My name is Lani, and I am writing to you not as a big investor or a corporation — but as a person born and raised on Maui. I am a resident, a worker, and someone who loves this island deeply. I make my living in this industry — I work hard every day as part of a local team of handymen, housekeepers, booking agents, and service providers. This is not just a job. This is my livelihood. This is how I survive. This is how I give back to my community.
We are not pro-STR — we are pro-local.
This bill, while it may appear to target short-term rentals, really targets the lives of local residents like me who depend on this work. We are the backbone of this industry, and we are asking — begging — not to be forgotten.
Hotels are not the answer. The profits from those businesses leave the island. The shareholders don’t live here. They don’t care about our roads, our schools, or our grocery bills. But we do. I do. When STR income stays in the hands of local families, it supports us. It keeps our kids in school, our elders cared for, and our culture alive.
This bill, as it stands, would take away the opportunities I’ve built with my own two hands. Please don’t take that from me. I’ve worked too hard, and I love Maui too much, to be pushed aside in favor of outside interests.
This is not corporate vs. STR. This is corporate vs. us. We are the people. We are the workers. We are the community. We live here. We love here. We serve here.
I am standing up not just for myself, but for my coworkers, my neighbors, my friends — all of us who depend on this work to live with dignity in the place we call home.
Please don’t take away the few options we have left. We are asking you to stand with locals — not against us.
With deepest respect,
Maui Resident, Local Worker, Community Member
Robert McCann - On Moloka'i - Owner of a Condo and paid taxes for over 25 years.
This legislation is going to destroy Maui County's economy as well as Molokai's.
The only 2 facilities on Moloka'i affected are not near any residential area and there is no demand/need for 1-bedroom accomodations fo Moloka'i families. The Short Term Rentals are what brings in the tourists that sustain Molokai's economy. Without them ther are no other jobs to sustain our economy. Please don't be politally STUPID!
My name is Joseph. My family and I are condo owners and part time residents on Maui. I have family in Hawaii and have >25% Polynesian ancestry.
Unpopular as this may sound... is Hawaii part of the United States or not? Young adults today who grew up in LA, SF, Chicago, NY, Miami, much less London, Paris, Tokyo... likely can not afford to live in the same cities their parents and grandparents raised families in. This phenomenon is not specific to Maui. So what do these people do to survive (as many of us have)? Earn more money, get higher education, and/or move to places that they can afford. Does this universal human concept of doing what's best for yourself and your family not apply to Maui? I know the history of Hawaii is tragic. But so is the same tragic history and sad story of all people colonized by another country throughout the world and throughout history. It sucks and it's truly sad, but it's really neither right nor wrong, this is just the nature of our species and the world we live in. I do believe Hawaii is special, obviously. But how long does the entitlement go on for? Many condos were left unoccupied under the FEMA program. Locals didn't want them for free (especially on the south side) and now do we think they'll want to pay for it?There needs to be smart policies and programs created that can actually benefit the local people. The question is not only does the "workforce" really want a small condo along with all the high costs (mortgage, rent, AOAO fees >$1500) associated with it... but also, will these same people still be able to maintain the same level of income now that they have a condo that was once and no longer a source of income for many?
My name is Bryan Zimmerman, and I have been a resident of Maui since 2010. I am writing today in support of the passage of Bill 9. I have watched or attended most of the testimony offered on this bill, and felt compelled to share my thoughts and opinion on this matter.
First of all, I believe this is a zoning correction that will positively affect multiple issues we are facing on Maui. While I agree with the opinion that this bill will not “solve” the housing crisis we have been in, I do believe it will help to reverse the skyrocketing property values on the island, and will also help reverse the out of control level of tourism I have personally witnessed in my 15 years of living in Maui. We were being literally overrun by the amount of tourists on the west side leading up to the pandemic, and we were returning to that level leading up to the fire.
I have patiently listened, as you have, to the repeated arguments of opponents to this bill. A few opponents of Bill 9 mentioned the town of Breckenridge, Colorado, and the failure of attempts to curb STRs there. They are correct, proving the point they are arguing against. I lived in Breckenridge from 1998 until relocating here in 2010, and was priced out of the long term rental market during the last five years I lived there. I do not know a single person from my 12 years residing there that still lives within 30 miles of the Breckenridge town limits today. I believe rampant STR saturation is the number one reason for this. And I have watched with sadness as I have seen the same scenario play out on the west side in Maui over the past 15 years.
I listened to several opponents to Bill 9 testify that “like it or not, tourism is our lifeline here on Maui, and this is just the way it is, and trying to change that is going to be catastrophic.” I disagree with that argument with every bone in my body. All the talk about job losses, economic collapse, tax revenue losses, the threat of lawsuits… I think you know the real reason for all of these outlandish claims and threats. These folks are going to lose their exploitative, non community minded income generating business models that suck up our resources and our housing stock. They talk about compassion and compromise, but are willing to do neither themselves.
My girlfriend and I took a huge risk in 2018, exhausting our combined savings and taking out a 400k loan to buy a 1000 square foot condo in Lahaina for half a million dollars. We did this because we LOVE this community, saw the writing on the wall, and believed this was going to be our only chance to own a home in Lahaina. And unfortunately, we were correct. Today, those same units in our complex are on the market for over 800,000 dollars. Our building was destroyed in the Lahaina fire, and our only hope for remaining on Maui is if our place can be rebuilt before our FEMA assistance expires.
I could go on and on, but I won’t take up any more of your time. I believe the opponents of this bill make the most compelling arguments as to why it should be passed. Please vote to ratify Bill 9, and many mahalos for taking the time to read my testimony.
Aloha Council Members,
My name is Lani, and I am writing to you not as a big investor or a corporation — but as a person born and raised on Maui. I am a resident, a worker, and someone who loves this island deeply. I make my living in this industry — I work hard every day as part of a local team of handymen, housekeepers, booking agents, and service providers. This is not just a job. This is my livelihood. This is how I survive. This is how I give back to my community.
We are not pro-STR — we are pro-local.
This bill, while it may appear to target short-term rentals, really targets the lives of local residents like me who depend on this work. We are the backbone of this industry, and we are asking — begging — not to be forgotten.
Hotels are not the answer. The profits from those businesses leave the island. The shareholders don’t live here. They don’t care about our roads, our schools, or our grocery bills. But we do. I do. When STR income stays in the hands of local families, it supports us. It keeps our kids in school, our elders cared for, and our culture alive.
This bill, as it stands, would take away the opportunities I’ve built with my own two hands. Please don’t take that from me. I’ve worked too hard, and I love Maui too much, to be pushed aside in favor of outside interests.
This is not corporate vs. STR. This is corporate vs. us. We are the people. We are the workers. We are the community. We live here. We love here. We serve here.
I am standing up not just for myself, but for my coworkers, my neighbors, my friends — all of us who depend on this work to live with dignity in the place we call home.
Please don’t take away the few options we have left. We are asking you to stand with locals — not against us.
With deepest respect,
Maui Resident, Local Worker, Community Member
Robert McCann - On Moloka'i - Owner of a Condo and paid taxes for over 25 years.
This legislation is going to destroy Maui County's economy as well as Molokai's.
The only 2 facilities on Moloka'i affected are not near any residential area and there is no demand/need for 1-bedroom accomodations fo Moloka'i families. The Short Term Rentals are what brings in the tourists that sustain Molokai's economy. Without them ther are no other jobs to sustain our economy. Please don't be politally STUPID!
I oppose bill 9
I strongly oppose,
I am strongly opposed to Bill 9
I strongly oppose Bill 9
My name is Joseph. My family and I are condo owners and part time residents on Maui. I have family in Hawaii and have >25% Polynesian ancestry.
Unpopular as this may sound... is Hawaii part of the United States or not? Young adults today who grew up in LA, SF, Chicago, NY, Miami, much less London, Paris, Tokyo... likely can not afford to live in the same cities their parents and grandparents raised families in. This phenomenon is not specific to Maui. So what do these people do to survive (as many of us have)? Earn more money, get higher education, and/or move to places that they can afford. Does this universal human concept of doing what's best for yourself and your family not apply to Maui? I know the history of Hawaii is tragic. But so is the same tragic history and sad story of all people colonized by another country throughout the world and throughout history. It sucks and it's truly sad, but it's really neither right nor wrong, this is just the nature of our species and the world we live in. I do believe Hawaii is special, obviously. But how long does the entitlement go on for? Many condos were left unoccupied under the FEMA program. Locals didn't want them for free (especially on the south side) and now do we think they'll want to pay for it?There needs to be smart policies and programs created that can actually benefit the local people. The question is not only does the "workforce" really want a small condo along with all the high costs (mortgage, rent, AOAO fees >$1500) associated with it... but also, will these same people still be able to maintain the same level of income now that they have a condo that was once and no longer a source of income for many?
Aloha,
My name is Bryan Zimmerman, and I have been a resident of Maui since 2010. I am writing today in support of the passage of Bill 9. I have watched or attended most of the testimony offered on this bill, and felt compelled to share my thoughts and opinion on this matter.
First of all, I believe this is a zoning correction that will positively affect multiple issues we are facing on Maui. While I agree with the opinion that this bill will not “solve” the housing crisis we have been in, I do believe it will help to reverse the skyrocketing property values on the island, and will also help reverse the out of control level of tourism I have personally witnessed in my 15 years of living in Maui. We were being literally overrun by the amount of tourists on the west side leading up to the pandemic, and we were returning to that level leading up to the fire.
I have patiently listened, as you have, to the repeated arguments of opponents to this bill. A few opponents of Bill 9 mentioned the town of Breckenridge, Colorado, and the failure of attempts to curb STRs there. They are correct, proving the point they are arguing against. I lived in Breckenridge from 1998 until relocating here in 2010, and was priced out of the long term rental market during the last five years I lived there. I do not know a single person from my 12 years residing there that still lives within 30 miles of the Breckenridge town limits today. I believe rampant STR saturation is the number one reason for this. And I have watched with sadness as I have seen the same scenario play out on the west side in Maui over the past 15 years.
I listened to several opponents to Bill 9 testify that “like it or not, tourism is our lifeline here on Maui, and this is just the way it is, and trying to change that is going to be catastrophic.” I disagree with that argument with every bone in my body. All the talk about job losses, economic collapse, tax revenue losses, the threat of lawsuits… I think you know the real reason for all of these outlandish claims and threats. These folks are going to lose their exploitative, non community minded income generating business models that suck up our resources and our housing stock. They talk about compassion and compromise, but are willing to do neither themselves.
My girlfriend and I took a huge risk in 2018, exhausting our combined savings and taking out a 400k loan to buy a 1000 square foot condo in Lahaina for half a million dollars. We did this because we LOVE this community, saw the writing on the wall, and believed this was going to be our only chance to own a home in Lahaina. And unfortunately, we were correct. Today, those same units in our complex are on the market for over 800,000 dollars. Our building was destroyed in the Lahaina fire, and our only hope for remaining on Maui is if our place can be rebuilt before our FEMA assistance expires.
I could go on and on, but I won’t take up any more of your time. I believe the opponents of this bill make the most compelling arguments as to why it should be passed. Please vote to ratify Bill 9, and many mahalos for taking the time to read my testimony.
Sincerely,
Bryan Zimmerman