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)
Testimony in Strong Support of Bill 9
Aloha Chair Kama and Members of the committee,
My name is Evan Weber, and I am writing today in strong support of Bill 9. Our organization, Our Hawai’i, with tens of thousands of supporters across the pae ‘āina including 7,668 in Maui County, has been in strong support of this effort, and was heavily involved with passing the enabling legislation SB2919 as well.
However, I’d like to focus my testimony on my more personal experience with vacation rentals as a lifelong resident of Kailua on Oʻahu, and a current member of the Kailua Neighborhood Board.
In 2022, following the leadership of our city councilwoman Esther Kia’āina, the City and County of Honolulu passed Bill 41 establishing the banning, regulation and enforcement of short-term rentals outside of resort zones.
Just a few years later, the results are evident: regulating short-term rentals is one of the most impactful actions a county can take to return communities to residents while stabilizing rents and home costs.
While many have tried to complicate this issue, O‘ahu’s success shows that the solution is simple: zoning. We just need to go back to the way things were before. Let resort zones be resort zones, and let neighborhoods be neighborhoods.
Since Bill 41 passed, Kailua feels like it can breathe a little easier. We still have problems with tourism, traffic, over tourism, and visitor management, but we have been able to in hem what was becoming an out of control situation — and our situation pales in comparison to what West and South Maui have become.
Tourists still come to enjoy our beautiful beaches, pristine waters, and local restaurants. They just leave when they pau and sleep somewhere else! Simple as that.
For context, at the height of the problem, 1 in every 8 homes in Kailua was operating as a vacation rental. Of the over 10,000 illegal vacation rentals on Oahu at the time, Data from Inside Airbnb and other studies estimated over 1,500 illegal short-term rentals were in Kailua alone, in a community of just under 15,000 housing units.
Still, this is nowhere severe as West or South Maui, where a majority or supermajority of housing units in some areas are now STRs. But similarly, our small town was bearing the brunt of the burden for the island, and it was truly never meant to be a resort area, with none of the infrastructure or accommodations to be able to handle such an influx. On top of this Kailua is sandwiched between two military bases, the Kāne‘ohe Marine Corps base and Bellows Air Force, and has already had its housing markets significantly altered by that population, as well as dealing with a the other negative impacts.
All of this led to skyrocketing home prices and rents, noise, traffic, and transient activity in what were once stable, family-oriented neighborhoods, the erosion of community ties and escalation of tensions, and even declining school enrollments showing an out-flux of local working families.
Following the passage and enforcement of Oʻahu’s Bill 41, listings for illegal short-term rentals in areas like Kailua dropped by nearly 50% within the first year, according to public data from rental platforms. Rental prices began to stabilize, and in some segments, modest declines were observed as units re-entered the long-term market.
These policies did not solve every housing challenge overnight, but they were a critical first step in reclaiming our housing for residents and preserving the character and livability of our communities. While we have more fights and challenges ahead, this has been a major success and step forward.
Notably, our economy did not crash, tourists still come to visit, and I do think that there is a bit more aloha from us local residents to share knowing that our communities are still for us, not taken over by tourists who do not share the same aloha ‘āina that kama‘āina and kanaka ‘ōiwi do for our wahi pana.
Maui faces even greater pressures from tourism and housing shortages than Oʻahu. Continuing to allow short-term rentals to consume precious housing in apartment zones, originally intended for residents, undermines every effort to address the housing crisis.
Phasing out TVRs in these areas is not anti-tourism — it’s pro-resident. It’s about:
Ensuring working families, kūpuna, and young people can afford to stay on Maui.
Returning housing stock to local residents.
Protecting the unique culture, character, and sustainability of Maui’s communities.
Oʻahu’s experience shows that regulating short-term rentals works — for residents, for neighborhoods, and for the future of our islands. I urge you to pass Bill 9 and take bold, necessary action to protect housing for Maui’s people.
Mahalo for your leadership and consideration.
This bill should not pass. That government can essentially deprive property owners of their rights to use their property to help secure a living is unethical and should be illegal. Not only that, this will hurt local businesses far beyond these STRs. And most of these will not provide affordable housing anyway, given that the HOA fees and cost of living is so high regardless of the rental status. This bill, on principle, should be denied with extreme prejudice to preserve rights and freedoms of all.
I have never lived in Lahaina, but I have always loved Lahaina.
I remember the calm of the morning, waiting at Canoe Beach (Hanaka‘o‘o) with my keiki to find out their seat assignments and race times. I remember the deep breath I’d take as a youth before jumping off the Lahaina Harbor pier, just before a surf contest at Breakwall.
I’ve lost count of how many Tuesdays I spent driving the Pali to the Lahaina Courthouse with Retired PO Ron Baybayin, meeting with clients for Adult Client Services—and of course, grabbing a bite at Aloha Mixed Plate afterward.
I’ve sat in IEP transition meetings at King Kamehameha III Elementary, feeling a wave of relief knowing a child was in the hands of a team that would help them thrive.
Even now, as a member of the Disaster Case Management Program that will end in July, I continue to aloha Lahaina.
I’ve seen firsthand the ongoing fear and uncertainty of Lahaina fire survivors—many still precariously housed. Some have done everything possible to repair, recover, and rebuild, only to face the same devastating setback: housing instability.
Allowing non-Maui residents—who have no say in our local elections—to have the first voice and choice over the Minatoya List only worsens this crisis. It doesn’t just perpetuate a housing crisis; it deepens a workforce crisis. An entire moku has been displaced due to the Lahaina fire’s impact on infrastructure, commerce, culture, and social networks.
Although Lahaina properties make up only about one-third of the Minatoya List, releasing apartment-zoned units for short-term vacation rentals takes away critical opportunities for long-term housing—housing that is desperately needed for local families who need to live near their jobs and rebuild their homes. There’s a misconception that long-term housing automatically means a permanent solution—but in times like these, long-term housing is a vital stepping stone.
Waiting on new developments or temporary housing solutions feels like throwing caution to the wind. It's not a fair or adequate response to a community in crisis.
As someone who reveres the Department of the Corporation Counsel, having worked there myself, I still believe it is shortsighted to let a 24-year-old legal opinion outweigh the present reality—especially in the wake of a disaster that has destroyed an entire community.
Mayor Bissen’s proposal to phase out short-term rentals from the Minatoya List is not only bold, it is necessary. It is insightful, impactful, and visionary—for the future of an entire generation, and an entire moku.
The insistence by non-Maui residents to uphold an outdated law—one that no longer serves Maui’s workforce or economic stability—is not only counterintuitive, but shows a lack of genuine commitment to the rebuilding effort.
Yes, earning passive income may sound like a dream to some. But to pursue that dream at the expense of displaced families and a devastated community? That’s not just unsustainable—it’s feudalism in spirit.
I am strongly opposed to Bill 9 as it will not address the current crisis of a lack of available housing for local residents. A few questions to think about …
State and local governments have been aware of the lack of affordable housing for locals for decades but continued to kick the can down the road and do nothing to address this issue
State and County governments have been taking in hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes from STR owners in particular over the past decades and never fail to raise the tax rates yearly but where has that money gone? Why wasn’t it put towards building affordable housing?
This week’s agenda of the Maui Planning Commission has proposed the development of yet another hotel in Kihei. The Maui Council is discussing the Wailea 670 luxury home development this week (which has been allowed by Council to decrease the # of included affordable homes by over half). IF THERE IS NO WATER TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING THEN WHY IS THERE ENOUGH WATER TO BUILT YET ANOTHER HOTEL AND LUXURY HOMES???
If you pass this Bill, the implementation date contained in the Bill is at least 3 years away. The resulting lawsuits will stop the ban for a minimum of 3-5 years. These timelines will not address the current crisis at all.
Please do not punish STR and small business owners who have not done anything wrong inn order to implement an ill-conceived plan that will not address the current housing crisis on Maui and will adversely effect the economy of Maui and those who live here.
My name is Patricia, and I was born and raised here on Maui. My husband and I have worked hard our whole lives to support our family, and we depend on the jobs that short-term rentals provide. I clean condos that are rented on Airbnb, and my husband takes care of the landscaping for the same property. If you take away these legal short-term rentals, we will both lose our jobs. How will we support our keiki?
I know there’s a lot of talk about these rentals hurting locals, but for us, they are the reason we can pay our rent, buy food, and take care of our keiki. Without these jobs, I don’t know what we’re going to do. There’s already barely any work for us. We’re not the ones making big money off these rentals—we’re just trying to survive, like so many other local families who depend on tourism.
If these owners can’t rent their places short-term, they won’t need housekeepers like me or landscapers like my husband. They’ll shut down their units, and all of us who work for them will be left struggling. We don’t have the luxury of just “finding something else.” Where are we supposed to go? What jobs will replace the ones you’re taking away from us?
I understand the need for affordable housing, but this isn’t the way to fix the problem. Locals can't afford to rent these anyway. Please don’t make it even harder for local working families like mine. We need these jobs to survive.
I own a 1 bedroom condo in the Paki Maui complex (which were built as vacation rentals). My monthly, fixed carrying costs (mortgage, AOAO, property taxes, insurance) is $3972. I am also expecting special assessments in the future to address very expensive plumbing, seawall and cement spalling repairs. I am not convinced that anyone is willing to pay anything close to my breakeven point for my 500 square foot unit if Bill 9 passes, therefore, I ask you to oppose the bill, or consider amending it to exclude Minatoya complexes that do not meet your definition of affordable housing. Mahalo ~
how is the solution of getting rid of short-term rentals going to benefit the local community when the local community will not be able to afford the rental rates that will be required to rent long-term - this will be an influx of people from other places that can afford these rents .. and push out local people even more? bad style
I am in strong opposition to this bill. I used to be a proud supporter of Lahaina Strong but I can no longer consciously support a group that is filled with so much hate. The support of this bill from Lahaina Strong is not about housing it's about hatred towards anyone not local and not Hawaiian. It's a group about Hawaiian Rights and trying to punish anyone they think has wronged them. This is not about affordable housing.
I don't believe in punishing a whole industry and all the families and business that will suffer. Not do I believe in taking away property rights from people who were told they could legally do what they are doing by the county.
To HLU Committee
I Sadly OPPOSE Bill 9.
I asked a Kihei real estate office about getting on the Kihei list for "workers housing" that the Mayor mentioned
in his meeting here last month,..or for any affordable housing ..from the taking back STR apts.
She said there is no workers housing provision in Bill 9, and the STR apts are not being taken back...that
the same people who own each apt. now, will still own it with Bill 9, and that rents will have to be $3 to $4000/month.
I want to jeep my waiter's job. in Kihei, and tourists pay me big tips. I'M SO SAD!! PLEASE..NO TO BILL 9
Mitch, Kihei restaurant waitperson for 8 yrs.
I submit this testimony in firm and thoughtful support of Bill 9 (2025), which addresses the phase-out of transient vacation rentals (STRs) in apartment-zoned districts on Maui. This decision is undeniably challenging and carries meaningful consequences for many stakeholders. However, it is a necessary action aligned with Maui’s profound cultural values, long-term economic stability, and environmental resilience.
Maui faces a housing crisis that is culturally and economically untenable. While the tourism economy has historically benefited many residents, its unchecked growth has increasingly displaced kamaʻāina families, weakening our community fabric. Today, residents who form the foundation of our local economy—teachers, healthcare workers, and cultural practitioners—are priced out, compelled to leave their ancestral homes or struggle with unstable housing conditions. As young Maui resident Tryson Kaiama eloquently testified, this bill represents more than policy—it symbolizes the restoration of land and housing rights to residents who build and sustain our communities.
Opponents of Bill 9 voice legitimate concerns regarding economic impacts, loss of personal investment returns, and potential employment losses. While understandable, these arguments often rest on short-term economic perspectives. The testimony from Jason Slate and Dennis Eyler, for instance, emphasizes personal investment and economic hardship resulting from potential shifts in property use. However, the county’s kuleana is broader and deeper than protecting private returns on speculative investments. Our collective obligation is to prioritize resident housing stability and the long-term health of our island economy over immediate economic conveniences.
It is critical to contextualize these potential short-term disruptions against the backdrop of the ongoing crisis caused by limited affordable housing. The emotional and financial pain articulated by STR owners like Steven Pierce and Dennis Eyler is acknowledged, yet it underscores the core of our dilemma—housing decisions have profound emotional and financial stakes for everyone involved. Yet, as community leader John Leialoha clearly stated, this bill serves as a “long-overdue course correction” that rebalances the scales toward community integrity and economic equity.
Maui’s future demands reducing our overwhelming dependency on tourism, recalibrating our resident-to-visitor ratios, and fostering sustainable economic diversification. The claims that STRs alone sustain Maui’s economy overlook the evident fragility exposed during downturns like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Lahaina wildfires. Rather than devastating our economy, Bill 9 encourages necessary resilience by diversifying our economic base, ensuring future prosperity independent of tourism booms and busts.
Critics also argue that eliminating STRs will not automatically produce affordable housing. This is partially true. Yet, it is an essential first step in freeing up critical housing stock. The continued presence of STRs artificially inflates housing costs, leaving homes unattainable for working families. Reducing STR inventory will ultimately realign market forces toward affordability, even if adjustments occur gradually. Additionally, arguments suggesting high association fees and maintenance costs render these units unsuitable for long-term local renters miss the point; by eliminating lucrative short-term rentals, market pressures will force prices to adjust, fostering affordability over time.
This bill also addresses the environmental imperative to responsibly manage Maui’s precious resources. As one testimony aptly noted, STRs significantly strain limited water resources. Tourist accommodations inevitably encourage excess water use, adding unsustainable pressures on already stressed infrastructure and ecosystems. Bill 9’s passage will meaningfully mitigate these environmental impacts by lowering tourist volumes, thus aligning with Maui’s ecological commitments.
The poignant and powerful testimony from Tryson Kaiama draws upon profound cultural values, emphasizing the sacred nature of land as more than merely property—it is an inheritance and identity entrusted to future generations. Such culturally grounded insights compel the county to consider this policy shift as an ethical imperative. Restoring balance and equity in housing is more than an economic calculation; it’s a restoration of the community’s very soul.
When investment properties are prioritized over local housing, the community ends up subsidizing absentee profit—through higher rents, strained infrastructure, and lost workers. That’s not free enterprise—it’s systemic extraction.
For decades, STR owners have benefited enormously. This Bill is not a punishment—it’s a policy reset after a generous, unsustainable experiment that skewed our housing market.
Many STRs are operated by LLCs or absentee landlords who own multiple units. The claim that this bill hurts only local kupuna is misleading and obscures the real scale of commercial vacation rental operations.
No healthy economy is built on a single industry. Maui’s overreliance on tourism has made it brittle. Bill 9 is a necessary economic diversification strategy, not a sacrifice.
The General Plan targets a healthier resident-to-visitor ratio. Maintaining thousands of apartment STRs actively violates this goal. We cannot meaningfully reduce tourism’s impact without reducing tourism’s footprint.
Each STR adds to water demand. Our aquifers, streams, and drought conditions cannot sustain a luxury tourism model where visitors outconsume residents fivefold.
Land is not a commodity—it’s a kuleana. The ʻāina remembers, and policy that aligns with pono land use will always lead us home.
The County has every legal right to phase out nonconforming uses. No one was promised indefinite STR privileges. Zoning powers exist precisely for this kind of community correction.
Young kamaʻāina are leaving not for lack of love for Maui—but for lack of housing. This bill gives them a reason to stay, return, and invest in our future.
Indeed, Maui’s long-term prosperity and social stability rely upon the brave enactment of Bill 9. Opponents have raised valid concerns, but their views tend toward preserving a problematic status quo that leaves locals displaced, housing precarious, and the environment strained. Supporting Bill 9 is not just economically and environmentally responsible—it is a profoundly moral stance, reinforcing the county’s sacred duty to protect its residents’ wellbeing.
Moreover, allowing housing prices to naturally correct and de-artificially inflate is ultimately beneficial, restoring genuine affordability rooted in local economic realities rather than speculative excess. This recalibration not only stabilizes our communities but also opens pathways for many families who’ve been waiting patiently on the sidelines. To those currently operating short-term rentals who understandably feel uncertainty or anxiety about these changes: trust that the universe provides, often in unexpected ways. Watch carefully for signs, opportunities, and synchronicities. Keep your hearts and minds open to possibilities you have yet to imagine—sometimes, when we release one door, miracles step effortlessly through another.
While temporary discomfort is inevitable in transitioning away from established practices, Maui is resilient. Economic diversification, increased housing affordability, and resource sustainability will ultimately ensure a more stable and vibrant future for all residents.
At its core, democracy is our collective antidote to a world dictated solely by financial power and market forces. It empowers us to uphold the dignity and rights of those who have little or nothing, ensuring their voices matter as deeply as those who possess much. When considering this bill, I urge each of you to reflect upon the residents whose stories often remain unheard—the displaced families, the struggling kupuna, and our youth facing an uncertain future. True democracy seeks justice for all, especially the most vulnerable, and Bill 9 represents our commitment to that fundamental principle.
In sum, Bill 9 is not just a legislative action—it is a collective affirmation that we value community over commodity, neighbors over nightly turnover, and future generations over fleeting gain. It invites us to imagine a Maui not governed by speculative profit, but by the rhythm of mālama ʻāina, aloha kekahi i kekahi, and local dignity. This bill is a turning point: a conscious choice to repair our social contract and return housing to its rightful purpose—as shelter, as legacy, as home. If we have the courage to enact it, we send a powerful message that Maui’s soul is not for sale. We send a message to the world that our island is not merely a backdrop for escape, but a living, breathing community worthy of respect, protection, and permanence. Let this be the moment we rise to meet our kuleana with clarity and conviction, and in doing so, reclaim the island for those who call her home.
Mahalo to the Mayor, staff and the entire County Council for your service and dedication. Not everyone will agree on every issue—but for those of us who do support this measure, know that we are deeply grateful for your courage and clarity in advancing it. This initiative brings real hope to residents who have long waited for meaningful change. Keep up the good work—your efforts are seen, appreciated, and making a difference.
Bill 9 embodies the vision of a Maui that honors its past, protects its present, and thoughtfully secures its future — pass the Bill today without any amendment delaying implementation.
Let this legislation stand as a lawful reaffirmation of the County’s constitutional duty to uphold equity, sustainability, and the public interest.
I am writing to express my strong opposition to Bill 9 for the sustained prosperity of Maui!
As a property owner who contributes over $3,000 monthly to the local economy through various types of taxes and payments to local employees for maintenance and cleaning, I see firsthand how short-term rentals positively impact our community. Tourism is the backbone of Maui’s economy, and limiting short-term rentals could reduce tourism, ultimately affecting the livelihoods of many residents.
Additionally, while concerns have been raised about water usage, the data provided by the water department states the evidence between water shortage and short term rental is limited and inconclusive.
It’s important to find balanced solutions that support both locals and the economy. Using tax revenue from short-term rentals to invest in long-term housing would be a more effective approach than an outright ban. It has been over two years since the fires, and we should focus on accelerating the development of housing for residents without undermining the tourism industry that sustains us all.
In short, I urge you to consider these points and oppose Bill 9 for the benefit of our community and economy.
I am ½ pure Hawaiian. My mother was 100% Hawaiian, my father 100% Chinese. Shame on all of you who want nothing more than a hand out! FREE, FREE, FREE. We worked hard to have what we own and proud of it. My family is intitiled to Hawaiian Home land but have left it for those who need it. We have raised our children to be proud of what they do with their lives. We have always shared our aloha with everyone, not just the people from Hawaii. We saved our money to be able to have a condo on Maui. How many of the people complaining and want our property have actually worked and saved their money for a dream? How many have served the United States military to protect our homeland? I have served our military and very proud of it as are my children who have served. We saved every extra penny many years ago to beable to own a condo on Maui. Our family emjoys it from our hard earned money. When we are not able to be on Maui we share it with vacation guest who help spend their money on Maui and created jobs for local people.. We are now in our 80’s and enjoy time on Maui fro Oahu. When we or our famiy are not able to be there we rent our condo out. This helps with our large maintenance dues and property taxes. What extra money we make helps supplement our low retirement income.
How many of Lahaina Strong have picked up a hammer to help rebuild? All the people who have yelled and wanted others land should be ashamed. It makes us wonder what their passed ohana think of them. THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN THE PROTESTERS ON THE STREETS IN Los Angeles. Portlnd and other places in the U.S. They have no pride but feel they are entitled. What have they done to be entitled. I sincerely urge you to turn down this bill and be proud Hawaiian. Your ohana that have passed would be proud of you really being true Hawaiian.
True Hawaiians share their Aloha. E komo mai not go away!
Aloha, Council Members and Housing and Land Use Committee members,
My name is Dennis Eyler. My wife and I have been owners of the Hale Mahina Beach Resort Unit B-405 since 2012.
Prior to that we had visited the island many times and one of our daughters lived and worked here for a few years. We are stating our opposition to Bill 9 for several reasons.
1. It will not solve Maui’s housing crisis because after doing economic and market research, the number of potential renters for our property would be extremely small if not zero.
2. The downzoning would have a significant negative impact on Maui’s economy.
3. Based on my experience in the area of public works this proposed downzoning would be legally considered a "take" and been open to a lawsuit. We certainly hope it doesn't come to that.
4. Our property is a leasehold with a monthly payment to the landowners who we understand to be residents of Maui. Our land rent also pays their county real estate taxes on the leased property. When we first bought our condo, we planned to use it only for ourselves our family and friends.
However, economic pressures, including dramatically increasing property taxes convinced us to rent it out to visitors through the Hale Mahina Beach Resort. Things changed at Hale Mahina’s rental management through retirements. and we eventually went with a locally owned and staffed rental management company, Ali’I Resorts. Then, covid hit and then came the restrictions on visiting the island. Then in 2023 the tragic fire occurred. We had hoped to keep our condo for a few more years before selling. Perhaps until we were in our '80s and found it more difficult to travel.
Here is the economic analysis and our current annual expenses.
HOA = $1855.30/month = $22,263.60/year
The HOA fees include, electricity, sewer and water, insurance, cable and internet, maintenance of the common ground and other facilities in common. It also pays the salary of the on-site manager along with covering the purchase price and lease payments for the managers unit. That effort to provide housing for our manager, by our owner’s association, is an actual example of providing work-force housing.
Leased land payments = $1536.80/month = $18,441.6/year Those payments are going to local families on Maui. Other ongoing expenses include hurricane insurance and maintenance of the interior of the unit = $150/month = $1800/year
The totals of the above items = $4542.10/month = $54,505/year
Property taxes = $21,724.46/yr I understand the tax rate for long term rentals would be substantially lower. I assumed that it could be as low as $3,000.
Next is the cost of amortization of the purchase price. If we would no longer to be able to afford it as our winter retirement home, because we could not offer short term rentals and we then had to put it up for sale, then the prospective buyer would want to know if their investment would pay for itself. I did some quick calculations without extensive shopping for interest rates and setting aside some other details. I concluded that a 30-year loan for a $700,000 discounted purchase price would require annual payments for: principle, and interest of at least $40,000. The $700,000 that I used, is far below the current assessed value of our property as determined by the Maui County tax assessors. I am assuming that if our property is downzoned the value would also drop substantially.
I did some computations representing the potential market for our unit. I learned of a rule of thumb that your rent or housing costs should not exceed 40% of your income. If you apply that advice to the annual cost for someone to own our unit and rent it out, that would require a family to have an annual income of around $210,000. I am not highly knowledgeable about pay rates and salaries on Maui. But to me, it does seem to mean that our property would not be economically viable for typical workforce housing.
There are certainly cost cutting measures which the county could take to reduce the costs. Amenities provided with the HOA fees could be reduced. The county could also use eminent domain to acquire the land from the lease holders and thereby wipe out that cost. The annual costs could be reduced to under $60,000, thereby making it affordable to a family earning $150,000 per year.
Where does the short-term rental money that we collect actually go?
There was testimony given by some, at the previous public input sessions, without appropriate documentation, that the rents collected by STRs just go to the mainland. To clear up that misconception, here is a breakdown of our expenditures and our rental income during 2024 and where those monies went. HOA = $22,260, Land lease = $18,440, Other expenses = $1800, Property taxes (estimated future) = $3,000 (with current allowed land use they are $21,724), Annual amortization of the purchase = $40,000, Total cost = $84,500.
Our net rental income after all expenses = $31,977,22, Our net cash flow = negative $52,000
Along the way we also collected for the State of Hawaii and Maui County the following taxes.
State TAT = $3277.67, Maui TAT = $959.32, GET = $1506.64, Maui County Property taxes = $21,724.46 Total taxes collected = $27,468
For our Maui based rental management company we also paid for various services a total of over $30,000
Total money staying on Maui = Taxes $27,468+ Rental Management Fees $30,000 + land lease $18,440 = $75,908.
In addition to those easily accountable amounts, there is also the money spent at local businesses by my family and our guest renters.
At a minimum my wife and I added $52,000 to the Maui economy just with the ownership of our condo. We also spent money at the local businesses.
As a point of comparison, FEMA was offering to pay $7000/month for the use of our unit for emergency long-term rental, after the fire and they later upped their offer.
In conclusion, I have discussed this subject with my wife. We feel that if Maui County really needs to use our unit for added housing for the local population and then wishes to purchase our unit, for the current County assessed tax value, we would certainly be willing to sell it to the County for that price.
Aloha Council Members and Housing and Land Use Committee members,
My name is Alexander Nikolaidis and I am writing to you in opposition to Bill 9 because it will not solve Maui’s housing crisis while having a significant impact on Maui’s economy.
In 2020, after renting in California for many years, my family and I moved our possessions into storage and begun to live with our family so our daughter could have more community and open space. After doing this for several months, we found an STR in 2021 on Maui and moved there for four months, sight unseen, having only been to Oahu and Kauai previously. We fell in love with Maui, which seemed to have the perfect mix of natural beauty like Kauai and development like Oahu. However, while living here, we witnessed firsthand the economic impact of lower tourism, seeing businesses closed daily during the pandemic.
We returned to the mainland after our stay before the next school year started, but always dreamed of moving back to Maui. We would visit, staying in STRs, whenever we could as this allowed us to continue to visit the restaurants and shops we had known while residing on Maui vs being isolated in a hotel resort. During these stays we were happy to see businesses re-opening and Maui became our happy place. Seeing the impact of the Lahaina fires was devastating, including when we visited Maui afterwards and again saw businesses closed and the community struggling. We told our story to friends and family and managed to raise over $10,000 for the Hawai’i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.
When a condo came up for sale where we had rented previously (Pacific Shores), we bought it, hoping we could spend more time on Maui and eventually return full time. We worked on the condo, hiring local contractors to make it feel like home.
We intend to live in this Condo, and we continue to rent in California. We are not a business. Renting the condo as a TVR allows us to keep it occupied vs sit vacant, as well as helping to offset the large AOAO fees, property taxes, and other costs. We maintain a list of our favorite local businesses, which range from restaurants to photographers, from tour guides to clothing designers. We feel strongly that our guests give back to Maui’s economy and treat the island with respect.
If Bill 9 were to pass, we would not rent our condo, as we try to visit Maui multiple times a year. In a poll of STR owners, over 80% said the same. This will not give housing back to residents. At the same time, the loss in revenue from GET and TAT will most certainly hurt the county’s budget and ability to work on long term solutions. More importantly, the lack of tourism spend for local businesses while condos sit empty risks bringing Maui back to the economic devastation of COVID.
In addition to not solving the housing crisis and supporting the Maui economy, the county taxes a huge legal risk. STR bans have previously been found unconstitutional in other US cities, such as Lake Tahoe as recent as March 2025. Other bans, such as Santa Monica, have been in legal battles for over 10 years. And further, even when bans pass, such as in New York City, we see that many legal rentals become illegal, which only further deprives the county of revenue while still offering no solution to the housing crisis.
Banning STRs carries a huge legal risk with no evidence pointing towards an actual increase in affordable housing. Maui must lower the bar for permitting to build new, affordable housing without risking its economy. This can be supplemented by higher TAT (such as the governors proposed “green fee”), which has also been recommended by UHERO.
It is for these reasons that I respectfully Oppose Bill 9.
Aloha, my name is Dan and my wife and I own a condo in Māʻalaea. I have been a long time resident of Maui and always felt that to live on Maui was a blessing and that Maui is a very special place with a special culture. I have great concern about preserving the culture and the impact of tourism on local culture and the environment. Itʻs not so much whether tourism is good for the island as that there should be effort to make tourists aware about the need to be respectful when they visit, and how to be respectful. I deeply recognize the injustices that have led to the current situation - stolen land, water allocation issues, cultural suppression. I think it is really important to nurture the movement to keep Hawaiian culture alive - the immersion language programs are an example. I personally feel I cannot live on Maui without doing things to support the culture and the environment. I am temporarily off island due to circumstances I could not control. I plan to return as soon as possible and plan to contribute when I do return. While away (and missing Maui every day) we have had our condo in a short term rental program with a local company, and now in the FEMA program housing fire survivors. We are quite happy that we can help and still pay our high condo fees and taxes. It makes it work for people who lost their homes, we pay taxes to the county, and we have a home to come back to. We also housed people who volunteered on Maui after the fires before the FEMA program started. When the FEMA program is over hopefully we will be back home. If we are not yet back we can rent to a local family long term but the condo association fees are high for a small condo. Iʻm also worried about my friends who count on jobs related to vacation rentals. These include the managers, the cleaners, the maintenance people, the restaurant owners and workers, the musicians. I do feel blessed that I have been able to live on Maui and would like to help be part of the solution. I am only opposed to Bill 9 because I think that as it is currently written it will negativity impact too many people who love Maui and want to keep their families on Maui, and to be able to support themselves to live and work on Maui. I do want to support legislation and solutions that address the housing crisis on Maui. Thank you!
Testimony in Strong Support of Bill 9
Aloha Chair Kama and Members of the committee,
My name is Evan Weber, and I am writing today in strong support of Bill 9. Our organization, Our Hawai’i, with tens of thousands of supporters across the pae ‘āina including 7,668 in Maui County, has been in strong support of this effort, and was heavily involved with passing the enabling legislation SB2919 as well.
However, I’d like to focus my testimony on my more personal experience with vacation rentals as a lifelong resident of Kailua on Oʻahu, and a current member of the Kailua Neighborhood Board.
In 2022, following the leadership of our city councilwoman Esther Kia’āina, the City and County of Honolulu passed Bill 41 establishing the banning, regulation and enforcement of short-term rentals outside of resort zones.
Just a few years later, the results are evident: regulating short-term rentals is one of the most impactful actions a county can take to return communities to residents while stabilizing rents and home costs.
While many have tried to complicate this issue, O‘ahu’s success shows that the solution is simple: zoning. We just need to go back to the way things were before. Let resort zones be resort zones, and let neighborhoods be neighborhoods.
Since Bill 41 passed, Kailua feels like it can breathe a little easier. We still have problems with tourism, traffic, over tourism, and visitor management, but we have been able to in hem what was becoming an out of control situation — and our situation pales in comparison to what West and South Maui have become.
Tourists still come to enjoy our beautiful beaches, pristine waters, and local restaurants. They just leave when they pau and sleep somewhere else! Simple as that.
For context, at the height of the problem, 1 in every 8 homes in Kailua was operating as a vacation rental. Of the over 10,000 illegal vacation rentals on Oahu at the time, Data from Inside Airbnb and other studies estimated over 1,500 illegal short-term rentals were in Kailua alone, in a community of just under 15,000 housing units.
Still, this is nowhere severe as West or South Maui, where a majority or supermajority of housing units in some areas are now STRs. But similarly, our small town was bearing the brunt of the burden for the island, and it was truly never meant to be a resort area, with none of the infrastructure or accommodations to be able to handle such an influx. On top of this Kailua is sandwiched between two military bases, the Kāne‘ohe Marine Corps base and Bellows Air Force, and has already had its housing markets significantly altered by that population, as well as dealing with a the other negative impacts.
All of this led to skyrocketing home prices and rents, noise, traffic, and transient activity in what were once stable, family-oriented neighborhoods, the erosion of community ties and escalation of tensions, and even declining school enrollments showing an out-flux of local working families.
Following the passage and enforcement of Oʻahu’s Bill 41, listings for illegal short-term rentals in areas like Kailua dropped by nearly 50% within the first year, according to public data from rental platforms. Rental prices began to stabilize, and in some segments, modest declines were observed as units re-entered the long-term market.
These policies did not solve every housing challenge overnight, but they were a critical first step in reclaiming our housing for residents and preserving the character and livability of our communities. While we have more fights and challenges ahead, this has been a major success and step forward.
Notably, our economy did not crash, tourists still come to visit, and I do think that there is a bit more aloha from us local residents to share knowing that our communities are still for us, not taken over by tourists who do not share the same aloha ‘āina that kama‘āina and kanaka ‘ōiwi do for our wahi pana.
Maui faces even greater pressures from tourism and housing shortages than Oʻahu. Continuing to allow short-term rentals to consume precious housing in apartment zones, originally intended for residents, undermines every effort to address the housing crisis.
Phasing out TVRs in these areas is not anti-tourism — it’s pro-resident. It’s about:
Ensuring working families, kūpuna, and young people can afford to stay on Maui.
Returning housing stock to local residents.
Protecting the unique culture, character, and sustainability of Maui’s communities.
Oʻahu’s experience shows that regulating short-term rentals works — for residents, for neighborhoods, and for the future of our islands. I urge you to pass Bill 9 and take bold, necessary action to protect housing for Maui’s people.
Mahalo for your leadership and consideration.
This bill should not pass. That government can essentially deprive property owners of their rights to use their property to help secure a living is unethical and should be illegal. Not only that, this will hurt local businesses far beyond these STRs. And most of these will not provide affordable housing anyway, given that the HOA fees and cost of living is so high regardless of the rental status. This bill, on principle, should be denied with extreme prejudice to preserve rights and freedoms of all.
Now with a $1.6B grant Maui Government can concentrate on building affordable housing.
I have never lived in Lahaina, but I have always loved Lahaina.
I remember the calm of the morning, waiting at Canoe Beach (Hanaka‘o‘o) with my keiki to find out their seat assignments and race times. I remember the deep breath I’d take as a youth before jumping off the Lahaina Harbor pier, just before a surf contest at Breakwall.
I’ve lost count of how many Tuesdays I spent driving the Pali to the Lahaina Courthouse with Retired PO Ron Baybayin, meeting with clients for Adult Client Services—and of course, grabbing a bite at Aloha Mixed Plate afterward.
I’ve sat in IEP transition meetings at King Kamehameha III Elementary, feeling a wave of relief knowing a child was in the hands of a team that would help them thrive.
Even now, as a member of the Disaster Case Management Program that will end in July, I continue to aloha Lahaina.
I’ve seen firsthand the ongoing fear and uncertainty of Lahaina fire survivors—many still precariously housed. Some have done everything possible to repair, recover, and rebuild, only to face the same devastating setback: housing instability.
Allowing non-Maui residents—who have no say in our local elections—to have the first voice and choice over the Minatoya List only worsens this crisis. It doesn’t just perpetuate a housing crisis; it deepens a workforce crisis. An entire moku has been displaced due to the Lahaina fire’s impact on infrastructure, commerce, culture, and social networks.
Although Lahaina properties make up only about one-third of the Minatoya List, releasing apartment-zoned units for short-term vacation rentals takes away critical opportunities for long-term housing—housing that is desperately needed for local families who need to live near their jobs and rebuild their homes. There’s a misconception that long-term housing automatically means a permanent solution—but in times like these, long-term housing is a vital stepping stone.
Waiting on new developments or temporary housing solutions feels like throwing caution to the wind. It's not a fair or adequate response to a community in crisis.
As someone who reveres the Department of the Corporation Counsel, having worked there myself, I still believe it is shortsighted to let a 24-year-old legal opinion outweigh the present reality—especially in the wake of a disaster that has destroyed an entire community.
Mayor Bissen’s proposal to phase out short-term rentals from the Minatoya List is not only bold, it is necessary. It is insightful, impactful, and visionary—for the future of an entire generation, and an entire moku.
The insistence by non-Maui residents to uphold an outdated law—one that no longer serves Maui’s workforce or economic stability—is not only counterintuitive, but shows a lack of genuine commitment to the rebuilding effort.
Yes, earning passive income may sound like a dream to some. But to pursue that dream at the expense of displaced families and a devastated community? That’s not just unsustainable—it’s feudalism in spirit.
I am strongly opposed to Bill 9 as it will not address the current crisis of a lack of available housing for local residents. A few questions to think about …
State and local governments have been aware of the lack of affordable housing for locals for decades but continued to kick the can down the road and do nothing to address this issue
State and County governments have been taking in hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes from STR owners in particular over the past decades and never fail to raise the tax rates yearly but where has that money gone? Why wasn’t it put towards building affordable housing?
This week’s agenda of the Maui Planning Commission has proposed the development of yet another hotel in Kihei. The Maui Council is discussing the Wailea 670 luxury home development this week (which has been allowed by Council to decrease the # of included affordable homes by over half). IF THERE IS NO WATER TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING THEN WHY IS THERE ENOUGH WATER TO BUILT YET ANOTHER HOTEL AND LUXURY HOMES???
If you pass this Bill, the implementation date contained in the Bill is at least 3 years away. The resulting lawsuits will stop the ban for a minimum of 3-5 years. These timelines will not address the current crisis at all.
Please do not punish STR and small business owners who have not done anything wrong inn order to implement an ill-conceived plan that will not address the current housing crisis on Maui and will adversely effect the economy of Maui and those who live here.
This is what’s going to happen:
1. Maui bans STRs.
2. Locals can’t afford the empty condos.
3. Units sit vacant, property values drop.
4. Mainlanders buy up cheap condos as 2nd homes, but don’t rent them at all.
5. Thousands of costly lawsuits against Maui.
6. Tourism crashes, local business layoffs.
7. STR-related jobs lost, unemployment rises.
8. Tax revenue plummets (TAT, GET, property).
9. Major budget cuts to essential services.
10. No housing gained, tourism economy crashes.
Aloha,
My name is Patricia, and I was born and raised here on Maui. My husband and I have worked hard our whole lives to support our family, and we depend on the jobs that short-term rentals provide. I clean condos that are rented on Airbnb, and my husband takes care of the landscaping for the same property. If you take away these legal short-term rentals, we will both lose our jobs. How will we support our keiki?
I know there’s a lot of talk about these rentals hurting locals, but for us, they are the reason we can pay our rent, buy food, and take care of our keiki. Without these jobs, I don’t know what we’re going to do. There’s already barely any work for us. We’re not the ones making big money off these rentals—we’re just trying to survive, like so many other local families who depend on tourism.
If these owners can’t rent their places short-term, they won’t need housekeepers like me or landscapers like my husband. They’ll shut down their units, and all of us who work for them will be left struggling. We don’t have the luxury of just “finding something else.” Where are we supposed to go? What jobs will replace the ones you’re taking away from us?
I understand the need for affordable housing, but this isn’t the way to fix the problem. Locals can't afford to rent these anyway. Please don’t make it even harder for local working families like mine. We need these jobs to survive.
Mahalo for listening,
Patricia
Listen to Stan Franco
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
I own a 1 bedroom condo in the Paki Maui complex (which were built as vacation rentals). My monthly, fixed carrying costs (mortgage, AOAO, property taxes, insurance) is $3972. I am also expecting special assessments in the future to address very expensive plumbing, seawall and cement spalling repairs. I am not convinced that anyone is willing to pay anything close to my breakeven point for my 500 square foot unit if Bill 9 passes, therefore, I ask you to oppose the bill, or consider amending it to exclude Minatoya complexes that do not meet your definition of affordable housing. Mahalo ~
how is the solution of getting rid of short-term rentals going to benefit the local community when the local community will not be able to afford the rental rates that will be required to rent long-term - this will be an influx of people from other places that can afford these rents .. and push out local people even more? bad style
I am in strong opposition to this bill. I used to be a proud supporter of Lahaina Strong but I can no longer consciously support a group that is filled with so much hate. The support of this bill from Lahaina Strong is not about housing it's about hatred towards anyone not local and not Hawaiian. It's a group about Hawaiian Rights and trying to punish anyone they think has wronged them. This is not about affordable housing.
I don't believe in punishing a whole industry and all the families and business that will suffer. Not do I believe in taking away property rights from people who were told they could legally do what they are doing by the county.
Land use should stay the same allowing vacation rentals to exist without restrictions or modifications
Tourism is what keeps Maui economy alive
Listen to Stan Franco
To HLU Committee
I Sadly OPPOSE Bill 9.
I asked a Kihei real estate office about getting on the Kihei list for "workers housing" that the Mayor mentioned
in his meeting here last month,..or for any affordable housing ..from the taking back STR apts.
She said there is no workers housing provision in Bill 9, and the STR apts are not being taken back...that
the same people who own each apt. now, will still own it with Bill 9, and that rents will have to be $3 to $4000/month.
I want to jeep my waiter's job. in Kihei, and tourists pay me big tips. I'M SO SAD!! PLEASE..NO TO BILL 9
Mitch, Kihei restaurant waitperson for 8 yrs.
Aloha e nā Lālā Kūmau o ka ʻAha Kau Kānāwai,
I submit this testimony in firm and thoughtful support of Bill 9 (2025), which addresses the phase-out of transient vacation rentals (STRs) in apartment-zoned districts on Maui. This decision is undeniably challenging and carries meaningful consequences for many stakeholders. However, it is a necessary action aligned with Maui’s profound cultural values, long-term economic stability, and environmental resilience.
Maui faces a housing crisis that is culturally and economically untenable. While the tourism economy has historically benefited many residents, its unchecked growth has increasingly displaced kamaʻāina families, weakening our community fabric. Today, residents who form the foundation of our local economy—teachers, healthcare workers, and cultural practitioners—are priced out, compelled to leave their ancestral homes or struggle with unstable housing conditions. As young Maui resident Tryson Kaiama eloquently testified, this bill represents more than policy—it symbolizes the restoration of land and housing rights to residents who build and sustain our communities.
Opponents of Bill 9 voice legitimate concerns regarding economic impacts, loss of personal investment returns, and potential employment losses. While understandable, these arguments often rest on short-term economic perspectives. The testimony from Jason Slate and Dennis Eyler, for instance, emphasizes personal investment and economic hardship resulting from potential shifts in property use. However, the county’s kuleana is broader and deeper than protecting private returns on speculative investments. Our collective obligation is to prioritize resident housing stability and the long-term health of our island economy over immediate economic conveniences.
It is critical to contextualize these potential short-term disruptions against the backdrop of the ongoing crisis caused by limited affordable housing. The emotional and financial pain articulated by STR owners like Steven Pierce and Dennis Eyler is acknowledged, yet it underscores the core of our dilemma—housing decisions have profound emotional and financial stakes for everyone involved. Yet, as community leader John Leialoha clearly stated, this bill serves as a “long-overdue course correction” that rebalances the scales toward community integrity and economic equity.
Maui’s future demands reducing our overwhelming dependency on tourism, recalibrating our resident-to-visitor ratios, and fostering sustainable economic diversification. The claims that STRs alone sustain Maui’s economy overlook the evident fragility exposed during downturns like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Lahaina wildfires. Rather than devastating our economy, Bill 9 encourages necessary resilience by diversifying our economic base, ensuring future prosperity independent of tourism booms and busts.
Critics also argue that eliminating STRs will not automatically produce affordable housing. This is partially true. Yet, it is an essential first step in freeing up critical housing stock. The continued presence of STRs artificially inflates housing costs, leaving homes unattainable for working families. Reducing STR inventory will ultimately realign market forces toward affordability, even if adjustments occur gradually. Additionally, arguments suggesting high association fees and maintenance costs render these units unsuitable for long-term local renters miss the point; by eliminating lucrative short-term rentals, market pressures will force prices to adjust, fostering affordability over time.
This bill also addresses the environmental imperative to responsibly manage Maui’s precious resources. As one testimony aptly noted, STRs significantly strain limited water resources. Tourist accommodations inevitably encourage excess water use, adding unsustainable pressures on already stressed infrastructure and ecosystems. Bill 9’s passage will meaningfully mitigate these environmental impacts by lowering tourist volumes, thus aligning with Maui’s ecological commitments.
The poignant and powerful testimony from Tryson Kaiama draws upon profound cultural values, emphasizing the sacred nature of land as more than merely property—it is an inheritance and identity entrusted to future generations. Such culturally grounded insights compel the county to consider this policy shift as an ethical imperative. Restoring balance and equity in housing is more than an economic calculation; it’s a restoration of the community’s very soul.
When investment properties are prioritized over local housing, the community ends up subsidizing absentee profit—through higher rents, strained infrastructure, and lost workers. That’s not free enterprise—it’s systemic extraction.
For decades, STR owners have benefited enormously. This Bill is not a punishment—it’s a policy reset after a generous, unsustainable experiment that skewed our housing market.
Many STRs are operated by LLCs or absentee landlords who own multiple units. The claim that this bill hurts only local kupuna is misleading and obscures the real scale of commercial vacation rental operations.
No healthy economy is built on a single industry. Maui’s overreliance on tourism has made it brittle. Bill 9 is a necessary economic diversification strategy, not a sacrifice.
The General Plan targets a healthier resident-to-visitor ratio. Maintaining thousands of apartment STRs actively violates this goal. We cannot meaningfully reduce tourism’s impact without reducing tourism’s footprint.
Each STR adds to water demand. Our aquifers, streams, and drought conditions cannot sustain a luxury tourism model where visitors outconsume residents fivefold.
Land is not a commodity—it’s a kuleana. The ʻāina remembers, and policy that aligns with pono land use will always lead us home.
The County has every legal right to phase out nonconforming uses. No one was promised indefinite STR privileges. Zoning powers exist precisely for this kind of community correction.
Young kamaʻāina are leaving not for lack of love for Maui—but for lack of housing. This bill gives them a reason to stay, return, and invest in our future.
Indeed, Maui’s long-term prosperity and social stability rely upon the brave enactment of Bill 9. Opponents have raised valid concerns, but their views tend toward preserving a problematic status quo that leaves locals displaced, housing precarious, and the environment strained. Supporting Bill 9 is not just economically and environmentally responsible—it is a profoundly moral stance, reinforcing the county’s sacred duty to protect its residents’ wellbeing.
Moreover, allowing housing prices to naturally correct and de-artificially inflate is ultimately beneficial, restoring genuine affordability rooted in local economic realities rather than speculative excess. This recalibration not only stabilizes our communities but also opens pathways for many families who’ve been waiting patiently on the sidelines. To those currently operating short-term rentals who understandably feel uncertainty or anxiety about these changes: trust that the universe provides, often in unexpected ways. Watch carefully for signs, opportunities, and synchronicities. Keep your hearts and minds open to possibilities you have yet to imagine—sometimes, when we release one door, miracles step effortlessly through another.
While temporary discomfort is inevitable in transitioning away from established practices, Maui is resilient. Economic diversification, increased housing affordability, and resource sustainability will ultimately ensure a more stable and vibrant future for all residents.
At its core, democracy is our collective antidote to a world dictated solely by financial power and market forces. It empowers us to uphold the dignity and rights of those who have little or nothing, ensuring their voices matter as deeply as those who possess much. When considering this bill, I urge each of you to reflect upon the residents whose stories often remain unheard—the displaced families, the struggling kupuna, and our youth facing an uncertain future. True democracy seeks justice for all, especially the most vulnerable, and Bill 9 represents our commitment to that fundamental principle.
In sum, Bill 9 is not just a legislative action—it is a collective affirmation that we value community over commodity, neighbors over nightly turnover, and future generations over fleeting gain. It invites us to imagine a Maui not governed by speculative profit, but by the rhythm of mālama ʻāina, aloha kekahi i kekahi, and local dignity. This bill is a turning point: a conscious choice to repair our social contract and return housing to its rightful purpose—as shelter, as legacy, as home. If we have the courage to enact it, we send a powerful message that Maui’s soul is not for sale. We send a message to the world that our island is not merely a backdrop for escape, but a living, breathing community worthy of respect, protection, and permanence. Let this be the moment we rise to meet our kuleana with clarity and conviction, and in doing so, reclaim the island for those who call her home.
Mahalo to the Mayor, staff and the entire County Council for your service and dedication. Not everyone will agree on every issue—but for those of us who do support this measure, know that we are deeply grateful for your courage and clarity in advancing it. This initiative brings real hope to residents who have long waited for meaningful change. Keep up the good work—your efforts are seen, appreciated, and making a difference.
Bill 9 embodies the vision of a Maui that honors its past, protects its present, and thoughtfully secures its future — pass the Bill today without any amendment delaying implementation.
Let this legislation stand as a lawful reaffirmation of the County’s constitutional duty to uphold equity, sustainability, and the public interest.
Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono.
Mahalo nui loa
Aloha
Aloha HLU Committee!
I am writing to express my strong opposition to Bill 9 for the sustained prosperity of Maui!
As a property owner who contributes over $3,000 monthly to the local economy through various types of taxes and payments to local employees for maintenance and cleaning, I see firsthand how short-term rentals positively impact our community. Tourism is the backbone of Maui’s economy, and limiting short-term rentals could reduce tourism, ultimately affecting the livelihoods of many residents.
Additionally, while concerns have been raised about water usage, the data provided by the water department states the evidence between water shortage and short term rental is limited and inconclusive.
It’s important to find balanced solutions that support both locals and the economy. Using tax revenue from short-term rentals to invest in long-term housing would be a more effective approach than an outright ban. It has been over two years since the fires, and we should focus on accelerating the development of housing for residents without undermining the tourism industry that sustains us all.
In short, I urge you to consider these points and oppose Bill 9 for the benefit of our community and economy.
Thank you for your consideration.
Aloha,
I am ½ pure Hawaiian. My mother was 100% Hawaiian, my father 100% Chinese. Shame on all of you who want nothing more than a hand out! FREE, FREE, FREE. We worked hard to have what we own and proud of it. My family is intitiled to Hawaiian Home land but have left it for those who need it. We have raised our children to be proud of what they do with their lives. We have always shared our aloha with everyone, not just the people from Hawaii. We saved our money to be able to have a condo on Maui. How many of the people complaining and want our property have actually worked and saved their money for a dream? How many have served the United States military to protect our homeland? I have served our military and very proud of it as are my children who have served. We saved every extra penny many years ago to beable to own a condo on Maui. Our family emjoys it from our hard earned money. When we are not able to be on Maui we share it with vacation guest who help spend their money on Maui and created jobs for local people.. We are now in our 80’s and enjoy time on Maui fro Oahu. When we or our famiy are not able to be there we rent our condo out. This helps with our large maintenance dues and property taxes. What extra money we make helps supplement our low retirement income.
How many of Lahaina Strong have picked up a hammer to help rebuild? All the people who have yelled and wanted others land should be ashamed. It makes us wonder what their passed ohana think of them. THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN THE PROTESTERS ON THE STREETS IN Los Angeles. Portlnd and other places in the U.S. They have no pride but feel they are entitled. What have they done to be entitled. I sincerely urge you to turn down this bill and be proud Hawaiian. Your ohana that have passed would be proud of you really being true Hawaiian.
True Hawaiians share their Aloha. E komo mai not go away!
Aloha, Council Members and Housing and Land Use Committee members,
My name is Dennis Eyler. My wife and I have been owners of the Hale Mahina Beach Resort Unit B-405 since 2012.
Prior to that we had visited the island many times and one of our daughters lived and worked here for a few years. We are stating our opposition to Bill 9 for several reasons.
1. It will not solve Maui’s housing crisis because after doing economic and market research, the number of potential renters for our property would be extremely small if not zero.
2. The downzoning would have a significant negative impact on Maui’s economy.
3. Based on my experience in the area of public works this proposed downzoning would be legally considered a "take" and been open to a lawsuit. We certainly hope it doesn't come to that.
4. Our property is a leasehold with a monthly payment to the landowners who we understand to be residents of Maui. Our land rent also pays their county real estate taxes on the leased property. When we first bought our condo, we planned to use it only for ourselves our family and friends.
However, economic pressures, including dramatically increasing property taxes convinced us to rent it out to visitors through the Hale Mahina Beach Resort. Things changed at Hale Mahina’s rental management through retirements. and we eventually went with a locally owned and staffed rental management company, Ali’I Resorts. Then, covid hit and then came the restrictions on visiting the island. Then in 2023 the tragic fire occurred. We had hoped to keep our condo for a few more years before selling. Perhaps until we were in our '80s and found it more difficult to travel.
Here is the economic analysis and our current annual expenses.
HOA = $1855.30/month = $22,263.60/year
The HOA fees include, electricity, sewer and water, insurance, cable and internet, maintenance of the common ground and other facilities in common. It also pays the salary of the on-site manager along with covering the purchase price and lease payments for the managers unit. That effort to provide housing for our manager, by our owner’s association, is an actual example of providing work-force housing.
Leased land payments = $1536.80/month = $18,441.6/year Those payments are going to local families on Maui. Other ongoing expenses include hurricane insurance and maintenance of the interior of the unit = $150/month = $1800/year
The totals of the above items = $4542.10/month = $54,505/year
Property taxes = $21,724.46/yr I understand the tax rate for long term rentals would be substantially lower. I assumed that it could be as low as $3,000.
Next is the cost of amortization of the purchase price. If we would no longer to be able to afford it as our winter retirement home, because we could not offer short term rentals and we then had to put it up for sale, then the prospective buyer would want to know if their investment would pay for itself. I did some quick calculations without extensive shopping for interest rates and setting aside some other details. I concluded that a 30-year loan for a $700,000 discounted purchase price would require annual payments for: principle, and interest of at least $40,000. The $700,000 that I used, is far below the current assessed value of our property as determined by the Maui County tax assessors. I am assuming that if our property is downzoned the value would also drop substantially.
I did some computations representing the potential market for our unit. I learned of a rule of thumb that your rent or housing costs should not exceed 40% of your income. If you apply that advice to the annual cost for someone to own our unit and rent it out, that would require a family to have an annual income of around $210,000. I am not highly knowledgeable about pay rates and salaries on Maui. But to me, it does seem to mean that our property would not be economically viable for typical workforce housing.
There are certainly cost cutting measures which the county could take to reduce the costs. Amenities provided with the HOA fees could be reduced. The county could also use eminent domain to acquire the land from the lease holders and thereby wipe out that cost. The annual costs could be reduced to under $60,000, thereby making it affordable to a family earning $150,000 per year.
Where does the short-term rental money that we collect actually go?
There was testimony given by some, at the previous public input sessions, without appropriate documentation, that the rents collected by STRs just go to the mainland. To clear up that misconception, here is a breakdown of our expenditures and our rental income during 2024 and where those monies went. HOA = $22,260, Land lease = $18,440, Other expenses = $1800, Property taxes (estimated future) = $3,000 (with current allowed land use they are $21,724), Annual amortization of the purchase = $40,000, Total cost = $84,500.
Our net rental income after all expenses = $31,977,22, Our net cash flow = negative $52,000
Along the way we also collected for the State of Hawaii and Maui County the following taxes.
State TAT = $3277.67, Maui TAT = $959.32, GET = $1506.64, Maui County Property taxes = $21,724.46 Total taxes collected = $27,468
For our Maui based rental management company we also paid for various services a total of over $30,000
Total money staying on Maui = Taxes $27,468+ Rental Management Fees $30,000 + land lease $18,440 = $75,908.
In addition to those easily accountable amounts, there is also the money spent at local businesses by my family and our guest renters.
At a minimum my wife and I added $52,000 to the Maui economy just with the ownership of our condo. We also spent money at the local businesses.
As a point of comparison, FEMA was offering to pay $7000/month for the use of our unit for emergency long-term rental, after the fire and they later upped their offer.
In conclusion, I have discussed this subject with my wife. We feel that if Maui County really needs to use our unit for added housing for the local population and then wishes to purchase our unit, for the current County assessed tax value, we would certainly be willing to sell it to the County for that price.
Mahalo for your time
Dennis and Virginia Eyler
Aloha Council Members and Housing and Land Use Committee members,
My name is Alexander Nikolaidis and I am writing to you in opposition to Bill 9 because it will not solve Maui’s housing crisis while having a significant impact on Maui’s economy.
In 2020, after renting in California for many years, my family and I moved our possessions into storage and begun to live with our family so our daughter could have more community and open space. After doing this for several months, we found an STR in 2021 on Maui and moved there for four months, sight unseen, having only been to Oahu and Kauai previously. We fell in love with Maui, which seemed to have the perfect mix of natural beauty like Kauai and development like Oahu. However, while living here, we witnessed firsthand the economic impact of lower tourism, seeing businesses closed daily during the pandemic.
We returned to the mainland after our stay before the next school year started, but always dreamed of moving back to Maui. We would visit, staying in STRs, whenever we could as this allowed us to continue to visit the restaurants and shops we had known while residing on Maui vs being isolated in a hotel resort. During these stays we were happy to see businesses re-opening and Maui became our happy place. Seeing the impact of the Lahaina fires was devastating, including when we visited Maui afterwards and again saw businesses closed and the community struggling. We told our story to friends and family and managed to raise over $10,000 for the Hawai’i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.
When a condo came up for sale where we had rented previously (Pacific Shores), we bought it, hoping we could spend more time on Maui and eventually return full time. We worked on the condo, hiring local contractors to make it feel like home.
We intend to live in this Condo, and we continue to rent in California. We are not a business. Renting the condo as a TVR allows us to keep it occupied vs sit vacant, as well as helping to offset the large AOAO fees, property taxes, and other costs. We maintain a list of our favorite local businesses, which range from restaurants to photographers, from tour guides to clothing designers. We feel strongly that our guests give back to Maui’s economy and treat the island with respect.
If Bill 9 were to pass, we would not rent our condo, as we try to visit Maui multiple times a year. In a poll of STR owners, over 80% said the same. This will not give housing back to residents. At the same time, the loss in revenue from GET and TAT will most certainly hurt the county’s budget and ability to work on long term solutions. More importantly, the lack of tourism spend for local businesses while condos sit empty risks bringing Maui back to the economic devastation of COVID.
In addition to not solving the housing crisis and supporting the Maui economy, the county taxes a huge legal risk. STR bans have previously been found unconstitutional in other US cities, such as Lake Tahoe as recent as March 2025. Other bans, such as Santa Monica, have been in legal battles for over 10 years. And further, even when bans pass, such as in New York City, we see that many legal rentals become illegal, which only further deprives the county of revenue while still offering no solution to the housing crisis.
Banning STRs carries a huge legal risk with no evidence pointing towards an actual increase in affordable housing. Maui must lower the bar for permitting to build new, affordable housing without risking its economy. This can be supplemented by higher TAT (such as the governors proposed “green fee”), which has also been recommended by UHERO.
It is for these reasons that I respectfully Oppose Bill 9.
Mahalo,
Alex
Aloha, my name is Dan and my wife and I own a condo in Māʻalaea. I have been a long time resident of Maui and always felt that to live on Maui was a blessing and that Maui is a very special place with a special culture. I have great concern about preserving the culture and the impact of tourism on local culture and the environment. Itʻs not so much whether tourism is good for the island as that there should be effort to make tourists aware about the need to be respectful when they visit, and how to be respectful. I deeply recognize the injustices that have led to the current situation - stolen land, water allocation issues, cultural suppression. I think it is really important to nurture the movement to keep Hawaiian culture alive - the immersion language programs are an example. I personally feel I cannot live on Maui without doing things to support the culture and the environment. I am temporarily off island due to circumstances I could not control. I plan to return as soon as possible and plan to contribute when I do return. While away (and missing Maui every day) we have had our condo in a short term rental program with a local company, and now in the FEMA program housing fire survivors. We are quite happy that we can help and still pay our high condo fees and taxes. It makes it work for people who lost their homes, we pay taxes to the county, and we have a home to come back to. We also housed people who volunteered on Maui after the fires before the FEMA program started. When the FEMA program is over hopefully we will be back home. If we are not yet back we can rent to a local family long term but the condo association fees are high for a small condo. Iʻm also worried about my friends who count on jobs related to vacation rentals. These include the managers, the cleaners, the maintenance people, the restaurant owners and workers, the musicians. I do feel blessed that I have been able to live on Maui and would like to help be part of the solution. I am only opposed to Bill 9 because I think that as it is currently written it will negativity impact too many people who love Maui and want to keep their families on Maui, and to be able to support themselves to live and work on Maui. I do want to support legislation and solutions that address the housing crisis on Maui. Thank you!