My name is Kekoa. I was born and raised in Lahaina. After the fire, I stayed. I’m still here, but I’ve been living in a tent by the beach with my girlfriend. We both work—me in the visitor industry, and her part-time doing housecleaning. We try to stay strong and show up to work every day. But we’re exhausted. We’re scared. And no matter how hard we try, we can’t find a place to live that we can afford.
I support Bill 9 because I don’t know what else is going to help people like us. We don’t qualify for ALICE or other programs. We make just a little too much, but not enough to afford housing. We’re just trying to rent a small place—something safe and clean for under $3,000 a month. That’s still expensive, but it feels impossible right now.
What hurts the most is seeing whole apartment buildings that are supposed to be for residents being used as short-term vacation rentals. They weren’t built for tourists, but that’s who’s living there. After the fire, people like us were pushed out while those apartments stayed empty or hosted visitors.
People say, “It’s their property—they can do what they want.” But what about our right to live where we were born? I work in tourism. I clean up after guests. I help the economy. But somehow I don’t deserve a home? I’ve lived here my whole life, but now I can’t even rent a one-bedroom in the town I grew up in?
I’m not a politician. I don’t understand all the laws. But I know what I see. And I see that something’s broken. Bill 9 is the first thing that feels like someone is finally thinking about us—people who work here, live here, and stayed after the fire.
Please pass Bill 9. We’re not asking for much. Just a fair chance to come back inside and have a roof over our heads.
There has been literally zero evidence put forward by the supporting side that any significant number of housing units would "suddenly" come available for local use.
Property values for these very units have plummeted by up to 30% and days on market are exceeding 100. Talk to any realtor who is buying these units. IT'S NOT LOCALS.
After the Japanese Yen tanked in the 1980's, the distressed properties from Japanese owners were ultimately sold to mainland buyers (NOT TO LOCALS), many of whom then set off a series of transactions to other mainland buyers for decades. History is being ignored and will then repeat itself.
Study the ENTIRE history of these buildings - not just the last 10 years like the shoddy work from Autumn Ness - and you'll see a majority of them, especially in resort areas like Wailea, Kaanapali and Kapalua, have only ever been owned as vacation properties or vacation rentals.
I think it's disgusting that the Mayor and his cabal of fools are are promising plentiful housing options, but that "affordability is not the goal".
So he is willfully wiping out the hard earned savings of a bunch of predominantly white mainlanders simply to "make available" thousands of properties that no locals can afford to buy, and are likely in complexes that are surrounded by hotels and other hotel zoned condos.
Literally every argument made on the supporting side is a strawman, and literally every argument made by the supporters are based on principles of delusional wishful thinking. Nothing concrete, nothing proven, and nothing truly beneficial. It's a lose-lose for property owners, a lose-lose for the county revenues, it's lose-lose for locals who are being promised a castle built on sand.
But would we expect anything less from a county like Maui? Of course not.
As long as Lahaina Strong has a voice in anything, it's only ever going to be a long slow march toward making Maui like Molokai or Samoa.
They do not represent the majority of the island and they certainly shouldn't be treated like they even represent a significant minority.
COUNCIL READ ALL 3000+ OF THESE TESTIMONIES. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OPPOSE THIS BILL.
Artificial Intelligence can not dictate public policies. This AI drivel is pathetic. Ed Lane and many other supporters are probably some AI created public personas on social
Media causing digital creations that stir controversy not solutions.
In the aftermath of the LĀHAINĀ FIRES, the people of Maui witnessed what happens when HOUSING POLICY, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, and PUBLIC TRUST break down at the same time. This was NOT THE FIRST WILDFIRE. It will NOT be the last. If the system is truly STANDARDIZED—as FEMA and the State of Hawaiʻi claim—then its repeated FAILURES must be seen not as unpredictable tragedies but as SYSTEMIC NEGLIGENCE.
Reports such as “Equality in Flames” confirm what many already knew: survivors, especially WOMEN, IMMIGRANTS, and KŪPUNA, were left without protection, food, or long-term housing—despite thousands of available units across the island. Why? Because those units were PROFIT-ENGINEERED into SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS. Because those buildings, in the APARTMENT DISTRICT, were permitted—against their original zoning purpose—to serve INVESTORS instead of RESIDENTS.
BILL 9 is a necessary step to CORRECT this betrayal. To RESTORE apartment-zoned lands to their intended PUBLIC USE. To ensure that housing infrastructure, especially MULTI-FAMILY UNITS, is prioritized for SURVIVORS, FAMILIES, and LOCAL WORKERS—not transient tourism. When FEMA could not place fire survivors into housing, it wasn’t because no housing existed—it was because our COUNTY LAWS allowed that housing to be SOLD OFF TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
This is not just a ZONING decision. This is a MORAL TEST. Will we learn from the fire—or REPEAT IT? Will we protect our neighbors—or PROFIT FROM THEIR LOSS? We must stop defending failed systems and start building ones that SERVE OUR PEOPLE. If our disaster frameworks are to be trusted, we must align our LAND USE with our VALUES.
BILL 9 is not anti-tourism. It is PRO-RECOVERY. It is PRO-READINESS. It is PRO-MAUI. It is the clearest opportunity to end the ongoing EXILE of residents from their own island and prevent the next wave of exploitation that always follows disaster.
We cannot claim ignorance anymore. We saw what happened. If we allow it again, it will be because we chose MONEY over LIFE. BILL 9 is the beginning of a PROMISE TO OUR FUTURE. Let us pass it—WITHOUT DELAY.
Thank you for the message. While your right may be considered ‘vested’ under current interpretation, that does not make it ethically or publicly defensible. The term ‘grandfathered’ doesn’t exempt a use from evolving public policy, especially when it contributes to housing scarcity, displacement, and zoning abuse. Legal preservation is not moral justification — and rights can be lawfully sunset when they harm the broader public interest. Just because something was permitted in 1989 doesn’t mean it belongs in 2025.
Certainly. Here’s a revised, paragraph-style written testimony in strong support of Bill 9, incorporating:
• Hawaiʻi’s ongoing emergency housing declarations,
• the Governor’s new housing laws,
• Maui County’s zoning and density reforms, and
• how Bill 9 addresses systemic problems like the revolving door of displacement, housing scarcity, and unsustainable future density.
⸻
Written Testimony in Strong Support of Bill 9
To: Maui County Council, Housing and Land Use Committee
From: [Your Full Name]
Date: [Insert Date]
Re: Support for Bill 9 – Returning the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 Zoned Properties) to Residential Use
Aloha Chair Kama and Council Members,
I am writing in strong support of Bill 9, which will phase out short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) in the Apartment District—specifically properties zoned A-1 and A-2—and return this housing stock to its intended purpose: housing for local residents. This legislation is a crucial step toward addressing the deepening housing crisis on Maui and aligns with recent state and county actions recognizing the emergency we are in.
The State of Hawai‘i has declared a housing emergency, and Governor Josh Green has issued a series of emergency proclamations acknowledging that the lack of affordable and available housing is a threat to the wellbeing, health, and economic security of Hawai‘i’s residents. In response, the Governor signed sweeping housing legislation in 2024 and 2025 to accelerate construction, reduce permitting delays, and increase funding for state housing programs such as the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. These moves reflect a bipartisan consensus: the crisis is real, and we must act now.
Maui County has already responded with significant policy changes of its own. In 2023 and 2024, the Council passed amendments to Title 19 that allow for increased density and mixed-use development in appropriate urban areas, such as Wailuku, Kahului, and near transit corridors. These reforms are designed to promote transit-oriented development (TOD) and increase the number of housing units in areas that can support population growth. But without parallel efforts to protect existing residential housing stock from being cannibalized by short-term rentals, these reforms will fall short. Bill 9 is that parallel effort. It ensures that the newly created density is not swallowed up by investors converting new units into tourist accommodations.
Currently, thousands of STVRs operate in A-1 and A-2 zoned buildings—areas meant for long-term residential use. Their continued operation undermines our housing market in three ways: first, by removing entire buildings from the long-term rental market; second, by inflating the cost of nearby housing through speculative pressure; and third, by turning residential neighborhoods into commercial hotel zones, driving residents out and destabilizing communities. This creates a revolving door, where displaced locals are replaced by tourists, and then forced to re-enter the rental market in more crowded, more expensive conditions—if they can stay on island at all.
If Maui County fails to pass Bill 9, we will only deepen the housing deficit and exacerbate the very density challenges we are trying to resolve through smart growth and urban infill. Every apartment used as a vacation rental is one fewer available to a teacher, a firefighter, or a family trying to remain in the community they’ve called home for generations. Worse still, allowing STVRs to remain in the Apartment District invites speculative behavior that corrupts land use policy and rewards commercial exploitation of residential zones.
We must remember: zoning is not just a bureaucratic formality. It is a moral contract between the public and its government, promising that designated residential zones will remain residential—not silently converted into commercial hotel stock. Bill 9 restores the integrity of that contract and gives Maui County the legal footing to enforce it.
Moreover, this bill is supported by the broader public. A 2025 statewide survey by Civil Beat revealed that over 90% of residents view housing as the top issue, and nearly 80% support “locals-only” housing solutions. Public sentiment is not ambiguous. People are demanding action—and Bill 9 is action. It prioritizes homes over hotels and long-term stability over short-term profits.
We are at a critical moment. The state has declared a housing emergency. The Governor has signed new housing laws. The County has reformed its codes to support density. Now it is time to ensure that our limited housing stock actually serves the people who live and work here. Bill 9 is not just good policy—it is essential for Maui’s survival and sustainability.
I urge you to pass Bill 9 in full, without delay or dilution. Let this bill mark a turning point in Maui’s housing story—a return to balance, fairness, and responsibility.
I submit this testimony in strong support of Bill 9, which will finally remove short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) from Maui’s Apartment District—specifically in A-1 and A-2 zoned properties. This bill is not just about zoning—it is a moral, economic, and demographic necessity to reclaim our island’s future.
🧩 1. The Numbers Speak — and the People Are Begging Us to Listen
A July 2025 Civil Beat article revealed that nearly half of Hawaiʻi residents under 35 are considering leaving due to housing costs. Over 90% of residents cite housing as the most urgent problem, and 87% want lawmakers to treat it as a top priority.
Bill 9 aligns exactly with these pleas. It prioritizes long-term housing for residents, not short-term profits for absentee investors. STVRs in the Apartment District displace local renters, inflate housing costs, and cannibalize the island’s housing stock—all in direct opposition to the will of the people.
⸻
🛑 2. STVRs in Apartment Zones Are a Core Cause of Maui’s Housing Crisis
Maui is in a declared housing emergency. Yet as of 2023, more than 2,000 STVRs were operating in apartment-zoned properties, originally intended for residential use—not hotels.
This blatant misallocation of residential housing has:
• Removed long-term rentals from the market
• Raised median rents and sales prices
• Overcrowded neighborhoods
• Increased vehicle traffic and wildfire risk
Bill 9 is the County’s opportunity to restore the Apartment District to its intended purpose—housing for people who live and work here, not transient tourists.
⸻
🛡️ 3. Local-Only Housing Policies Are Popular — and Necessary
According to the same Civil Beat survey:
• 79% support “locals-only” housing markets
• Over 50% of homeowners are willing to sell to local buyers, even at a discount
This isn’t a fringe idea—it’s the future of housing justice. Bill 9 removes a loophole that has allowed real estate to become commodified in zones meant to shelter local families. Restoring A-1 and A-2 zones to residential use is a crucial step toward a “locals-first” housing policy.
⸻
🌱 4. Economic Reform and Regeneration Must Replace Speculation
Critics will argue this bill threatens tourism or investment. But the real threat is systemic: speculation and absentee ownership have stripped Maui of its most precious resource—people. Without housing, we lose teachers, nurses, firefighters, and the next generation.
Bill 9 doesn’t destroy value—it reclaims it for the community:
• It boosts long-term housing availability.
• It helps stabilize rents.
• It lowers public infrastructure costs tied to STVR saturation (traffic, enforcement, emergency response).
• It fosters community trust in local government.
⸻
🧭 5. Bill 9 Moves Maui in the Right Direction
The State of Hawaiʻi has already earmarked over $400 million in 2025 for affordable housing projects, and the public overwhelmingly supports density near transit, streamlined permitting, and deed-restricted locals-only housing.
Maui should not be the exception to this wave of reform—it should lead it. Bill 9 positions Maui as a forward-thinking county with the courage to stand up to speculative interests in favor of its own residents.
⸻
✅ Conclusion
It is not the County’s kuleana to protect investor ROI while residents suffer displacement, overcrowding, and insecurity.
It is the County’s kuleana to uphold the public trust, steward residential zoning, and ensure Maui remains livable for the people who call it home.
Bill 9 is one of the most impactful housing justice bills Maui has seen in decades. It is a necessary correction. It is a moral imperative. And it has overwhelming public support.
I respectfully urge you to pass Bill 9 without dilution or delay.
Bill 9 is probably going to fail — not because it’s wrong, but because too many of our leaders are weak, bought, and controlled. The system is rigged to protect investor profits, not local families.
The truth? The same people who sold us out for decades are now pretending to fix the mess they made. Their zoning decisions, their loopholes, and their silence in the face of exploitation have destroyed our island’s culture, history, and people. You can’t undo that with press releases and empty promises.
Bill 9 won’t fix everything, but it’s a start. It cleans up one of the worst abuses — short-term rentals in apartment districts (A-1 and A-2) that were never meant for tourism. These were supposed to be homes for us. Not condos for visitors. Not income streams for absentee landlords.
Listen to kūpuna like Stan Franco. Listen to the people who’ve been in this fight from the beginning. Stop pretending this is about “affordable housing” when you’ve done everything possible to make it unaffordable.
We see the game. And even if this bill gets buried, the movement will not.
While I oppose Bill 9 as it is currently written, I urge this Council to either pass a more strategic version or put the current version to public vote. The housing crisis is too severe to let this opportunity be buried in committee. We have seen tens of millions funneled into CIP programs that yield little housing, accountability, or quality of life improvements. If the Mayor’s Office can claim urgency and then delay action, that’s not just hypocrisy—it’s potentially a breach of fiduciary duty that warrants deeper scrutiny. If we cannot get a functional housing plan through legislation, then we must let the people decide through the ballot.
Maui’s crisis is not the result of a temporary decline in tourism—it is the result of decades of failed land use policy, speculative development, and the systematic conversion of housing into investment inventory.
It’s true that tourism remains below pre-pandemic and pre-fire levels. As of May 2025, Maui visitor arrivals were down approximately 22–23% compared to 2019. But to claim that regulating unlawful short-term vacation rentals in the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 zoned properties) is the cause of economic harm is not only misleading—it is a dangerous misdiagnosis that serves the interests of investors, not residents.
The downturn is due to a range of macroeconomic and reputational factors, not a housing policy meant to protect residents. Let’s be honest: what’s hurting Maui is not the loss of a few hundred vacation rentals—it’s the loss of entire neighborhoods to displacement, congestion, and over-commercialization.
Let us not forget that Hawaiʻi is under an active emergency proclamation on housing, declared by Governor Josh Green in 2023, and echoed by Maui County’s post-fire emergency orders. These declarations call on all levels of government to respond swiftly and decisively to the housing crisis.
And yet, we have seen the opposite: a failure of courage. The Mayor, after initiating this policy, has delayed its implementation under political pressure. This Committee has stalled, wavered, and failed to act in accordance with the urgency demanded by both the law and the moment. Let’s speak plainly: moral and ethical decisions require actual morals and ethics—and those appear to be in short supply here.
Instead of following the law, upholding zoning integrity, and standing by working families, our leaders are protecting speculative interests under the guise of “economic recovery.” That is not leadership. That is cowardice.
When politicians abandon the people, the people must act.
And if this Committee will not do its job, then the only just solution is to place this matter on the ballot.
Let the people of Maui decide whether their communities should continue to be cannibalized by vacation rentals. Let them choose whether residential-zoned land should serve kamaʻāina or capital.
The Apartment District was never meant to be a loophole for hotel operations. Every short-term rental in these zones strips away a unit of desperately needed housing during a declared emergency. The County is not obligated to preserve tourist convenience or investor ROI—it is obligated to protect its people and the public trust.
Bill 9 is not radical—it’s restorative. It is the bare minimum response to a crisis decades in the making. If this Committee won’t act with courage, it should at least act with humility—and defer to the will of the people.
Mahalo for your time. But the time for half-measures and excuses is over.
Let us no longer participate in this civic masquerade under the pretense of public service. What is unfolding here is not policymaking — it is a carefully scripted performance, a grand illusion, wherein actors elected to lead instead cower behind curtains, delay curtains rising, and sabotage their own plotlines at the first sign of confrontation with truth or power.
Bill 9, conceived amid wildfires, housing displacement, and a declared emergency, was heralded as a turning point — a legislative intervention to confront the unlawful exploitation of Apartment District-zoned properties and return housing to residents. But now, with the Mayor proposing a three-year delay, and the Committee Chair suggesting an even more egregious five-year postponement, we see the truth: this was never about housing — this was about appeasement.
This brings us to a sobering moral and civic reality:
To make a morally and ethically correct decision requires courage, integrity, moral clarity, a capacity for self-sacrifice, and loyalty to the people — not to donors, party bosses, or industry benefactors.
And based on the public record, official conduct, and observable behavior, this Council and this Mayor do not appear to possess those qualities.
Instead, we observe self-preservation disguised as pragmatism. Cowardice masked as compromise. And delay deployed as a shield to avoid doing the very thing public servants are elected to do: make difficult, decisive, and principled decisions — in the public interest.
Act I: A Stage Set in Crisis
Lāhainā burned. The County declared a housing emergency. Our communities were displaced. In that inferno, we looked to this body for leadership. Instead, we got performance art — complete with rehearsed language, virtue signaling, and ultimately, a refusal to act.
Act II: Testimony Without Teeth
We, the people, submitted thousands of pages of testimony. We showed up, told the truth, offered our experience, and asked — no, begged — for action. The committee listened politely and did what all theatrical actors do: performed attentiveness without committing to the outcome.
Act III: The Coward’s Curtain
A three- or five-year delay is not legislative caution — it is a betrayal. It is a delay cynically calculated to outlast electoral cycles, to preserve political relationships, and to shift responsibility onto the next group of performers. The Mayor’s term ends before implementation. The Committee Chair’s tenure will expire before consequences arise. This is not policy — it is political cowardice in costume.
And behind it all, we can hear the offstage whispers of lobbyists, attorneys, and campaign donors directing this tragic production — where working families are the props and the housing crisis is the stage.
Act IV: A County Government of Ritual, Not Reform
Do not speak of legal risk when the greater risk is moral failure. Do not invoke procedural propriety while thousands sleep in cars, suffer overcrowding, or flee the islands entirely. Do not speak of “balance” while the scales are tipped irrevocably toward capital and speculation. And above all — do not delay action and call it leadership.
You cannot fix a housing emergency by delaying the emergency response. This is basic logic, yet our leaders abandon logic when it threatens their comfort.
Act V: The Reckoning
Let us now strip away the final illusion: The Council and the Mayor are not the protagonists in this drama — the people are. And the people are growing tired of waiting for their supposed leaders to remember who they work for. If you will not act, resign. If you will not lead, step aside. Let others who do possess the necessary moral fortitude take your place.
We do not oppose Bill 9 in its intent. We oppose it because the County has proven itself incapable — or unwilling — to implement it with integrity. We reject this empty ritual, this costly illusion, and this betrayal of public trust. End this farce, withdraw the bill, and return to the drawing board — with real leaders at the table.
I write in strong support of Bill 9, not only as a matter of policy but as a necessary act of repentance, deliverance, and forgiveness—three virtues central not only to the Christian faith but to the restoration of any just society.
Repentance
At its core, repentance means acknowledging harm, turning away from wrongdoing, and choosing a better path. For decades, Maui has allowed the erosion of our residential Apartment Districts (A-1 and A-2) through the proliferation of short-term vacation rentals. This was not merely an economic oversight—it was a moral failure to protect local families, kūpuna, and future generations. The Minatoya Exemption may have begun as a loophole, but it grew into a pipeline for displacement and investor speculation.
Supporting Bill 9 is our collective act of repentance. It is our admission that we allowed profit to outpace principle. It is our commitment to turn back from policies that have divided our neighborhoods and priced our people out of their own island.
Deliverance
Maui residents cry out for deliverance—not from tourists, but from the burden of housing insecurity, overcrowding, and intergenerational debt. This bill offers that deliverance by reclaiming residential-zoned land for residential use. It doesn’t punish—it realigns. It doesn’t destroy opportunity—it redirects it toward sustainable housing and community resilience.
Deliverance is not about vengeance. It’s about setting things right. It is the act of lifting burdens that should never have been imposed on working families, renters, kūpuna, and displaced survivors of disaster.
Forgiveness
True forgiveness in public policy comes when we prioritize healing over blame. While this bill may cause economic disruption to some, it offers a path forward with fairness and integrity. Those who invested in short-term rentals must be offered clarity, transition, and dignity—but not indefinite privilege at the expense of Maui’s people.
Forgiveness does not mean inaction; it means moving forward with accountability. We can acknowledge the real pain and confusion created by past policies while still insisting on a future that puts housing for residents before housing for tourists.
⸻
In closing, Bill 9 is more than zoning reform—it is a moral reckoning. It is a call to realign our economic policies with our ethical responsibilities. Let us repent from unsustainable land use, deliver our communities from displacement, and forgive past mistakes by choosing a better way forward.
I urge you to pass Bill 9 without weakening amendments. Stand for housing. Stand for justice. Stand for Maui.
Testimony in Strong Opposition to Bill 9
Submitted to the Maui County Housing and Land Use Committee
Date: July 4, 2025
To Chair Kama and Members of the Committee:
I submit this testimony in firm opposition to Bill 9, not because I disagree that Maui is in a housing crisis, but because I see through the false promises, political cowardice, and corrupt intentions behind this bill and the process it has taken.
Let’s not pretend anymore — this entire process has become a farce.
You’ve spent months and taxpayer resources holding hearings, soliciting public testimony, analyzing legalities, and talking about the future of Maui’s housing. You have declared a housing emergency and claimed this bill is the answer. But just when the time comes to act, our Mayor proposes a 3-year delay — conveniently after his term ends — and your Committee Chair wants five years, well beyond her tenure. This isn’t housing policy. It’s political posturing in its most shameful form.
Here’s the truth:
• You don’t believe in this bill enough to implement it now.
• You’re wasting the public’s time and money while buying political cover for yourselves.
• You are using Bill 9 to pretend you care about housing — while protecting the economic interests of your donors, allies, and party leaders.
And it’s not lost on us that Maui is ground zero for the global climate crisis. The fires of Lāhainā were not just a disaster — they were a signal to the world that land use, housing, tourism, and climate are deeply connected. Maui is now the center of the universe for testing bold policy solutions — and instead of showing courage, you’ve retreated into delay, confusion, and cowardice.
Bill 9 could have been the start of something real. But instead, it’s become a symbol of everything wrong with local politics:
• Big promises with no follow-through
• Political leaders who answer to parties and donors instead of residents
• And a committee more concerned with reelection and appearances than solutions
I oppose Bill 9 not because I oppose solving the housing crisis — but because this bill, in its current form and context, is a lie.
You’ve shown that you won’t implement it honestly, and you’ve made it clear that any “solution” that threatens special interests gets postponed until the people forget.
You do not deserve the public’s trust on this matter. Let the record show that Bill 9 was not killed by opponents — it was strangled by its own creators, who lacked the integrity to stand by it when it mattered.
Reject Bill 9 and start over with leadership that isn’t owned by outside parties, investors, or mainland political operatives. Until then, the public has every right to distrust and defy this corrupted process.
My name is Kekoa. I was born and raised in Lahaina. After the fire, I stayed. I’m still here, but I’ve been living in a tent by the beach with my girlfriend. We both work—me in the visitor industry, and her part-time doing housecleaning. We try to stay strong and show up to work every day. But we’re exhausted. We’re scared. And no matter how hard we try, we can’t find a place to live that we can afford.
I support Bill 9 because I don’t know what else is going to help people like us. We don’t qualify for ALICE or other programs. We make just a little too much, but not enough to afford housing. We’re just trying to rent a small place—something safe and clean for under $3,000 a month. That’s still expensive, but it feels impossible right now.
What hurts the most is seeing whole apartment buildings that are supposed to be for residents being used as short-term vacation rentals. They weren’t built for tourists, but that’s who’s living there. After the fire, people like us were pushed out while those apartments stayed empty or hosted visitors.
People say, “It’s their property—they can do what they want.” But what about our right to live where we were born? I work in tourism. I clean up after guests. I help the economy. But somehow I don’t deserve a home? I’ve lived here my whole life, but now I can’t even rent a one-bedroom in the town I grew up in?
I’m not a politician. I don’t understand all the laws. But I know what I see. And I see that something’s broken. Bill 9 is the first thing that feels like someone is finally thinking about us—people who work here, live here, and stayed after the fire.
Please pass Bill 9. We’re not asking for much. Just a fair chance to come back inside and have a roof over our heads.
Kekoa Enos
Joy Batalon
There has been literally zero evidence put forward by the supporting side that any significant number of housing units would "suddenly" come available for local use.
Property values for these very units have plummeted by up to 30% and days on market are exceeding 100. Talk to any realtor who is buying these units. IT'S NOT LOCALS.
After the Japanese Yen tanked in the 1980's, the distressed properties from Japanese owners were ultimately sold to mainland buyers (NOT TO LOCALS), many of whom then set off a series of transactions to other mainland buyers for decades. History is being ignored and will then repeat itself.
Study the ENTIRE history of these buildings - not just the last 10 years like the shoddy work from Autumn Ness - and you'll see a majority of them, especially in resort areas like Wailea, Kaanapali and Kapalua, have only ever been owned as vacation properties or vacation rentals.
I think it's disgusting that the Mayor and his cabal of fools are are promising plentiful housing options, but that "affordability is not the goal".
So he is willfully wiping out the hard earned savings of a bunch of predominantly white mainlanders simply to "make available" thousands of properties that no locals can afford to buy, and are likely in complexes that are surrounded by hotels and other hotel zoned condos.
Literally every argument made on the supporting side is a strawman, and literally every argument made by the supporters are based on principles of delusional wishful thinking. Nothing concrete, nothing proven, and nothing truly beneficial. It's a lose-lose for property owners, a lose-lose for the county revenues, it's lose-lose for locals who are being promised a castle built on sand.
But would we expect anything less from a county like Maui? Of course not.
As long as Lahaina Strong has a voice in anything, it's only ever going to be a long slow march toward making Maui like Molokai or Samoa.
They do not represent the majority of the island and they certainly shouldn't be treated like they even represent a significant minority.
COUNCIL READ ALL 3000+ OF THESE TESTIMONIES. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OPPOSE THIS BILL.
Artificial Intelligence can not dictate public policies. This AI drivel is pathetic. Ed Lane and many other supporters are probably some AI created public personas on social
Media causing digital creations that stir controversy not solutions.
Aloha Chair Kama
In the aftermath of the LĀHAINĀ FIRES, the people of Maui witnessed what happens when HOUSING POLICY, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, and PUBLIC TRUST break down at the same time. This was NOT THE FIRST WILDFIRE. It will NOT be the last. If the system is truly STANDARDIZED—as FEMA and the State of Hawaiʻi claim—then its repeated FAILURES must be seen not as unpredictable tragedies but as SYSTEMIC NEGLIGENCE.
Reports such as “Equality in Flames” confirm what many already knew: survivors, especially WOMEN, IMMIGRANTS, and KŪPUNA, were left without protection, food, or long-term housing—despite thousands of available units across the island. Why? Because those units were PROFIT-ENGINEERED into SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS. Because those buildings, in the APARTMENT DISTRICT, were permitted—against their original zoning purpose—to serve INVESTORS instead of RESIDENTS.
BILL 9 is a necessary step to CORRECT this betrayal. To RESTORE apartment-zoned lands to their intended PUBLIC USE. To ensure that housing infrastructure, especially MULTI-FAMILY UNITS, is prioritized for SURVIVORS, FAMILIES, and LOCAL WORKERS—not transient tourism. When FEMA could not place fire survivors into housing, it wasn’t because no housing existed—it was because our COUNTY LAWS allowed that housing to be SOLD OFF TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
This is not just a ZONING decision. This is a MORAL TEST. Will we learn from the fire—or REPEAT IT? Will we protect our neighbors—or PROFIT FROM THEIR LOSS? We must stop defending failed systems and start building ones that SERVE OUR PEOPLE. If our disaster frameworks are to be trusted, we must align our LAND USE with our VALUES.
BILL 9 is not anti-tourism. It is PRO-RECOVERY. It is PRO-READINESS. It is PRO-MAUI. It is the clearest opportunity to end the ongoing EXILE of residents from their own island and prevent the next wave of exploitation that always follows disaster.
We cannot claim ignorance anymore. We saw what happened. If we allow it again, it will be because we chose MONEY over LIFE. BILL 9 is the beginning of a PROMISE TO OUR FUTURE. Let us pass it—WITHOUT DELAY.
S. Ching
Kahului Resident
Thank you for the message. While your right may be considered ‘vested’ under current interpretation, that does not make it ethically or publicly defensible. The term ‘grandfathered’ doesn’t exempt a use from evolving public policy, especially when it contributes to housing scarcity, displacement, and zoning abuse. Legal preservation is not moral justification — and rights can be lawfully sunset when they harm the broader public interest. Just because something was permitted in 1989 doesn’t mean it belongs in 2025.
Yes please
Listen to Stan Franco
Certainly. Here’s a revised, paragraph-style written testimony in strong support of Bill 9, incorporating:
• Hawaiʻi’s ongoing emergency housing declarations,
• the Governor’s new housing laws,
• Maui County’s zoning and density reforms, and
• how Bill 9 addresses systemic problems like the revolving door of displacement, housing scarcity, and unsustainable future density.
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Written Testimony in Strong Support of Bill 9
To: Maui County Council, Housing and Land Use Committee
From: [Your Full Name]
Date: [Insert Date]
Re: Support for Bill 9 – Returning the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 Zoned Properties) to Residential Use
Aloha Chair Kama and Council Members,
I am writing in strong support of Bill 9, which will phase out short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) in the Apartment District—specifically properties zoned A-1 and A-2—and return this housing stock to its intended purpose: housing for local residents. This legislation is a crucial step toward addressing the deepening housing crisis on Maui and aligns with recent state and county actions recognizing the emergency we are in.
The State of Hawai‘i has declared a housing emergency, and Governor Josh Green has issued a series of emergency proclamations acknowledging that the lack of affordable and available housing is a threat to the wellbeing, health, and economic security of Hawai‘i’s residents. In response, the Governor signed sweeping housing legislation in 2024 and 2025 to accelerate construction, reduce permitting delays, and increase funding for state housing programs such as the Rental Housing Revolving Fund. These moves reflect a bipartisan consensus: the crisis is real, and we must act now.
Maui County has already responded with significant policy changes of its own. In 2023 and 2024, the Council passed amendments to Title 19 that allow for increased density and mixed-use development in appropriate urban areas, such as Wailuku, Kahului, and near transit corridors. These reforms are designed to promote transit-oriented development (TOD) and increase the number of housing units in areas that can support population growth. But without parallel efforts to protect existing residential housing stock from being cannibalized by short-term rentals, these reforms will fall short. Bill 9 is that parallel effort. It ensures that the newly created density is not swallowed up by investors converting new units into tourist accommodations.
Currently, thousands of STVRs operate in A-1 and A-2 zoned buildings—areas meant for long-term residential use. Their continued operation undermines our housing market in three ways: first, by removing entire buildings from the long-term rental market; second, by inflating the cost of nearby housing through speculative pressure; and third, by turning residential neighborhoods into commercial hotel zones, driving residents out and destabilizing communities. This creates a revolving door, where displaced locals are replaced by tourists, and then forced to re-enter the rental market in more crowded, more expensive conditions—if they can stay on island at all.
If Maui County fails to pass Bill 9, we will only deepen the housing deficit and exacerbate the very density challenges we are trying to resolve through smart growth and urban infill. Every apartment used as a vacation rental is one fewer available to a teacher, a firefighter, or a family trying to remain in the community they’ve called home for generations. Worse still, allowing STVRs to remain in the Apartment District invites speculative behavior that corrupts land use policy and rewards commercial exploitation of residential zones.
We must remember: zoning is not just a bureaucratic formality. It is a moral contract between the public and its government, promising that designated residential zones will remain residential—not silently converted into commercial hotel stock. Bill 9 restores the integrity of that contract and gives Maui County the legal footing to enforce it.
Moreover, this bill is supported by the broader public. A 2025 statewide survey by Civil Beat revealed that over 90% of residents view housing as the top issue, and nearly 80% support “locals-only” housing solutions. Public sentiment is not ambiguous. People are demanding action—and Bill 9 is action. It prioritizes homes over hotels and long-term stability over short-term profits.
We are at a critical moment. The state has declared a housing emergency. The Governor has signed new housing laws. The County has reformed its codes to support density. Now it is time to ensure that our limited housing stock actually serves the people who live and work here. Bill 9 is not just good policy—it is essential for Maui’s survival and sustainability.
I urge you to pass Bill 9 in full, without delay or dilution. Let this bill mark a turning point in Maui’s housing story—a return to balance, fairness, and responsibility.
Mahalo for your time and leadership.
Sincerely,
Ed Lane
Wailea Resident
Aloha Chair Kama and Committee Members,
I submit this testimony in strong support of Bill 9, which will finally remove short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) from Maui’s Apartment District—specifically in A-1 and A-2 zoned properties. This bill is not just about zoning—it is a moral, economic, and demographic necessity to reclaim our island’s future.
🧩 1. The Numbers Speak — and the People Are Begging Us to Listen
A July 2025 Civil Beat article revealed that nearly half of Hawaiʻi residents under 35 are considering leaving due to housing costs. Over 90% of residents cite housing as the most urgent problem, and 87% want lawmakers to treat it as a top priority.
Bill 9 aligns exactly with these pleas. It prioritizes long-term housing for residents, not short-term profits for absentee investors. STVRs in the Apartment District displace local renters, inflate housing costs, and cannibalize the island’s housing stock—all in direct opposition to the will of the people.
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🛑 2. STVRs in Apartment Zones Are a Core Cause of Maui’s Housing Crisis
Maui is in a declared housing emergency. Yet as of 2023, more than 2,000 STVRs were operating in apartment-zoned properties, originally intended for residential use—not hotels.
This blatant misallocation of residential housing has:
• Removed long-term rentals from the market
• Raised median rents and sales prices
• Overcrowded neighborhoods
• Increased vehicle traffic and wildfire risk
Bill 9 is the County’s opportunity to restore the Apartment District to its intended purpose—housing for people who live and work here, not transient tourists.
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🛡️ 3. Local-Only Housing Policies Are Popular — and Necessary
According to the same Civil Beat survey:
• 79% support “locals-only” housing markets
• Over 50% of homeowners are willing to sell to local buyers, even at a discount
This isn’t a fringe idea—it’s the future of housing justice. Bill 9 removes a loophole that has allowed real estate to become commodified in zones meant to shelter local families. Restoring A-1 and A-2 zones to residential use is a crucial step toward a “locals-first” housing policy.
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🌱 4. Economic Reform and Regeneration Must Replace Speculation
Critics will argue this bill threatens tourism or investment. But the real threat is systemic: speculation and absentee ownership have stripped Maui of its most precious resource—people. Without housing, we lose teachers, nurses, firefighters, and the next generation.
Bill 9 doesn’t destroy value—it reclaims it for the community:
• It boosts long-term housing availability.
• It helps stabilize rents.
• It lowers public infrastructure costs tied to STVR saturation (traffic, enforcement, emergency response).
• It fosters community trust in local government.
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🧭 5. Bill 9 Moves Maui in the Right Direction
The State of Hawaiʻi has already earmarked over $400 million in 2025 for affordable housing projects, and the public overwhelmingly supports density near transit, streamlined permitting, and deed-restricted locals-only housing.
Maui should not be the exception to this wave of reform—it should lead it. Bill 9 positions Maui as a forward-thinking county with the courage to stand up to speculative interests in favor of its own residents.
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✅ Conclusion
It is not the County’s kuleana to protect investor ROI while residents suffer displacement, overcrowding, and insecurity.
It is the County’s kuleana to uphold the public trust, steward residential zoning, and ensure Maui remains livable for the people who call it home.
Bill 9 is one of the most impactful housing justice bills Maui has seen in decades. It is a necessary correction. It is a moral imperative. And it has overwhelming public support.
I respectfully urge you to pass Bill 9 without dilution or delay.
Mahalo for your service.
Sincerely,
S Kanemitsu
Bill 9 is probably going to fail — not because it’s wrong, but because too many of our leaders are weak, bought, and controlled. The system is rigged to protect investor profits, not local families.
The truth? The same people who sold us out for decades are now pretending to fix the mess they made. Their zoning decisions, their loopholes, and their silence in the face of exploitation have destroyed our island’s culture, history, and people. You can’t undo that with press releases and empty promises.
Bill 9 won’t fix everything, but it’s a start. It cleans up one of the worst abuses — short-term rentals in apartment districts (A-1 and A-2) that were never meant for tourism. These were supposed to be homes for us. Not condos for visitors. Not income streams for absentee landlords.
Listen to kūpuna like Stan Franco. Listen to the people who’ve been in this fight from the beginning. Stop pretending this is about “affordable housing” when you’ve done everything possible to make it unaffordable.
We see the game. And even if this bill gets buried, the movement will not.
Anthony Simmons
Kula resident
Listen to Stan Franco
While I oppose Bill 9 as it is currently written, I urge this Council to either pass a more strategic version or put the current version to public vote. The housing crisis is too severe to let this opportunity be buried in committee. We have seen tens of millions funneled into CIP programs that yield little housing, accountability, or quality of life improvements. If the Mayor’s Office can claim urgency and then delay action, that’s not just hypocrisy—it’s potentially a breach of fiduciary duty that warrants deeper scrutiny. If we cannot get a functional housing plan through legislation, then we must let the people decide through the ballot.
Nani Kaiama
Makawao Resident
Aloha Chair and Committee Members,
Maui’s crisis is not the result of a temporary decline in tourism—it is the result of decades of failed land use policy, speculative development, and the systematic conversion of housing into investment inventory.
It’s true that tourism remains below pre-pandemic and pre-fire levels. As of May 2025, Maui visitor arrivals were down approximately 22–23% compared to 2019. But to claim that regulating unlawful short-term vacation rentals in the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 zoned properties) is the cause of economic harm is not only misleading—it is a dangerous misdiagnosis that serves the interests of investors, not residents.
The downturn is due to a range of macroeconomic and reputational factors, not a housing policy meant to protect residents. Let’s be honest: what’s hurting Maui is not the loss of a few hundred vacation rentals—it’s the loss of entire neighborhoods to displacement, congestion, and over-commercialization.
Let us not forget that Hawaiʻi is under an active emergency proclamation on housing, declared by Governor Josh Green in 2023, and echoed by Maui County’s post-fire emergency orders. These declarations call on all levels of government to respond swiftly and decisively to the housing crisis.
And yet, we have seen the opposite: a failure of courage. The Mayor, after initiating this policy, has delayed its implementation under political pressure. This Committee has stalled, wavered, and failed to act in accordance with the urgency demanded by both the law and the moment. Let’s speak plainly: moral and ethical decisions require actual morals and ethics—and those appear to be in short supply here.
Instead of following the law, upholding zoning integrity, and standing by working families, our leaders are protecting speculative interests under the guise of “economic recovery.” That is not leadership. That is cowardice.
When politicians abandon the people, the people must act.
And if this Committee will not do its job, then the only just solution is to place this matter on the ballot.
Let the people of Maui decide whether their communities should continue to be cannibalized by vacation rentals. Let them choose whether residential-zoned land should serve kamaʻāina or capital.
The Apartment District was never meant to be a loophole for hotel operations. Every short-term rental in these zones strips away a unit of desperately needed housing during a declared emergency. The County is not obligated to preserve tourist convenience or investor ROI—it is obligated to protect its people and the public trust.
Bill 9 is not radical—it’s restorative. It is the bare minimum response to a crisis decades in the making. If this Committee won’t act with courage, it should at least act with humility—and defer to the will of the people.
Mahalo for your time. But the time for half-measures and excuses is over.
Lore Menin
Kihei Resident
Bill 9 offers a zoning-based correction that restores balance and repurposes existing housing for long-term residents.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your commitment to protecting housing for the residents of Maui County.
Listen to Stan Franco
Madam Chair, Honorable Members of the Committee,
Let us no longer participate in this civic masquerade under the pretense of public service. What is unfolding here is not policymaking — it is a carefully scripted performance, a grand illusion, wherein actors elected to lead instead cower behind curtains, delay curtains rising, and sabotage their own plotlines at the first sign of confrontation with truth or power.
Bill 9, conceived amid wildfires, housing displacement, and a declared emergency, was heralded as a turning point — a legislative intervention to confront the unlawful exploitation of Apartment District-zoned properties and return housing to residents. But now, with the Mayor proposing a three-year delay, and the Committee Chair suggesting an even more egregious five-year postponement, we see the truth: this was never about housing — this was about appeasement.
This brings us to a sobering moral and civic reality:
To make a morally and ethically correct decision requires courage, integrity, moral clarity, a capacity for self-sacrifice, and loyalty to the people — not to donors, party bosses, or industry benefactors.
And based on the public record, official conduct, and observable behavior, this Council and this Mayor do not appear to possess those qualities.
Instead, we observe self-preservation disguised as pragmatism. Cowardice masked as compromise. And delay deployed as a shield to avoid doing the very thing public servants are elected to do: make difficult, decisive, and principled decisions — in the public interest.
Act I: A Stage Set in Crisis
Lāhainā burned. The County declared a housing emergency. Our communities were displaced. In that inferno, we looked to this body for leadership. Instead, we got performance art — complete with rehearsed language, virtue signaling, and ultimately, a refusal to act.
Act II: Testimony Without Teeth
We, the people, submitted thousands of pages of testimony. We showed up, told the truth, offered our experience, and asked — no, begged — for action. The committee listened politely and did what all theatrical actors do: performed attentiveness without committing to the outcome.
Act III: The Coward’s Curtain
A three- or five-year delay is not legislative caution — it is a betrayal. It is a delay cynically calculated to outlast electoral cycles, to preserve political relationships, and to shift responsibility onto the next group of performers. The Mayor’s term ends before implementation. The Committee Chair’s tenure will expire before consequences arise. This is not policy — it is political cowardice in costume.
And behind it all, we can hear the offstage whispers of lobbyists, attorneys, and campaign donors directing this tragic production — where working families are the props and the housing crisis is the stage.
Act IV: A County Government of Ritual, Not Reform
Do not speak of legal risk when the greater risk is moral failure. Do not invoke procedural propriety while thousands sleep in cars, suffer overcrowding, or flee the islands entirely. Do not speak of “balance” while the scales are tipped irrevocably toward capital and speculation. And above all — do not delay action and call it leadership.
You cannot fix a housing emergency by delaying the emergency response. This is basic logic, yet our leaders abandon logic when it threatens their comfort.
Act V: The Reckoning
Let us now strip away the final illusion: The Council and the Mayor are not the protagonists in this drama — the people are. And the people are growing tired of waiting for their supposed leaders to remember who they work for. If you will not act, resign. If you will not lead, step aside. Let others who do possess the necessary moral fortitude take your place.
We do not oppose Bill 9 in its intent. We oppose it because the County has proven itself incapable — or unwilling — to implement it with integrity. We reject this empty ritual, this costly illusion, and this betrayal of public trust. End this farce, withdraw the bill, and return to the drawing board — with real leaders at the table.
History is watching. And so are we.
Respectfully submitted,
Kimbo Meade
Kihei Resident
Hello cowards, vote it down and move on
Aloha Chair and Committee Members,
I write in strong support of Bill 9, not only as a matter of policy but as a necessary act of repentance, deliverance, and forgiveness—three virtues central not only to the Christian faith but to the restoration of any just society.
Repentance
At its core, repentance means acknowledging harm, turning away from wrongdoing, and choosing a better path. For decades, Maui has allowed the erosion of our residential Apartment Districts (A-1 and A-2) through the proliferation of short-term vacation rentals. This was not merely an economic oversight—it was a moral failure to protect local families, kūpuna, and future generations. The Minatoya Exemption may have begun as a loophole, but it grew into a pipeline for displacement and investor speculation.
Supporting Bill 9 is our collective act of repentance. It is our admission that we allowed profit to outpace principle. It is our commitment to turn back from policies that have divided our neighborhoods and priced our people out of their own island.
Deliverance
Maui residents cry out for deliverance—not from tourists, but from the burden of housing insecurity, overcrowding, and intergenerational debt. This bill offers that deliverance by reclaiming residential-zoned land for residential use. It doesn’t punish—it realigns. It doesn’t destroy opportunity—it redirects it toward sustainable housing and community resilience.
Deliverance is not about vengeance. It’s about setting things right. It is the act of lifting burdens that should never have been imposed on working families, renters, kūpuna, and displaced survivors of disaster.
Forgiveness
True forgiveness in public policy comes when we prioritize healing over blame. While this bill may cause economic disruption to some, it offers a path forward with fairness and integrity. Those who invested in short-term rentals must be offered clarity, transition, and dignity—but not indefinite privilege at the expense of Maui’s people.
Forgiveness does not mean inaction; it means moving forward with accountability. We can acknowledge the real pain and confusion created by past policies while still insisting on a future that puts housing for residents before housing for tourists.
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In closing, Bill 9 is more than zoning reform—it is a moral reckoning. It is a call to realign our economic policies with our ethical responsibilities. Let us repent from unsustainable land use, deliver our communities from displacement, and forgive past mistakes by choosing a better way forward.
I urge you to pass Bill 9 without weakening amendments. Stand for housing. Stand for justice. Stand for Maui.
Mahalo for your time and courage.
Daniel Carpieux
Kahului Resident
Testimony in Strong Opposition to Bill 9
Submitted to the Maui County Housing and Land Use Committee
Date: July 4, 2025
To Chair Kama and Members of the Committee:
I submit this testimony in firm opposition to Bill 9, not because I disagree that Maui is in a housing crisis, but because I see through the false promises, political cowardice, and corrupt intentions behind this bill and the process it has taken.
Let’s not pretend anymore — this entire process has become a farce.
You’ve spent months and taxpayer resources holding hearings, soliciting public testimony, analyzing legalities, and talking about the future of Maui’s housing. You have declared a housing emergency and claimed this bill is the answer. But just when the time comes to act, our Mayor proposes a 3-year delay — conveniently after his term ends — and your Committee Chair wants five years, well beyond her tenure. This isn’t housing policy. It’s political posturing in its most shameful form.
Here’s the truth:
• You don’t believe in this bill enough to implement it now.
• You’re wasting the public’s time and money while buying political cover for yourselves.
• You are using Bill 9 to pretend you care about housing — while protecting the economic interests of your donors, allies, and party leaders.
And it’s not lost on us that Maui is ground zero for the global climate crisis. The fires of Lāhainā were not just a disaster — they were a signal to the world that land use, housing, tourism, and climate are deeply connected. Maui is now the center of the universe for testing bold policy solutions — and instead of showing courage, you’ve retreated into delay, confusion, and cowardice.
Bill 9 could have been the start of something real. But instead, it’s become a symbol of everything wrong with local politics:
• Big promises with no follow-through
• Political leaders who answer to parties and donors instead of residents
• And a committee more concerned with reelection and appearances than solutions
I oppose Bill 9 not because I oppose solving the housing crisis — but because this bill, in its current form and context, is a lie.
You’ve shown that you won’t implement it honestly, and you’ve made it clear that any “solution” that threatens special interests gets postponed until the people forget.
You do not deserve the public’s trust on this matter. Let the record show that Bill 9 was not killed by opponents — it was strangled by its own creators, who lacked the integrity to stand by it when it mattered.
Reject Bill 9 and start over with leadership that isn’t owned by outside parties, investors, or mainland political operatives. Until then, the public has every right to distrust and defy this corrupted process.
Sincerely,
Logan Cabrera
Waikapu Resident