotten to the point that I try to only rent foreclosed units, as they provide more stability than a regular rental. The last regular place I rented was at Napili Ridge, which has both long-term and short-term rentals. My daughter and I rented a one bedroom on the ground floor. The three units above us and the one next door were all vacation rentals. It was very disturbing to have weekly groups of different people partying and being loud and disrespectful, dumping their coolers filled with ice and food bits over their lanai and onto ours. My biggest concern-I could not vet them for sex offender registration to keep my daughter safe. People vacationing have no business being in residential family-oriented neighborhoods, it is disruptive and potentially dangerous to our children.
In recent years the lack of inventory of long-term rentals has driven the price up so high that even people making above average wages cannot afford to rent. I have friends currently looking who tell me that they are 1 out 100 applicants, and landlords are increasing their profits by raising the rent. Local families with pets or children don’t stand a chance of being selected. People I know who work good jobs and own businesses are ending up in their cars or camping. My own mother lives in her van. Businesses are having to close early or not open at all due to severe staffing shortages, as more and more local hardworking families move off island.
When I listen to the testimony of those against this policy, every single one has a financial conflict of interest. Every one of them is currently profiting from our lack of housing and over-tourism. Of course they would not support this policy, as they have already shown that they do not support our community or our local families. They care only about the money they would lose, which ultimately makes their testimony paid for.
Another benefit of this policy is that it will naturally help control the over-tourism that has for so long increased unchecked. We were already over our carrying capacity as a destination with 3 million visitors a year coming. Even before Covid-19, our ratio of visitors to residents was more than we could sustain with our resources and infrastructure. When the tourists came flooding back during the pandemic, demanding Aloha, and endangering our unvaccinated children’s lives, it became abundantly clear to a lot more people that it is just too much. After the fire it has become an even worse problem. This last year, even the tourists are complaining about the traffic, long lines at stores, la k of service, and not being able to get reservations at restaurants, on boat tours, etc. There is a point when there are simply not enough workers to provide services to the people who want their vacations. Additionally, the tensions between locals and tourists have reached a boiling point. Instances of incidences erupting into violent altercations are becoming more and more common. This is a problem. If the people who profit from the tourism industry want to continue to do so, then there must be a balance. If it becomes too tedious, unfriendly, and unenjoyable, they will simply go somewhere else.
In closing, I believe this method of increasing inventory for our residents while simultaneously limiting the amount of tourist accommodations in our residential neighborhoods is brilliant. We don’t need more tourists. We need to control the over-tourism that is currently destroying the island and dislodging our local families. We need to make sure that the people who work in necessary industries can afford to live where they work and stay with their families. Thank you for coming up with a plan that will eventually and fairly solve multiple problems that we are all dealing with as a community.
Sincerely,
Delaney de la Barra
Lahaina, HI 96761
Aloha Council Members,
I am not a property owner or business owner in Maui. I am a resident of California and have been fortunate to visit Maui almost annually for 15 years.
I strongly oppose bill 9.
I have stayed in both hotels and rental units. Hotels kept me dining and spending most of my time on site, but STRs led me to local markets, family-owned restaurants, and small businesses—stuff I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. STRs enrich both visitor experience and the local economy. I did not find Kihei rent a car and try every grocery and convenience store poke until I left the Wailea resort area.
Removing legal short-term rentals won’t solve Maui’s housing crisis. Instead, I urge exploring proven U.S. models of government-backed, affordable housing:
• West Hartford, CT: A $25.5 million redevelopment added 65 modern rental units for seniors and people with disabilities, funded by state/federal grants and tax credits. It’s expanding to 300 units by July 2025.
• Laredo, TX (NeighborWorks): Built 24 homes under $200 k for low-to-moderate-income families. Public-private collaboration created instant equity value for residents.
• Montgomery County, MD: Its Housing Opportunities Commission built mixed-income housing, pairing subsidized units with market-rate rentals to reduce poverty concentration—maintaining high occupancy and financial health.
These programs demonstrate that targeted subsidies, mixed-income development, and land-use planning can increase housing affordability without eliminating visitor accommodations or harming economic vitality.
I’ve also heard that many residents who oppose the bill feel unable to speak due to backlash or work demands. Please consider those silenced voices as well.
Please reject Bill 9 and instead pursue housing initiatives that both preserve island tourism and address affordability through sustainable, community-supported programs. My family has been through cat 5 hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes as well. The Maui fire victims deserve a true solution.
Please consider the profound impact of your decision on those that could not speak to you face to face.
Mahalo
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.
We were specifically mentioned as a property that should not have STR rights removed when the bill was forwarded to you from Land Use. And I ask that recommendation be honored. Please feel free to come visit the property to see for your own eyes the reason that Papakea was excluded in the recommendation for removing STR rights.
Background on Papakea
Papakea was initially marketed and sold as a legal vacation rental property before any zoning restrictions limited transient vacation rentals in apartment zoned properties.
Papakea owners have been operating legal vacation rentals for almost fifty years.
Papakea has never been workforce housing so Papakea is not an example of a property that converted from workforce housing to transient vacation rental use.
The majority of units at Papakea are under 600 square feet and the property has limited parking.
Papakea is not in a residential neighborhood and is located alongside a long stretch of hotel-zoned properties and directly adjacent to multiple commercially-zoned properties.
Unlike apartment buildings designed for long-term residential use, Papakea has a front desk, an activity concierge, shared activity space, and numerous other common resort amenities.
Owners purchased condos at Papakea with the reasonable expectation that short-term rentals were legal based on ordinances as far back as 1989, and as recent as 2022.
In reliance on the Maui County ordinances and published documents, Hawaii state law, and constitutional protections, owners invested in costly renovations, furnishings, and long-term financial commitments such as mortgages that make any phase out of short-term rental right offensive of each buyer’s investment-backed expectations.
Papakea’s Contributions to the Community
Papakea’s resort operations provide full-time, benefited, employment for 35 local resident employees; some have worked at the property for over 17 years; some started in entry-level positions and worked into supervisory roles.
Papakea supports a wide variety of local trade professionals including pest control, HVAC, painting, plumbing, electrical, general contracting, masonry, tile and flooring, fitness instructors, entertainers, and tree trimming.
Individual Owner Contributions to the Community
Many small businesses owned and operated by local residents from the Maui community rely on Papakea short-term rentals including housekeepers, handymen, on-island agents, and contractors. These service providers set their own rates, work hours, select their own clients, work conditions and standard operating procedures. Shutting down short-term rentals at Papakea means telling local entrepreneurs that worked hard to build a small business that they need to just go get a job somewhere else to make less money, have less flexibility, and be subject to oppressive corporate policies.
Papakea STRs support the State of Hawaii and County of Maui through payment of property taxes (many at the short-term rental rate), Transient Accommodations Tax, General Excise Tax, and Maui County Transient Accommodations Tax.
Papakea guests support many small businesses on the island including restaurants, food trucks, tour operators, activities, state parks, the national park, and shops.
Papakea owners and guests regularly participate in community activities including volunteering at beach cleanups, Maui Humane Society, the hospital, and many other local organizations, and contribute to local philanthropic and cultural efforts.
I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Owner
3543 Lower Honoapiilani rd Unit L206
Lahaina, HI
Aloha,
I am a resident of maui
Born and raised and have worked in the cleaning business for over 20 years... I've been cleaning for half of my life and that's how I make a living and how I support, me n my family... If they decide to phase out strs I am not quite sure how I would make a living... I oppose to bill 9
I oppose Bill 9 because it will cause massive loss of essential jobs for Maui residents and also cause a huge decrease in tax revenue for Maui County. These jobs and revenue are not replaceable and implementing Bill 9 will therefore cause severe suffering for many Maui workers, families and taxpayers.
Instead, consider using the massive amount of funds generated yearly from Maui visitor taxes to create, renovate and subsidize affordable housing for those Maui families who cannot provide for themselves.
No on 9 -There is a better way forward!
My name is Ricky Lew. I have lived in Maui for eleven years. I work as the full-time Resident Maintenance Manager at Makani Sands Condominiums in Lahaina. I oppose Bill 9. If this legislation is enacted, I will lose my job and the accompanying residence. Please do not vote to approve this bill. I do not want to become homeless and jobless.
Aloha Council Members,
My husband and I have been a residents of Maui for 45yrs. I am opposed to Bill 9 and the TVR rental phase-out in apartment districts except for work force housing that became STR's.
My husband and I purchased our Condo at The Palms at Wailea in 1997. We've owned it 28yrs. and never once wanted to sell it. It was always to be handed down to our daughter who was born and raised here. It was understood at the time, we would be able to rent it out short term ,that it was grandfathered in. Never were we ever told that it was on a Minatoya list. I would have thought that even Escrow would have mentioned this at the time or someone. We purchased direct from the owner and not one word of it until now.
We invested our hard earned money into Maui. We were not outside investors. This is our home. We pay top GET and TAT and property taxes .
The Palms at Wailea is in the resort of Wailea surrounded by homes mostly owned by 2nd home owners. The condo would not accommodate a family and no pets. There is only one designated parking spot. Also, nowhere for storage. We have a high homeowners association fee and still after all these years have a mortgage. With the higher taxes and all the fees we would not be able to rent it long term.
Our condo has been empty now because of what is going on. We are usually booked solid. Our rate has also gone up to cover all the expenses, electricity costs, fees and taxes , as well as any appliances that need fixing or replaced. We are at our max and cannot raise our rental prices anymore. If anything we have to reduce our rates . At $299/nt for a 2BR/2BA we are giving it away for a 1200 sq. ft. condo in Wailea and I still am not getting any takers. As a result , the County is losing revenue because we are not rented and wide open. Tourists are not coming. They are going other places that are a lot cheaper and where they feel wanted. It's a shame what has happened here and I'm afraid more businesses will close.
Covid and The fires have hurt Maui tremendously. This will put the nail on the coffin if this is allowed to happen.
We need to do something to bring tourists back . We need a full on media blitz to welcome tourists back. Tourism is the lifeline for our community.It is very sad what has happened to come to this.
Something needs to be done to lower taxes for local STR investors too. We pay high property taxes for STR's, GET and TAT taxes. The same rates as Out of State investors. We should not be paying the same rates as Out of State investors. We keep our money here. This is not fair to long time residents that live here , buy goods , services, banking, etc. to pay the same as Out of State investors.
STR's, have to increase their rates to be able to stay in business along with fees that rental companies charge and everything else to keep the condo updated . We pay our cleaners $200, every time they clean when visitors leave, which they are not getting also. This loss of revenue filters down to everyone. Let's face it, Tourism has been our main source of income here. Too many people make a living here from it. We cannot afford to lose this. So many condo's sitting empty now. We are headed for another recession that will be devastating for everyone. It will take another 7 yrs. to recover if not longer.
STR's should not be taken away. The writing was on the wall to see Real Estate prices , rental costs and tourism going up for years and yet nothing was done to provide workforce and low income housing. Where was the foresight? The STR industry should not have to suffer as a result of the Government's short sidedness . Instead everything was focused on high end developments and now we are here. We have 2 sides. One for tourism and the one's that do not want it and make their voices loud and clear to turn tourists off from coming here and feel entitled to take away the zoning of these condo's thinking there will be more housing. This will not happen and will be tied up in the courts for years.
It's easy to see where Maui is headed and it's not progressing, it's going backwards. Money will not come into Maui if there is no shopping, no boutiques, empty malls along with high costs to go to restaurants, activities and all the nickel and diming for attractions and loss of tourists coming and spending. Why would anyone want to invest here with all this going on. There are just too many fun, cheaper places to go that offer so much more. The writing is on the wall.
In conclusion, I feel it will be devastating if the STR's are taken away. This is a free country. The Government should not be able to take away people's investments , create hardships for so many because of a housing shortage the Government is responsible for to begin with. There will be so many law suits that it will bankrupt Maui and be held up in courts for years and only hurt ourselves.
I've been through 4 recessions here and this will be worse than ever. I sold products to all the stores in the State. I've seen what they went through and how hard it was then to stay in business. I can't imagine now. With shipping costs to bring goods in , will bring up the costs of everything including the high rents they already pay and no tourists to support local businesses. We will have empty stores and malls everywhere with NO takers. People are moving in droves. Maui has lost its charm and it's so sad. The Government needs to make wise choices at this time.
I'm glad I got to experience it at a time when Maui was Maui. Such great memories . I only hope that something is done for the better of Maui and all it's citizen's that live here, retired ,working and families before everyone leaves as well as all the people all over the World that Love Maui and want to come back.
Thank-you so much for listening to my testimony.
Resident kupuna should not have their apartments that were designated as such years ago, be prohibited from short term rentals in Resort areas, or over property taxed based on outrageous rates due to housing prices having been driven up from outside investors. Long time residents and owners should have their tax basis be on what they paid for their homes, not the artificial unsustainable and inflated "assessed value". I was able to hang on to my original 1/1 apartment when I upsized decades ago, in order to provide for my retirement and for my ohana to stay in their homeland rather than have to move to Las Vegas. The inflated tax rates, and inability to do short term rental in Resort designated areas, are contributing to the downward spiral in income of Hawaii Resident owners and especially retiree kupuna. It will also devastate the tax income to the County from these rentals.
As a condo owner on Molokai, I oppose this bill. When it is all said and done, if this bill is passed, it will fail in the courts. It will take years to work its way through the courts, but it will fail. The Land Reform Act isn't going to help you. Midkiff isn't going to help you. Eminent Domain isn't going to work. The bill is up against the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution and the Takings clause. UHERO is against you. Simple equitable estoppel is against you. I'm sure your legal counsel has already told you all this. Maui County will be paying for attorneys from the inevitable injunction to the loss at the Supreme Court years down the road. How much money do you really want to waste here? How many homes could you build with that money? How much time do you really want to waste? How long are you going to wait to actually help the people of Maui? Regards, Ken Carpenter, Wavecrest, Molokai.
I oppose vehemently the bill 9 that is being forced on to the Maui community. I am a proud resident and an owner of the STVR there is no one that would benefit from rescinding the permissions. These are STVR permissions that were provided to the community of short term rentals and the rentals thrived all these years based on those facts. There is no evidence that suggests that the removing these permissions would aid affordable housing as the cost of HOA and property taxes would be prohibitive for anyone to own a home in these communities on the aegis of affordable housing. The HOA + property tax + insurance for these homes themselves would cost around $25000 to $30000 per year which in itselves puts the home out of reach for many who is looking for affordable homes. These homes through the property taxes, the vacation taxes and HOA does invaluable service to the community and feed many people and this again benefits the community of Hawaii. Please reconsider this bill and do not revise it after all these years on the name of affordable housing as it clearly cannot lead to affordable housing. thank you for your consideration!
I am writing in support of bill 9. My name is Archie McLeod, I live in Wailuku. Maui County possesses the authority to establish and enforce local laws that regulate housing and rental practices, including renting, subletting, and property conditions. This authority allows the county to implement policies such as rent stabilization without needing state approval. Given the escalating rents and affordability challenges faced by residents, Maui County has the power to adopt measures that protect tenants and better manage the housing market.
Although there is no formal rent stabilization policy in place at the moment, the county can introduce various local housing regulations to tackle these issues. This includes rent stabilization, rent control, or a combination of both. However, implementing a rent stabilization program based on inflated market conditions could lead to unintended consequences such as reduced housing supply and market inefficiencies. To mitigate these issues, it is essential that rent stabilization policies be based on accurate, long-term market data and continuously monitored and adjusted as market conditions evolve. This approach will ensure that the policies address housing affordability effectively without distorting the market.
The proposed zoning changes for A-1 and A-2 zoned properties are crucial to managing Maui County’s housing market. These changes could significantly impact rental supply and affordability. If approved, they could lead to increased density and more diverse property uses, potentially increasing the availability of rental units and alleviating some pressure on rental prices. This increase in supply could enhance the effectiveness of any rent stabilization policies implemented following the zoning amendments.
Conversely, if these zoning changes are not approved, the county may continue to face constraints on rental supply, which could worsen existing affordability issues. In this case, rent stabilization may become more urgent to protect tenants from rapidly rising rents and ensure that affordable housing remains accessible to community members. A more aggressive rent control policy might then be necessary.
Rent stabilization is a valuable tool for addressing immediate affordability challenges, but it must be understood within the broader context of the housing landscape. Effective rent stabilization policies should consider current market conditions, including how zoning decisions impact housing supply and rental rates. Without this consideration, rent stabilization alone might not fully address the root causes of high rents. Additionally, the rental market is currently adjusting to FEMA rentals, above-market rates, and the influx of unemployed tenants under the FEMA program.
If zoning changes lead to higher property values, the county will need to adjust real property taxes accordingly. Increased property values from new developments or higher density could result in higher tax revenues, which could support affordable housing initiatives or mitigate potential negative effects of rent stabilization. It is vital that county tax policies align with housing strategies to ensure fair and effective outcomes.
The proposed zoning changes are essential for addressing Maui’s housing crisis. By increasing property flexibility and density, these changes will significantly boost the availability of sustainable housing units, which is crucial for meeting growing demand and alleviating rental market pressures.
Current zoning regulations limit new developments and conversions, contributing to a strained rental market. By approving these zoning amendments, the County Council can facilitate the development of more rental units, helping balance supply and demand and reduce rent pressures.
Given the complexities of these issues, the committee must approach the discussion with a comprehensive perspective. The decision on zoning changes will affect not only rental unit availability but also the effectiveness of any rent stabilization policies. Therefore, a thorough examination of both zoning and rent stabilization, along with potential tax law adjustments, is essential for crafting effective solutions that address the community’s needs.
Additionally, while rent control might be more effective in curbing real estate speculation due to its strict limits on rent increases, it could discourage new construction or property renovations. Rent control can also lead to market distortions, such as property shortages if landlords withdraw units or convert them to other uses.
On the other hand, rent stabilization allows for moderate, predictable rent increases, which helps tenants manage affordability while still providing flexibility for landlords. It balances tenant protection with allowing landlords to adjust rents in response to changing market conditions, preventing extreme market fluctuations.
Given Maui’s high real estate prices and the impact of speculation on affordability, a combination of policies may be needed. Implementing rent stabilization along with measures to curb speculative buying, such as increased property taxes for non-resident investors or additional regulations on property transactions, could offer a more comprehensive solution.
Maui County’s authority to regulate housing practices provides a significant opportunity to address pressing affordability issues and market inefficiencies. While the county can implement rent stabilization policies without state approval, it is crucial to approach these measures with careful consideration and evidence-based data. The interplay between proposed zoning amendments and rent stabilization is critical. Zoning changes, particularly those that increase density and diversify property uses, could enhance rent stabilization’s effectiveness by boosting rental supply and easing market pressures.
I oppose Bill 9. It will negatively affect Maui residents and those wanting to vacation on our beautiful island. We have owned our condo since it was built 51 years ago. As one of the first built specifically for short term rentals our original paperwork states it is approved for short term rentals. There's no evidence this will lead to more affordable housing. Instead it will hurt as all the workers who support the short term rentals will be out of work. Thank you
I oppose Bill 9 because it will hurt local residents and does not solve the housing crisis.
We are a family of three living full-time on Maui, with a new baby on the way. Our livelihood depends on the short-term rental (STR) industry—we rely on cleaning and hosting work to help cover our basic living expenses, including housing, food, and childcare. STRs provide steady income that helps many local families like ours stay rooted here. Removing this legally codified use—approved by the County and supported in our condo’s governing documents—introduces financial instability at a time when many residents are already struggling to stay afloat.
There’s no evidence this bill will result in more long-term rentals, but there is clear and immediate economic harm. Most STRs in apartment-zoned areas are small studios or one-bedroom condos with high HOA fees and minimal amenities, making them unsuitable and unaffordable for long-term renters. According to County data, less than 10% of STR owners say they would convert to long-term rental use if forced out—meaning the vast majority would remain empty, be sold to second homeowners, or fall into disrepair. Meanwhile, STRs generate over $60 million annually in property taxes and contribute nearly $900 million in visitor spending. That revenue funds schools, parks, road repairs, and county jobs. Losing that would create more harm than good.
STR owners and operators are not the problem—we are part of the solution. We are regulated, pay taxes, and follow the rules. The better path forward is enforcement against illegal operators, not punishing legal ones. Maui needs real housing policies: fast-tracked development, affordable housing incentives, and cost-reduction programs for residents. Bill 9 doesn’t solve the housing crisis—it destabilizes local families and undermines our island economy. I oppose Bill 9 and ask you to protect Maui’s working families.
I oppose this Bill. I won't repeat the arguments that others have already made. I just like to bring to your esteemed attention, simple fact that adding HOA fees + property taxes already puts the cost above affordable housing. Thats not even considering any mortgages and high cost of repairs. On the human side, there are many retired couples who "winter" in Maui. These people are mostly retired Americans from colder climate. Many people in support of the bill have the image of multi-millionaires who come to Maui and exploit lower income natives. While there might be some cases like this, these big corporations don't need to make $1000 a month from a studio in Maui, they have far better sources of income. Many folks have worked hard during their productive years, saved and planned for a retirement and now we are telling them too bad, you shouldn't have planned your retirement in Maui. One of the worst things that any legislation can do, is to be retroactive. Its the very signature of a non-democratic jurisdiction. We know what the problem is, we have survived the Lahaina fires, its time to re-build Lahaina, but we can rebuild it with consideration of affordable housing. We can increase the zoning to allow more units per lot, no STR permits, we could even model after other municipalities such as Santa Monica, that gives incentives and designates certain number of affordable units per project, for example require 3 low rent units per every 10 units in a new project. Bill 9 if passed, will not survive test of time, it will cause entire buildings turn into derelict districts, left in state of disrepair, while Maui will keep raising (property) taxes to make up for lost revenue simultaneously reducing services (police, fire, environment etc), which will become a viscous circle until the whole system breaks down like New York City of 70's and 80's. To be sure, there will be pockets of super high-end homes in isolated areas (Wailea, Makena....) that don;t use any of the products or services that create jobs for residents. But without low and middle-class tourism, Maui will be a shadow of its past and right now this is what the Bill is proposing, no visitors on a low budget. It will hurt the very people its trying to help. Thank you for your time.
Hello and thank you for accepting my testimony.
I strongly oppose Bill 9 because it will vastly hurt so many local residents of the Island of Maui.
Tourism in Hawaii and Maui County is the lifeblood of the community.
Countless Maui County residents rely on the tourism industry for their livelihoods and to care for their families.
By eliminating a vast amount of options for tourists, these Maui residents and community members will be devastated by the final impacts of this bill.
There has to be a better solution that focuses on bringing all residents together compared to ripping them apart.
Even larger vendors like the hotel industry will suffer as many of those workers have family members that rely on short term rentals as part of their family livelihoods.
Maui County has suffered far too much from the horrific fires in Lahaina and now this would be a further crippling blow for those who need stability the most.
Please focus on affordable housing and working to increase the types of industries that rely on Maui such as agriculture, science and technology. Maui County has a tremendous opportunity to be back at the forefront again.
We implore you to oppose this legislation for the future of Maui County.
Thank you and Aloha,
Ron Foxworthy
Aloha!
I oppose the elimination of LEGAL transient vacation rentals in A-1 and A-2 apartment zoning districts.
I am a permanent resident of Kauai. I purchased I GO MAUI VACATION RENTALS AND REALTY almost 8 years ago in addition to the property management company I own in Kauai - SUITE PARADISE, consisting of approximately 150 rentals there. The STR ban will affect the company I own in Maui and this ban will put my business out of business in addition to the unemployment of the employees I have and consider my ohana.
I GO MAUI VACATION RENTALS AND REALTY currently consists of 4 permanent residents - an operations manager, 2 housekeepers, and one assistant to our office. See their names listed below:
· Amy Prentice- Operations Manager
· Abigail Christopherson- Office Assistant
· Danielle Bennett- Housekeeper
· Pifany Sanchez- Housekeeper
I GO MAUI VACATION RENALS AND REALTY also contracts out to over 33 different locally owned independent contractors and companies to service our units consisting of plumbers, electricians, handymen, cleaners, and more. Please see the list of the major ones we CURRENTLY use weekly if not daily and the companies we use for the operations of the company:
· James Christopherson- Handyman
· Eric Schiebel- Handyman
· Matt Carlson- Handyman
· Robert Baloran- Handyman
· Jalvin Endriga- Appliance Repairman
· Doug Bell- Appliance Repairman
· Gina Baker- Cleaner
· Jules Iraha- Cleaner
· Lace Souza- Cleaner
· Sherrel Romero- Cleaner
· Misty Gonzoles- Cleaner
· Juliana Grinle- Cleaner
· Ryan Cocco- Window Cleaner
· Jason Moreen- Window Cleaner and Upholstery Cleaner
· Neil Swanson- Upholstery Cleaner
· Vic Mannoia- Drapery cleaning
· Alonso Ortiz- Drywall and Tiler
· Reid Bellmore- Plumber
· Alejandro Angel-Franco- Plumber
· Kiakona Ordonez- Photographer
· Aloha Termite and Pest Control - pest treatment
· Chris Wallace- AC maintenance technician
· Makana at RIP AIir Conditioning - AC maintenance technician
· Air Conditioning of Maui Inc - AC maintenance technician
· South Shore AC- AC maintenance technician
· Certified Air Conditioning LLC- AC maintenance technician
· Carol Vanderlubbe- CPA Bookkeeper
· Parish of Good Shepard Episcopal- Church for rental of our office
· Menehune Water- Water supply in our office
· William Waters- Locksmith
· Mark Logan- Electrician
· Maui Blinds- Blind Repair and Installation
· Budget Blinds - Blind Repair and Installation
· Lifestyle Maui- furnishings
· Maui Coffee- coffee supply for guest arrivals
Even these food vendors we use for staff lunches and meetings will be affected by our company's lack of service requests:
· HI Thai- lunch meeting service
· Wailuku Coffee company- lunch meeting service
· 808 on Main- lunch meeting service
· Seascape Restaurant- Holiday party lunch meeting service
· Hula Cookies- we purchase gifts here
I oppose this ban because it will result in serious financial implications, such as lost jobs, and harm to small businesses and county revenues. Even before this bill passed, this has negatively impacted our permanent residential contractors and employees – whether full-time or part-time in producing job and work orders for these contractors due to lack of tourism since the fires.
Leslie Sherman
General Manager
am a 30 year long time west maui resident. I strongly oppose this. Converting small condominiums to fit families is not the solution building more affordable houses are. Who wants to squeeze into a small condo. Pay high rent. Not have animals. I sure don’t. I need a home not a condo. Please do not pass this bill. It is not the solution and will only cause more problems for our community. We need visitors and not all visitors want to stay in hotels. This will create Less jobs and People leaving because People won’t have jobs to pay rent. This will only create more problems for or community. Build more affordable homes not take away jobs as those that are employed by short term vacation rentals. Building more affordable housing not destroy livelihoods that’s the solution. Thank you for your consideration to NOT pass this.
Aloha Chair Kama and committee members,
I am writing in strong opposition to Bill 9. This Bill is ill-conceived and politically motivated and will not address the lack of affordable housing on Maui. What it will do is punish STR and small business owners for a problem they did not create.
I ask that the council members go out in the community and speak to their constituents about this Bill. Small business owners who cater to tourists will be severely affected by the passing of Bill 9 but many are afraid to speak publicly. Please read the many testimonies of these small business owners asking that the Bill not be passed. Please do not listen to the very vocal minority who want this Bill passed. It is disrespectful and hypocritical of these activists (some who worked in the tourism industry pre-fire and are now paid lobbyists) to tell small business owners who have spent years building up a business to simply PIVOT when their businesses have to close due to this Bill and the resultant lack of tourist dollars. If STR cleaners wanted to work for the hotels they would do so.
The argument that the people who stay in STRs only shop at Costco and do not eat in local restaurants or shop in local stores is not based in reality. They may eat one meal a day in their rental but are spending their days and dollars touring the island enjoying all it has to offer by shopping and eating out and that money stays on island. If anything, it is the hotel resort guests who are encouraged to stay on hotel property as much as possible eating in hotel restaurants, going to their luaus and taking surf lessons in-house and that money goes into corporate not local pockets. And as we all know there are plenty of local people who shop at Costco.
By my count there are about 43 STR apartments up for sale for under $500,000 – why haven’t these been purchased? You know why – HOAs and other carrying costs are very expensive and will continue to rise in the coming years. If this Bill passes there will be thousands of apartments either up for sale or sitting empty being used by their owners for a few weeks or months per year.
The argument that draining swimming pools/fountains and ripping out landscaping will lower HOA fees is ridiculous. Those actions will make zero difference. It is the insurance costs, repairs/maintenance (including labor costs), and special assessments to replace roofs and sewers systems of these decades-old buildings that keep the HOAs incredibly high. Very few if any STR owners make a profit and most take losses on their properties. And if these apartments were to be rented long-term the rent would have to be very high to cover these costs.
Please do not pass Bill 9. It will not provide the affordable housing needed and will punish STR and small business owners who have done nothing wrong. We all want affordable housing for everyone – this is not the way to achieve that. Thank you.
I am in strong support of Bill 9 and phasing out the short-term rentals in Minatoya properties.
I am in support of local families and workers that desperately need housing.
We have had to move away from the Island of Maui due to the high cost of housing and living.
Especially those that were impacted by the fires, deserve housing before visitors.
Investors should not be profiting at the expense of suffering community members.
Please stand in support with the community and help local families who are the heart and soul of the island have long-term, sustainable housing by supporting Bill 9.
Aloha Council Members,
I have chosen to not provide my personal information because of the fact that I and my family have been subject to online harassment and inappropriate calls from blocked numbers because I am a realtor and because of my opposition to Bill 9.
I am 100% supportive of the need to create more affordable housing. However, Bill 9 is not the way to do it. As much as the Mayor and supporters of Bill 9 believe it will, let's simply review the facts. The assumption is that by passing Bill 9, owners of Minatoya properties will either sell or rent long-term, and you know what they say about assumptions.
There has been a lot of talk about making housing affordable for purchase by local families. But, as I stated earlier, let's look at the facts. Let's look at prices prior to Covid. In 2019, the median sales price for a two-bedroom condo in Harbor Lights was $135,000. There were 24 sales in the complex that year. There were 35 active listings in January 2019 and 45 active listings in December 2019. That means that there were more listings than buyers for condos with an average price of $135,000, with the lowest sale being $97,000. The question has to be asked. Why, given the low prices in 2019, were local residents not buying when the prices were so low? Even today, you can buy a two-bedroom condo in Harbor Lights for under $200,000.
If local residents aren't able or willing to spend $200,000 on a condo in Harbor LIghts, how can you say that the Minatoya condos will be affordable to local residents? The numbers don't make sense!
In addition to Harbor Lights, for under $300,000, one could buy a two-bedroom condo in Maui Sands! You can buy a two-bedroom condo in West Maui Trades for $199,000! There is a one-bedroom condo in Maui Sands that is listed for $149,000 that has been on the market for 49 days as of today. Yet, there isn't anyone lining up to purchase any of these properties.
Actions speak louder than words. If one couldn't afford a $100k, condo in 2019, or a $150k condo today, I'd like someone to explain how they think these same local residents will be able to afford a $300,000+ condo (which is likely the low end of where the Minatoya properties would trade if Bill 9 were passed).
If anything, please look at the facts and consider what I've shared. The only result from Bill 9 is going to be island-wide economic disaster. Unfortunately, the Mayor and supporters of Bill 9 want you to think otherwise. But many of those same families, who are supporting Bill 9, need to realize that they too will be adversely impacted by Bill 9's passage. Loss of jobs means loss of income which means either continuing to rent or worse, loss of property to the lender.
I am asking that you come up with a strategy that makes more sense that this wholesale economic-killing bill. Take back the $33 million that the council funneled to the convicted criminal from Texas and reallocate that to local families to help them purchase in Maui Sands, Maui Trades, Maui Lani Terraces, Maui Sands, etc., and allow the short-term rentals to provide the benefit that they do - local jobs AND funds that support affordable housing.