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)
I am in staunch support of Bill 9 (2025), Amending Chapters 19.12, 19.32, And 19.37, Maui County Code, Relating to Transient Vacation Rentals in Apartment Districts.
As a transplant, I moved to Maui in 1993 when I was 14 years old. I lived in Napili Ridge with my father and at the time the rent was $600 a month. My father was fortunate enough to be able to purchase that condo for $50,000 in 1998. That same condo could now be sold for approximately $600,000. I believe that is a direct result of the short-term rental economy that has exploded across the island. There are currently 5 STR’s in my building alone, a building of 10 units. I am surround by transient accommodations, which dissolves the sense of community that I used to recognize at Napili Ridge and in West Maui.
In the past thirty years, West Maui’s tourism industry has risen exponentially, however the infrastructure has not kept up. The roads are still designed for the population of 30 years ago, and on high tourist volume days they become unbearably backed up. The beaches have shrunk exponentially in the past 30 years, and with the growth in tourism they have become over-used and over-crowded. Our water resources are still designed for the population of 30 years ago. It has been stated that there is not enough water for new housing developments, however, that doesn’t seem to be a problem when new resorts or luxury housing are built. Why not utilize apartment zoned housing for our residents instead of visitors who already have a plethora of accommodation options?
It is my humble opinion that the island, especially West Maui, has become overrun with tourism. I don’t believe that this bill will hurt tourism, there is already an imbalanced ratio of tourists to residents. I believe instead that it will bring about the smallest bit of rebalance to housing that had originally been built for the residents of Maui but was taken away by the Minatoya List. This bill will right a wrong that never should have happened in the first place.
I’m writing to you to state my opposition to Bill 9 and the proposed phase out of more than 6000 short-term vacation rentals (STR’s) in Maui County. I was born in Oahu but raised on Maui since I was a baby. I’m also an owner of a hotel zoned legal vacation rental in North Kihei. It has been in our family for 50 years.
It is a fact that our economy survives on tourism. The phasing out of a large portion of this vital industry would have destructive economic consequences that would ripple throughout our island economy. Further, the idea that phasing out 6000 STR’s will alleviate our housing problems is not a realistic conclusion. Most STR’s are 1- or 2-bedroom condominium units with limited parking, no pets, expensive HOA fees and other expenses and onerous property rules and regulations.
The economic benefits that legal STR’s bring to our county are enormous. From jobs that are directly related to the managing, cleaning and maintaining of the properties, to the businesses that indirectly benefit from the increased visitor counts that STR’s create. These include restaurants, food and household wholesalers, grocery stores, activity providers, retail shops and many more.
It is not any overstatement to say that this phase out would negatively affect every part of Maui’s economy.
I greatly encourage you to oppose Bill 9.
Cordially,
James Jones
Pukalani, Hawaii
Subject: Opposing Bill 9 – Preserve Maui’s Legal Short-Term Rentals and Local Livelihoods
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Honorable Council Members,
I am writing to respectfully voice my strong opposition to Bill 9, which seeks to phase out more than 7,000 legally operating short-term vacation rentals (STRs) in Maui County. These units have long complied with county regulations, contribute substantial tax revenue, support local jobs, and play a critical role in Maui’s broader tourism ecosystem.
My husband and I are the owners of one such permitted STR. We purchased our property in good faith based on its codified legal status and have always approached ownership with a sense of responsibility to the community. We employ Maui-based cleaners, landscapers, and maintenance workers — individuals who depend on STRs like ours for reliable income. We also actively recommend nearby restaurants, shops, and activities to our guests.
Many of our visitors are families traveling with children or older relatives. They choose Maui because it offers more than a hotel room — they greatly value the ability to stay in a home-like environment with a kitchen, shared living space, and a stronger connection to the local community. For many, a short-term rental is the only way they can afford to visit Maui at all. Removing this option will not shift them into hotels — it will simply cause them to vacation elsewhere, taking their tourism dollars with them.
This isn’t just our personal experience. According to the 2024 UHERO study commissioned by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, phasing out TVRs in Apartment-zoned districts could result in:
• $900 million in lost annual visitor spending
• 1,900 job losses across the island
• $60 million decline in property tax revenue by 2029
These numbers are sobering and illustrate just how tightly STRs are woven into the fabric of Maui’s local economy.
We understand and share the Council’s concern about the housing crisis. However, Bill 9 is not a real solution. It risks sacrificing the economic contributions of law-abiding property owners, local workers, and small businesses — without meaningfully increasing housing supply or affordability. Like many property owners, we face rising costs — including monthly HOA dues, wildfire-related insurance increases, and ongoing maintenance costs for older structures built approximately 45 years ago. STR income helps us meet these significant obligations while keeping the property safe, well-maintained, and available to guests who support local businesses during their stay. These units do not magically become affordable housing through Bill 9.
Other resort communities have taken more thoughtful, effective approaches to provide more affordable housing. In Vail, Colorado — which faces similar housing challenges — the county has implemented voluntary deed-restriction programs (with willing buyers and sellers), down payment assistance, mixed-income developments, and incentives for long-term rental conversions. These solutions respect the codified rights of legal STR owners while addressing housing needs head-on.
I respectfully urge you to vote against Bill 9 in its current form and instead pursue a balanced, data-driven strategy — one that protects long-standing legal operations while expanding real, workable options for local residents in need of housing.
Mahalo for your time, your service, and your thoughtful consideration of this important issue.
I urge the committee to recognize that Bill 9 is a vital corrective measure to Maui’s housing market distortions. Responsible vacation rental owners like myself support this bill because it promotes a fair, balanced approach that protects residents and preserves Maui’s unique community character. They say if it aint broke dont fix it, but that dont apply here. Bill 9 is the fix.
Here are some facts: 1 bedroom condo purchased for $550,000.00 in 2018. We have had to pay $23,000.00 in assessment and another $100,000.00 wrapped into our HOA fees. To purchase this condo at the same price ( a loss to us) you would need 20 down or $115,000.00 down leaving $440,000.00 to mortgage. At 6075% that payment is $2845.00. Add HOA fees $2100.00, taxes $833.00, insurance $50.00 and a variable amount for utilities you have a monthly payment of $5837.00 not including utilities. This is for a small 500 square foot 1 bedroom with no pantry, no linen closet, half a closet for clothing, 3 built in drawers, 1 parking space, no washer and dryer (facilities on site) and no pets allowed. Most of the condominiums on the Minatoys list are at least 50 years old and will be undergoing extensive infrastructure replacement and other mandatory repairs at additional assessments to owners.
We listed this condo both for rent ($2950.00, a break even for us as we don't carry a mortgage) and purchase and NOT 1 local person even inquired about it!
We are not your enemies! we are a retired couple from Oahu (72 and 75) whose grandson and daughter-in-law are born and raised in Lahaina. We purchased the condo so we could visit with them as he is growing up and rent it in between to help costs to our retirement. It is the abject failure of state and county governments to build AFFORDABLE housing for our workforce!
Again, please study these actual financial numbers and ask yourself, do you know anyone who lost housing in the Lahaina fire who could afford this condo? This bill will do nothing to alleviate government inaction.
We respectfully ask that you vote NO on this bill
I strongly oppose Bill 9. Please use the recently awarded $1.6 billion dollar grant from HUD to move forward on permanent housing solutions. Bill 9 will not properly address Maui's housing issues and will devastate the economy and tax base if it passes.
I submit this testimony in strong support of Bill 9 and the proposed zoning amendments to phase out transient vacation rentals (TVRs) in the Apartment District. Maui is in the midst of a full-blown housing crisis. This bill is one of the clearest opportunities the Council has to take meaningful action.
The core question before you is simple:
Will returning over 6,000 TVRs to the long-term housing market—either as rentals or as for-sale units—help address Maui’s severe housing shortage?
The answer is undeniably yes.
Maui is part of the most isolated island chain in the world. Yet, a disproportionate share of our housing stock is owned by out-of-state investors who do not live here, do not vote here, and profit by extracting wealth from our communities. Meanwhile, local families are being priced out, displaced, or forced to leave the islands altogether.
This is not a complex issue. The public interest lies with our residents—nurses, teachers, kūpuna, and keiki—who need homes, not hotels disguised as condos.
This legislation is not extreme; it is necessary. It restores balance in our communities and prioritizes housing for people who live and work here. Times like these require courage and clarity from our elected officials. The choice is between standing with your constituents or continuing to enable a speculative real estate market driven by absentee owners.
Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony, and for your leadership on this critical issue.
Our family have been owners of a one bedroom one bathroom apartment at Hale Kamaole for over 40 years through four generations. We have used our unit for short term rentals when not being used by ourselves, our family and/or friends. Our condominium apartment is a one bedroom - less than 900 square feet in size. We wish to express our opposition to the proposed ordinance banning such short term rentals.
First, let us say we are very supportive of efforts to address the housing shortage on Maui and believe there are policy options that can address the issue without the proposed drastic changes to historical short term vacation properties. However, prohibiting us (and similarly situated owners) from short term rental will not generate the substantial additional affordable housing as the ordinance is intended – at least in our case and likely many others. That is because we will not lease our condominium long term which would effectively prevent us, our family and our friends from being able to use the property personally. Likewise, we have no intention to sell should we be prevented from short term rentals. Being a small, one bedroom condominium apartment, our property is not suitable for more than 2 people for any long term period. Thus, the proposed ordinance would seem to fail in its stated objective to generate affordable housing on Maui.
As short term rental owners we pay not only our property taxes but also excise, transient accommodations taxes and other taxes that will be lost to the county and state if we cease short term rentals. It seems there will be unintended consequences to state and local revenues which could lead to reductions in state and local employment and services.
As an older complex, our condominium is facing major structural refurbishing and upgrades. Our complex is currently undergoing a multi-million-dollar plumbing upgrade which has resulted in special assessments and homeowners’ dues increases making the complex even less affordable (and less desirable) – particularly for Maui residents.
We currently engage and support a local property manager for maintenance, repair and cleaning services whose employees will face unemployment if we, along with other short term rental owners, no longer need such services for our short term rentals. In addition, we support and refer our rental guests to other small, family owned local businesses such as Kihei Rent A Car rather than large national companies. It seems there is no doubt that elimination of short term rentals will decrease tourism that these small, family owned local business depend on.
Short term rental condominiums attract different types of tourists than do high end hotel resorts. Short term rental condominiums attract more families which tend to support more local small businesses and restaurants than do guests at high end hotel resorts.
For these reasons – and we are sure there are more – we oppose the proposed ordinance eliminating thousands of short term rentals as the solution to Maui’s affordable housing shortage.
Thank you for considering our opposition.
_________________________ __________________________
ERNEST M. BAUMBERGER VALERIE M. BAUMBERGER
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Honorable Committee Members,
My name is Jeff Yeager, and I am the owner of a legally permitted short-term rental in Maui County (Mahina Surf #220). I am writing to respectfully express my strong opposition to Bill 9, which proposes the phase-out of more than 7,000 vacation rentals that have long operated in compliance with county regulations.
I have always taken seriously my role as a responsible and community-oriented property owner. I employ local cleaners, landscapers, and maintenance professionals — individuals who not only keep the property running safely and smoothly, but who also rely on this income to support their families. I also make a conscious effort to promote local restaurants, shops, and tour operators in my guest materials, ensuring that tourism dollars reach the small businesses that form the backbone of Maui’s economy.
Many of my guests specifically choose Maui because they value the more authentic and connected experience that a short-term rental provides. Some have even shared that they would not have visited at all if such accommodations were unavailable — a loss that would ripple across the island’s tourism-dependent sectors.
Owning and maintaining property on Maui is not without significant challenges. Like many others, I have faced steep increases in insurance premiums following the fires, along with special assessments and the high cost of maintaining older properties in compliance with safety and aesthetic standards. Short-term rental income helps cover these obligations — and, critically, supports the local workers who help me meet them.
Bill 9, as currently drafted, appears to be a sweeping and hasty measure that penalizes responsible property owners rather than addressing the nuanced challenges facing Maui’s housing market. I respectfully urge the Council to reconsider this approach and instead engage in a thoughtful, collaborative process that balances the protection of housing for residents with the preservation of legal short-term rentals that provide economic benefits, uphold community standards, and contribute meaningfully to the island’s vibrancy.
I ask that you vote against Bill 9 in its current form and work toward a more balanced and inclusive solution.
Mahalo for your time, your service, and your consideration of this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Jeff Yeager
Mahina Surf #220
jayeager19@gmail.com
I am an owner of a small STR, I provide a huge source of tax revenue to the county. I support my housekeepers family with my business and bring customers into so many now struggling small business.
My HOA is over $2000 a month, my mortgage is $3200 a month, thanks to insurance increases… my home is 600 square feet, It’s truely not designed as a full time home.
If STR are discontinued I will have to sell.
Maui will loose my tax payment and visitors business. A very short sited and stupid loss.
Mahalo
Kelly
Hi, my name is Lawrence Daluz. I am actually a part-time resident of Maui and a condo at the Palm at Wailea. I used to spend 50% of my time in Maui and the rest of my time in New York. Unfortunately, since the taxes have been raised so much. I can't afford to go any longer because the expenses in Maui are so high, the property taxes, and HOA fees. If you take away my abilities to rent my condo out short term rental. I'm surely going to go into foreclosure and I will be homeless in Maui. I bought a condo and the condo documents say that I bought a condo hotel and I pay a higher interest rate because of it. Furthermore, during the pandemic in 2020 I rented my condo out to two local people Are very low price and in the end, they stole all of my glassware silverware and scratched my floors into the dining table like they were a tiger claw 8 inches long. So letting local people into my home is not something that I would be willing to do again based on my tragic experience in the past.
The Palms at Wailea is a high-end property and not affordable by the local Hawaiian people. It's in Wailea and a great place for tourist to stay. All the restaurants and stores housekeepers everything that works around a short-term rental market. There is nothing but good for Maui and I beg you to save your economy do it right and not put people like me into foreclosure specially when it's my livelihood and no one again in Maui can afford to live there at least very few people
I beg you, please let please let The Palms at Wailea continue to operate as an STR as it was built to do so with the front desk from outrigger hotel
Best regards, Lawrence Daluz
Bill 9 does nothing to address Maui's housing issues and would decimate the economy and tax base if it passes.
Crack down on illegal rentals and promote building affordable housing to the exclusion of all other construction. Use your political willpower for that.
Everything else is just people playing politics and a waste of time.
And if it passes, the legal battles the county will be drawn into will last for years and cost the taxpayers millions.
I oppose Bill 9 because banning transient vacation rentals will pretty obviously hurt the local economy - and hence local residents - and because it won't do much - if it does anything at all - to solve Maui's housing crisis. Bill 9 may well be politically satisfying but it's not actually going to make life better for anybody on Maui. Maui residents have already endured so much hardship. Please don't make things worse by passing this bill.
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Kaley Parkinson, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County. I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation, Bill 9.
I appreciate the affordability challenges faced by Maui County residents, made even more so by the fires of last summer. As an owner, I am deeply vested in the health and prosperity of the community I am a part of. I am a small business owner. I employ local service providers; managers, cleaners, maintenance techs, and landscapers; many of whom have I known and worked with for years. I am proud to help contribute to their families and the well-being of Maui County as a whole. Like all residents and owners, my business has faced enormous increases in costs post the fires, but I continue to invest to ensure the long-term viability of the community I support and those who depend on my business for their family. We provide a cherished home away from how for our guests, many of whom cannot afford astronomically high-priced hotel accommodations and would not visit otherwise. Purpose-built vacation condominiums like mine offer a way for respectful and responsible tourism to sustain viable economic opportunity for the local community in the long term.
The UHERO study on the effects of this bill are clear, it is financially devastating to the entire community. Even the “best” case scenario will cause widespread financial hardship for everyone. This is not a solution; it only serves to tear the entire community down. The idea that creating any incremental inventory for long term use is worth ANY cost is simply not true. Artificially destroying the housing market may lower the price of a home, but it does not make it any more affordable. The jobs created by businesses like mine, the taxes generated, these support the entire community. It Maui County’s future is in sustainable and responsible tourism, we need to invest together and use those funds to build a new future, not tear down the foundation on which it is built today. One thing about this bill is clear, there are inevitable and deeply negative unintended (and intended) consequences that will affect us all; with no improvement for those who need it most.
This legislation looks and feels like a band aid that has no hope of addressing the fundamental issues at hand. It only serves to undermine the financial futures of everyone involved. I urge the Council to work with owners like me to find a fair and balanced path forward — one that protects local jobs, supports the economy, and holds STR owners to high standards, instead of phasing us out completely.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Kaley and Natalie Parkinson
kaleyp@comcast.net, owner’s at The Palms Wailea
My daughter will not be able to live on island if this legislation passes. She depends on the income to support her living expenses. Please vote against banning short term rentals.
oppose bill 9, this bill will create nothing but more unaffordable housing, stop doing damage to the community, uphold property rights and help all the people, you're making people think they're going to get free housing on the backs of others, it won't happen, then who will Maui County blame? Start acting like reasonable people and stop listening to hotels and activists, they both only have their personal interests in mind. Let the fires be in the past stop making this tragedy live on.. it only continues to promote hate.. is that what it's all about? you preach "community" but only for some, if you want to start the "healing" stop the hate, start being a leader, start telling the truth, Bill 9 solves nothing.
I find that the answer to a situation like this is often to enforce existing laws rather than create new laws.
We do indeed have a housing problem in Maui even before the fires. And we have an illegal rentals problem.
I feel as though this poorly considered action will create ripple effects that have not been considered that will further hurt the community and economy.
I am an owner of a 1 BR condo at the Kapalua Resort Golf Villas. I spend more than half my time in Maui and contribute to the community as much as I can, for example helping raise close to $700,000 through a not for profit I helped found for fire relief and programs to help the homeless and children. I rent out my unit at times to vacationers so I can afforded to own it and live in it.
It is not a realistic housing solution for a waiter at the Montage, or a yoga teacher, or a surf instructor. Just to keep the lights on via HOA fees and utilities costs over $1800 per month, not including rent : mortgage, property taxes, and random costs.
Who can afford that? Well someone wealthier than me from the mainland yes, but not the people who need housing. IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE for people in need.
Where will Maui recover the LOST TAX REVENUES from these lost short term rentals?
The jobs I see on the resort - the small business owners, the house cleaners, the pretty managers, the landscapers, the service companies, all of that will diminish if not disappear. HOW WILL THOSE LOST JOBS BE REPLACED?
The Kapalua Resort was designed to be supported by vacation rentals. Why is it on this list? Was any rational thought and analysis applied to the creation of this list? There is no storage, no parking, it is not designed for long term living.
What will happen with the FLOOD of RENTAL UNITS on the market? All of our friends with Ohanas and rental units of her own will have to drop their prices significantly to compete in this flooded market. How will you explain that to your voters when you see them at Foodland or the line up at Laniapoko??
I do see that there are buildings and places that should be revoked but don’t think resorts like Kapalua should be on that list. It makes no sense because they don’t solve the problem it will create more problems. It is NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, trust me I can barely afford it.
The way to create more affordable housing is to BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. And to make sure the people in need get that housing not local real estate agents that flip and sell them. Continue to use the STR tax income to support affordable housing development and have the Hotels pay their fair share to support this as well be use they don’t, and they take so much from Maui with respect to POLLUTION and resource consumption. bit get it they lobby hard and provide political contributions.
I have seen this in Vail, Aspen, Whistler where councils take this step and what happens is the ECONOMIC DISPARITY WIDENS. The hotels can charge way more so richer people can come and the middle class owners who are on or off island that care about Maui get displaced by institutional landlords and private equity investors who don’t care about the community.
Politically this sounds like a good move so you can tell your voters WE DID SOMETHING but the s tall follow on and downstream effects are going to hurt the people who vote for you while not helping the people that need the help.
Aloha Chair and Councilmembers,
I am in staunch support of Bill 9 (2025), Amending Chapters 19.12, 19.32, And 19.37, Maui County Code, Relating to Transient Vacation Rentals in Apartment Districts.
As a transplant, I moved to Maui in 1993 when I was 14 years old. I lived in Napili Ridge with my father and at the time the rent was $600 a month. My father was fortunate enough to be able to purchase that condo for $50,000 in 1998. That same condo could now be sold for approximately $600,000. I believe that is a direct result of the short-term rental economy that has exploded across the island. There are currently 5 STR’s in my building alone, a building of 10 units. I am surround by transient accommodations, which dissolves the sense of community that I used to recognize at Napili Ridge and in West Maui.
In the past thirty years, West Maui’s tourism industry has risen exponentially, however the infrastructure has not kept up. The roads are still designed for the population of 30 years ago, and on high tourist volume days they become unbearably backed up. The beaches have shrunk exponentially in the past 30 years, and with the growth in tourism they have become over-used and over-crowded. Our water resources are still designed for the population of 30 years ago. It has been stated that there is not enough water for new housing developments, however, that doesn’t seem to be a problem when new resorts or luxury housing are built. Why not utilize apartment zoned housing for our residents instead of visitors who already have a plethora of accommodation options?
It is my humble opinion that the island, especially West Maui, has become overrun with tourism. I don’t believe that this bill will hurt tourism, there is already an imbalanced ratio of tourists to residents. I believe instead that it will bring about the smallest bit of rebalance to housing that had originally been built for the residents of Maui but was taken away by the Minatoya List. This bill will right a wrong that never should have happened in the first place.
Mahalo for your time.
Listen to Stan Franco
Members of the Maui County Council
I’m writing to you to state my opposition to Bill 9 and the proposed phase out of more than 6000 short-term vacation rentals (STR’s) in Maui County. I was born in Oahu but raised on Maui since I was a baby. I’m also an owner of a hotel zoned legal vacation rental in North Kihei. It has been in our family for 50 years.
It is a fact that our economy survives on tourism. The phasing out of a large portion of this vital industry would have destructive economic consequences that would ripple throughout our island economy. Further, the idea that phasing out 6000 STR’s will alleviate our housing problems is not a realistic conclusion. Most STR’s are 1- or 2-bedroom condominium units with limited parking, no pets, expensive HOA fees and other expenses and onerous property rules and regulations.
The economic benefits that legal STR’s bring to our county are enormous. From jobs that are directly related to the managing, cleaning and maintaining of the properties, to the businesses that indirectly benefit from the increased visitor counts that STR’s create. These include restaurants, food and household wholesalers, grocery stores, activity providers, retail shops and many more.
It is not any overstatement to say that this phase out would negatively affect every part of Maui’s economy.
I greatly encourage you to oppose Bill 9.
Cordially,
James Jones
Pukalani, Hawaii
Subject: Opposing Bill 9 – Preserve Maui’s Legal Short-Term Rentals and Local Livelihoods
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Honorable Council Members,
I am writing to respectfully voice my strong opposition to Bill 9, which seeks to phase out more than 7,000 legally operating short-term vacation rentals (STRs) in Maui County. These units have long complied with county regulations, contribute substantial tax revenue, support local jobs, and play a critical role in Maui’s broader tourism ecosystem.
My husband and I are the owners of one such permitted STR. We purchased our property in good faith based on its codified legal status and have always approached ownership with a sense of responsibility to the community. We employ Maui-based cleaners, landscapers, and maintenance workers — individuals who depend on STRs like ours for reliable income. We also actively recommend nearby restaurants, shops, and activities to our guests.
Many of our visitors are families traveling with children or older relatives. They choose Maui because it offers more than a hotel room — they greatly value the ability to stay in a home-like environment with a kitchen, shared living space, and a stronger connection to the local community. For many, a short-term rental is the only way they can afford to visit Maui at all. Removing this option will not shift them into hotels — it will simply cause them to vacation elsewhere, taking their tourism dollars with them.
This isn’t just our personal experience. According to the 2024 UHERO study commissioned by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, phasing out TVRs in Apartment-zoned districts could result in:
• $900 million in lost annual visitor spending
• 1,900 job losses across the island
• $60 million decline in property tax revenue by 2029
These numbers are sobering and illustrate just how tightly STRs are woven into the fabric of Maui’s local economy.
We understand and share the Council’s concern about the housing crisis. However, Bill 9 is not a real solution. It risks sacrificing the economic contributions of law-abiding property owners, local workers, and small businesses — without meaningfully increasing housing supply or affordability. Like many property owners, we face rising costs — including monthly HOA dues, wildfire-related insurance increases, and ongoing maintenance costs for older structures built approximately 45 years ago. STR income helps us meet these significant obligations while keeping the property safe, well-maintained, and available to guests who support local businesses during their stay. These units do not magically become affordable housing through Bill 9.
Other resort communities have taken more thoughtful, effective approaches to provide more affordable housing. In Vail, Colorado — which faces similar housing challenges — the county has implemented voluntary deed-restriction programs (with willing buyers and sellers), down payment assistance, mixed-income developments, and incentives for long-term rental conversions. These solutions respect the codified rights of legal STR owners while addressing housing needs head-on.
I respectfully urge you to vote against Bill 9 in its current form and instead pursue a balanced, data-driven strategy — one that protects long-standing legal operations while expanding real, workable options for local residents in need of housing.
Mahalo for your time, your service, and your thoughtful consideration of this important issue.
Sincerely,
Sandra LaBaugh
sandy@itpros.net
I urge the committee to recognize that Bill 9 is a vital corrective measure to Maui’s housing market distortions. Responsible vacation rental owners like myself support this bill because it promotes a fair, balanced approach that protects residents and preserves Maui’s unique community character. They say if it aint broke dont fix it, but that dont apply here. Bill 9 is the fix.
Thank you for your time.
Here are some facts: 1 bedroom condo purchased for $550,000.00 in 2018. We have had to pay $23,000.00 in assessment and another $100,000.00 wrapped into our HOA fees. To purchase this condo at the same price ( a loss to us) you would need 20 down or $115,000.00 down leaving $440,000.00 to mortgage. At 6075% that payment is $2845.00. Add HOA fees $2100.00, taxes $833.00, insurance $50.00 and a variable amount for utilities you have a monthly payment of $5837.00 not including utilities. This is for a small 500 square foot 1 bedroom with no pantry, no linen closet, half a closet for clothing, 3 built in drawers, 1 parking space, no washer and dryer (facilities on site) and no pets allowed. Most of the condominiums on the Minatoys list are at least 50 years old and will be undergoing extensive infrastructure replacement and other mandatory repairs at additional assessments to owners.
We listed this condo both for rent ($2950.00, a break even for us as we don't carry a mortgage) and purchase and NOT 1 local person even inquired about it!
We are not your enemies! we are a retired couple from Oahu (72 and 75) whose grandson and daughter-in-law are born and raised in Lahaina. We purchased the condo so we could visit with them as he is growing up and rent it in between to help costs to our retirement. It is the abject failure of state and county governments to build AFFORDABLE housing for our workforce!
Again, please study these actual financial numbers and ask yourself, do you know anyone who lost housing in the Lahaina fire who could afford this condo? This bill will do nothing to alleviate government inaction.
We respectfully ask that you vote NO on this bill
Listen to Stan Franco
I strongly oppose Bill 9. Please use the recently awarded $1.6 billion dollar grant from HUD to move forward on permanent housing solutions. Bill 9 will not properly address Maui's housing issues and will devastate the economy and tax base if it passes.
Aloha Chair and Councilmembers,
I submit this testimony in strong support of Bill 9 and the proposed zoning amendments to phase out transient vacation rentals (TVRs) in the Apartment District. Maui is in the midst of a full-blown housing crisis. This bill is one of the clearest opportunities the Council has to take meaningful action.
The core question before you is simple:
Will returning over 6,000 TVRs to the long-term housing market—either as rentals or as for-sale units—help address Maui’s severe housing shortage?
The answer is undeniably yes.
Maui is part of the most isolated island chain in the world. Yet, a disproportionate share of our housing stock is owned by out-of-state investors who do not live here, do not vote here, and profit by extracting wealth from our communities. Meanwhile, local families are being priced out, displaced, or forced to leave the islands altogether.
This is not a complex issue. The public interest lies with our residents—nurses, teachers, kūpuna, and keiki—who need homes, not hotels disguised as condos.
This legislation is not extreme; it is necessary. It restores balance in our communities and prioritizes housing for people who live and work here. Times like these require courage and clarity from our elected officials. The choice is between standing with your constituents or continuing to enable a speculative real estate market driven by absentee owners.
Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony, and for your leadership on this critical issue.
I strongly oppose this ordinance. This is a waste of time and will no doubt be litigated
ERNEST & VALERIE BAUMBERGER
Our family have been owners of a one bedroom one bathroom apartment at Hale Kamaole for over 40 years through four generations. We have used our unit for short term rentals when not being used by ourselves, our family and/or friends. Our condominium apartment is a one bedroom - less than 900 square feet in size. We wish to express our opposition to the proposed ordinance banning such short term rentals.
First, let us say we are very supportive of efforts to address the housing shortage on Maui and believe there are policy options that can address the issue without the proposed drastic changes to historical short term vacation properties. However, prohibiting us (and similarly situated owners) from short term rental will not generate the substantial additional affordable housing as the ordinance is intended – at least in our case and likely many others. That is because we will not lease our condominium long term which would effectively prevent us, our family and our friends from being able to use the property personally. Likewise, we have no intention to sell should we be prevented from short term rentals. Being a small, one bedroom condominium apartment, our property is not suitable for more than 2 people for any long term period. Thus, the proposed ordinance would seem to fail in its stated objective to generate affordable housing on Maui.
As short term rental owners we pay not only our property taxes but also excise, transient accommodations taxes and other taxes that will be lost to the county and state if we cease short term rentals. It seems there will be unintended consequences to state and local revenues which could lead to reductions in state and local employment and services.
As an older complex, our condominium is facing major structural refurbishing and upgrades. Our complex is currently undergoing a multi-million-dollar plumbing upgrade which has resulted in special assessments and homeowners’ dues increases making the complex even less affordable (and less desirable) – particularly for Maui residents.
We currently engage and support a local property manager for maintenance, repair and cleaning services whose employees will face unemployment if we, along with other short term rental owners, no longer need such services for our short term rentals. In addition, we support and refer our rental guests to other small, family owned local businesses such as Kihei Rent A Car rather than large national companies. It seems there is no doubt that elimination of short term rentals will decrease tourism that these small, family owned local business depend on.
Short term rental condominiums attract different types of tourists than do high end hotel resorts. Short term rental condominiums attract more families which tend to support more local small businesses and restaurants than do guests at high end hotel resorts.
For these reasons – and we are sure there are more – we oppose the proposed ordinance eliminating thousands of short term rentals as the solution to Maui’s affordable housing shortage.
Thank you for considering our opposition.
_________________________ __________________________
ERNEST M. BAUMBERGER VALERIE M. BAUMBERGER
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Honorable Committee Members,
My name is Jeff Yeager, and I am the owner of a legally permitted short-term rental in Maui County (Mahina Surf #220). I am writing to respectfully express my strong opposition to Bill 9, which proposes the phase-out of more than 7,000 vacation rentals that have long operated in compliance with county regulations.
I have always taken seriously my role as a responsible and community-oriented property owner. I employ local cleaners, landscapers, and maintenance professionals — individuals who not only keep the property running safely and smoothly, but who also rely on this income to support their families. I also make a conscious effort to promote local restaurants, shops, and tour operators in my guest materials, ensuring that tourism dollars reach the small businesses that form the backbone of Maui’s economy.
Many of my guests specifically choose Maui because they value the more authentic and connected experience that a short-term rental provides. Some have even shared that they would not have visited at all if such accommodations were unavailable — a loss that would ripple across the island’s tourism-dependent sectors.
Owning and maintaining property on Maui is not without significant challenges. Like many others, I have faced steep increases in insurance premiums following the fires, along with special assessments and the high cost of maintaining older properties in compliance with safety and aesthetic standards. Short-term rental income helps cover these obligations — and, critically, supports the local workers who help me meet them.
Bill 9, as currently drafted, appears to be a sweeping and hasty measure that penalizes responsible property owners rather than addressing the nuanced challenges facing Maui’s housing market. I respectfully urge the Council to reconsider this approach and instead engage in a thoughtful, collaborative process that balances the protection of housing for residents with the preservation of legal short-term rentals that provide economic benefits, uphold community standards, and contribute meaningfully to the island’s vibrancy.
I ask that you vote against Bill 9 in its current form and work toward a more balanced and inclusive solution.
Mahalo for your time, your service, and your consideration of this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Jeff Yeager
Mahina Surf #220
jayeager19@gmail.com
I am an owner of a small STR, I provide a huge source of tax revenue to the county. I support my housekeepers family with my business and bring customers into so many now struggling small business.
My HOA is over $2000 a month, my mortgage is $3200 a month, thanks to insurance increases… my home is 600 square feet, It’s truely not designed as a full time home.
If STR are discontinued I will have to sell.
Maui will loose my tax payment and visitors business. A very short sited and stupid loss.
Mahalo
Kelly
Hi, my name is Lawrence Daluz. I am actually a part-time resident of Maui and a condo at the Palm at Wailea. I used to spend 50% of my time in Maui and the rest of my time in New York. Unfortunately, since the taxes have been raised so much. I can't afford to go any longer because the expenses in Maui are so high, the property taxes, and HOA fees. If you take away my abilities to rent my condo out short term rental. I'm surely going to go into foreclosure and I will be homeless in Maui. I bought a condo and the condo documents say that I bought a condo hotel and I pay a higher interest rate because of it. Furthermore, during the pandemic in 2020 I rented my condo out to two local people Are very low price and in the end, they stole all of my glassware silverware and scratched my floors into the dining table like they were a tiger claw 8 inches long. So letting local people into my home is not something that I would be willing to do again based on my tragic experience in the past.
The Palms at Wailea is a high-end property and not affordable by the local Hawaiian people. It's in Wailea and a great place for tourist to stay. All the restaurants and stores housekeepers everything that works around a short-term rental market. There is nothing but good for Maui and I beg you to save your economy do it right and not put people like me into foreclosure specially when it's my livelihood and no one again in Maui can afford to live there at least very few people
I beg you, please let please let The Palms at Wailea continue to operate as an STR as it was built to do so with the front desk from outrigger hotel
Best regards, Lawrence Daluz
Aloha Chair, Vice Char and Committee Members,
Bill 9 does nothing to address Maui's housing issues and would decimate the economy and tax base if it passes.
Crack down on illegal rentals and promote building affordable housing to the exclusion of all other construction. Use your political willpower for that.
Everything else is just people playing politics and a waste of time.
And if it passes, the legal battles the county will be drawn into will last for years and cost the taxpayers millions.
Eric Detwiler
2777 S. Kihei Rd
M204
I oppose Bill 9 because banning transient vacation rentals will pretty obviously hurt the local economy - and hence local residents - and because it won't do much - if it does anything at all - to solve Maui's housing crisis. Bill 9 may well be politically satisfying but it's not actually going to make life better for anybody on Maui. Maui residents have already endured so much hardship. Please don't make things worse by passing this bill.
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members,
My name is Kaley Parkinson, and I own a short-term rental property in Maui County. I am writing today to express my deep concern and strong opposition to the proposed legislation, Bill 9.
I appreciate the affordability challenges faced by Maui County residents, made even more so by the fires of last summer. As an owner, I am deeply vested in the health and prosperity of the community I am a part of. I am a small business owner. I employ local service providers; managers, cleaners, maintenance techs, and landscapers; many of whom have I known and worked with for years. I am proud to help contribute to their families and the well-being of Maui County as a whole. Like all residents and owners, my business has faced enormous increases in costs post the fires, but I continue to invest to ensure the long-term viability of the community I support and those who depend on my business for their family. We provide a cherished home away from how for our guests, many of whom cannot afford astronomically high-priced hotel accommodations and would not visit otherwise. Purpose-built vacation condominiums like mine offer a way for respectful and responsible tourism to sustain viable economic opportunity for the local community in the long term.
The UHERO study on the effects of this bill are clear, it is financially devastating to the entire community. Even the “best” case scenario will cause widespread financial hardship for everyone. This is not a solution; it only serves to tear the entire community down. The idea that creating any incremental inventory for long term use is worth ANY cost is simply not true. Artificially destroying the housing market may lower the price of a home, but it does not make it any more affordable. The jobs created by businesses like mine, the taxes generated, these support the entire community. It Maui County’s future is in sustainable and responsible tourism, we need to invest together and use those funds to build a new future, not tear down the foundation on which it is built today. One thing about this bill is clear, there are inevitable and deeply negative unintended (and intended) consequences that will affect us all; with no improvement for those who need it most.
This legislation looks and feels like a band aid that has no hope of addressing the fundamental issues at hand. It only serves to undermine the financial futures of everyone involved. I urge the Council to work with owners like me to find a fair and balanced path forward — one that protects local jobs, supports the economy, and holds STR owners to high standards, instead of phasing us out completely.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Kaley and Natalie Parkinson
kaleyp@comcast.net, owner’s at The Palms Wailea
My daughter will not be able to live on island if this legislation passes. She depends on the income to support her living expenses. Please vote against banning short term rentals.
oppose bill 9, this bill will create nothing but more unaffordable housing, stop doing damage to the community, uphold property rights and help all the people, you're making people think they're going to get free housing on the backs of others, it won't happen, then who will Maui County blame? Start acting like reasonable people and stop listening to hotels and activists, they both only have their personal interests in mind. Let the fires be in the past stop making this tragedy live on.. it only continues to promote hate.. is that what it's all about? you preach "community" but only for some, if you want to start the "healing" stop the hate, start being a leader, start telling the truth, Bill 9 solves nothing.
Good Day to the Council.
I hope to be brief and to the point.
I find that the answer to a situation like this is often to enforce existing laws rather than create new laws.
We do indeed have a housing problem in Maui even before the fires. And we have an illegal rentals problem.
I feel as though this poorly considered action will create ripple effects that have not been considered that will further hurt the community and economy.
I am an owner of a 1 BR condo at the Kapalua Resort Golf Villas. I spend more than half my time in Maui and contribute to the community as much as I can, for example helping raise close to $700,000 through a not for profit I helped found for fire relief and programs to help the homeless and children. I rent out my unit at times to vacationers so I can afforded to own it and live in it.
It is not a realistic housing solution for a waiter at the Montage, or a yoga teacher, or a surf instructor. Just to keep the lights on via HOA fees and utilities costs over $1800 per month, not including rent : mortgage, property taxes, and random costs.
Who can afford that? Well someone wealthier than me from the mainland yes, but not the people who need housing. IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE for people in need.
Where will Maui recover the LOST TAX REVENUES from these lost short term rentals?
The jobs I see on the resort - the small business owners, the house cleaners, the pretty managers, the landscapers, the service companies, all of that will diminish if not disappear. HOW WILL THOSE LOST JOBS BE REPLACED?
The Kapalua Resort was designed to be supported by vacation rentals. Why is it on this list? Was any rational thought and analysis applied to the creation of this list? There is no storage, no parking, it is not designed for long term living.
What will happen with the FLOOD of RENTAL UNITS on the market? All of our friends with Ohanas and rental units of her own will have to drop their prices significantly to compete in this flooded market. How will you explain that to your voters when you see them at Foodland or the line up at Laniapoko??
I do see that there are buildings and places that should be revoked but don’t think resorts like Kapalua should be on that list. It makes no sense because they don’t solve the problem it will create more problems. It is NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, trust me I can barely afford it.
The way to create more affordable housing is to BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. And to make sure the people in need get that housing not local real estate agents that flip and sell them. Continue to use the STR tax income to support affordable housing development and have the Hotels pay their fair share to support this as well be use they don’t, and they take so much from Maui with respect to POLLUTION and resource consumption. bit get it they lobby hard and provide political contributions.
I have seen this in Vail, Aspen, Whistler where councils take this step and what happens is the ECONOMIC DISPARITY WIDENS. The hotels can charge way more so richer people can come and the middle class owners who are on or off island that care about Maui get displaced by institutional landlords and private equity investors who don’t care about the community.
Politically this sounds like a good move so you can tell your voters WE DID SOMETHING but the s tall follow on and downstream effects are going to hurt the people who vote for you while not helping the people that need the help.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Regards, Sean McBurney