I oppose Bill 9 as it is currently proposed. I understand and agree with the intent and have seen similar issues throughout my home state of CO in the tourist mountain towns. That said, the execution of Bill 9 lacks the specificity and strategy that could help it be effective. The arguments presented by the Mayor's office around economic impact are grossly understated and biased and their projections for the conversion of units in the resort areas (which as we all know have dual zoning for resort and Apartment) are naive. 1BR units that currently sell for over $1M will not come down in price enough to make any sense as a family residence. They will simply come down in price enough so that someone can afford to own it as a vacation home without supplementing with rental income. Then those communities will be dormant for large portions of the year, harming local businesses and restaurants that depend on the tourist traffic.
Again, I support the idea of cracking down on illegal rentals and those units that are not in resort areas. I also feel that more consideration should be given in how those bans are implemented and think there's potential to revisit the grandfathering option that was once on the table so that current owners and their investments don't get torpedo'd but as they turn over the units are returned to residences.
Obviously, the Mayor's office and council can't seem to agree on the urgency of the issue since they say that this is the only answer (and building new units won't be soon enough) yet they can take over a year to consider the Bill and are now proposing the implementation of it be pushed out years.
Again, overall good intentions but poor execution. We should demand more thought, research, and strategic thinking from our local leaders.
Proposing a delay until after your term ends is not public service — it’s political escape artistry. It’s a sleight-of-hand to buy peace with donors and landlords while the people of Maui burn through their savings, sleep in cars, or get priced off-island. You can’t call it pono if you’re planning to leave the mess for someone else to clean up.
I strongly support Bill 9 because it is a necessary step to restore zoning integrity, reduce wildfire risks, and reclaim housing for Maui’s residents.
As short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) have rapidly expanded in the Apartment District—specifically A-1 and A-2 zoned properties—they’ve created a revolving door of transient visitors in areas never designed for that kind of population churn. This constant turnover brings more vehicles, more strain on infrastructure, and most importantly, increased fire risk.
We’ve already seen the devastating consequences of unmanaged land use and overstressed systems in West Maui. Tourists unfamiliar with the land and unengaged with local disaster protocols don’t maintain defensible space or know how to respond in emergencies. More STVRs mean more high-turnover occupancy, more fuel loads, more ignition risk, and fewer eyes and hands who actually steward the land.
This is not just about zoning violations—it’s about public safety, housing security, and survival. Maui cannot afford to keep sacrificing long-term housing for short-term profit.
Bill 9 does not eliminate STVRs everywhere. It simply phases them out of areas never intended for resort use, returning over 2,000 units back into our long-term housing inventory.
If we’re serious about reducing wildfire risk, supporting local families, and upholding the law, then we must pass Bill 9.
The argument that “Bill 9 will do nothing for affordable housing” is inaccurate and shortsighted. Bill 9 restores the legal integrity and intended purpose of Apartment District zoning, which was created to allow for long-term residential use—not transient vacation accommodations. By ending the misuse of these zones for STVRs, Bill 9:
• Increases housing supply for long-term renters and residents by removing over 2,200 units from speculative short-term use.
• Deters real estate speculation by clarifying that the County will no longer protect STVRs as a high-yield, investor-focused use of Apartment-zoned land.
• Reduces upward pressure on rental prices, which are currently inflated by competition with lucrative short-term rentals.
• Strengthens land-use consistency and zoning integrity, creating space for lawful planning and future affordable housing development.
The Reality of Housing Displacement
Maui’s people are not displaced by a lack of effort, but by a perverse incentive system that rewards absentee ownership, vacation rental conversion, and extractive wealth flows. If we wait for outside investors to solve the affordable housing crisis, we will be waiting forever. Bill 9 interrupts that cycle.
It may not build a single affordable unit overnight—but it reclaims over 2,000 dwellings from the tourist economy and redirects them to the community economy. That is real, measurable impact.
The arguments opposing Bill 9 often rely heavily on anecdotal stories and emotional appeals rather than grounded data or sound public policy. One recurring claim is that local residents cannot afford to buy homes on Maui without the supplemental income generated from short-term vacation rentals. This argument fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the housing crisis and the intent of Bill 9.
If ownership is only possible by turning a residence into a business, this reveals a broken housing market—one driven by speculative investment rather than providing affordable, long-term shelter for residents. The assumption that locals must depend on short-term rental income to “afford” homeownership is not a solution; it is a symptom of the systemic failure Bill 9 seeks to address.
Moreover, the reliance on vague anecdotes—friends, relatives, or acquaintances struggling to buy homes unless they operate short-term rentals—lacks the rigor necessary for serious policy debate.
It is also important to recognize that opposition frequently comes from individuals such as realtors with vested interests in maintaining the current market dynamics that favor investment properties and short-term rentals over affordable housing. The continuation of this status quo benefits a small segment of the market at the expense of Maui’s working families and full-time residents.
Bill 9 is a critical step toward rebalancing Maui’s housing market, prioritizing long-term residents’ access to affordable housing, and reducing the outsized influence of speculative real estate practices. Opposition based on anecdotal, emotionally charged but logically weak claims must be critically examined and weighed against the urgent need for sustainable housing solutions.
My name is Steve Fuller. I recently received this message from my daughter, who grew up in Lahaina (a "Luna" graduate). It provides a bit of perspective from someone that is not an owner on Maui but wishes to be:
"I was chatting to 'XX" while she was here and we had a pretty open and honest chat about how local (grew up on Maui) people our age feel about it and she was very much in agreement with us. Her sister has actually been thinking about buying a place back home but won't be able to afford to do so if this passes. So, as we discussed, it's actually preventing Maui people from doing exactly what it says it wants to do. I'd be similar...think most people would be...no one can afford those homeowner fees if they can't supplement it with rentals."
Food for thought. Please feel free to contact me for more perspective or information... (808)283-2420
This is all an act. The committee doesn’t have the intelligence to approve this bill.
I oppose Bill 9 as it is currently proposed. I understand and agree with the intent and have seen similar issues throughout my home state of CO in the tourist mountain towns. That said, the execution of Bill 9 lacks the specificity and strategy that could help it be effective. The arguments presented by the Mayor's office around economic impact are grossly understated and biased and their projections for the conversion of units in the resort areas (which as we all know have dual zoning for resort and Apartment) are naive. 1BR units that currently sell for over $1M will not come down in price enough to make any sense as a family residence. They will simply come down in price enough so that someone can afford to own it as a vacation home without supplementing with rental income. Then those communities will be dormant for large portions of the year, harming local businesses and restaurants that depend on the tourist traffic.
Again, I support the idea of cracking down on illegal rentals and those units that are not in resort areas. I also feel that more consideration should be given in how those bans are implemented and think there's potential to revisit the grandfathering option that was once on the table so that current owners and their investments don't get torpedo'd but as they turn over the units are returned to residences.
Obviously, the Mayor's office and council can't seem to agree on the urgency of the issue since they say that this is the only answer (and building new units won't be soon enough) yet they can take over a year to consider the Bill and are now proposing the implementation of it be pushed out years.
Again, overall good intentions but poor execution. We should demand more thought, research, and strategic thinking from our local leaders.
Proposing a delay until after your term ends is not public service — it’s political escape artistry. It’s a sleight-of-hand to buy peace with donors and landlords while the people of Maui burn through their savings, sleep in cars, or get priced off-island. You can’t call it pono if you’re planning to leave the mess for someone else to clean up.
Aloha Chair Kama and Councilmembers,
I strongly support Bill 9 because it is a necessary step to restore zoning integrity, reduce wildfire risks, and reclaim housing for Maui’s residents.
As short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) have rapidly expanded in the Apartment District—specifically A-1 and A-2 zoned properties—they’ve created a revolving door of transient visitors in areas never designed for that kind of population churn. This constant turnover brings more vehicles, more strain on infrastructure, and most importantly, increased fire risk.
We’ve already seen the devastating consequences of unmanaged land use and overstressed systems in West Maui. Tourists unfamiliar with the land and unengaged with local disaster protocols don’t maintain defensible space or know how to respond in emergencies. More STVRs mean more high-turnover occupancy, more fuel loads, more ignition risk, and fewer eyes and hands who actually steward the land.
This is not just about zoning violations—it’s about public safety, housing security, and survival. Maui cannot afford to keep sacrificing long-term housing for short-term profit.
Bill 9 does not eliminate STVRs everywhere. It simply phases them out of areas never intended for resort use, returning over 2,000 units back into our long-term housing inventory.
If we’re serious about reducing wildfire risk, supporting local families, and upholding the law, then we must pass Bill 9.
Mahalo for your leadership.
Respectfully,
Austin Maniago
Kahului resident
The argument that “Bill 9 will do nothing for affordable housing” is inaccurate and shortsighted. Bill 9 restores the legal integrity and intended purpose of Apartment District zoning, which was created to allow for long-term residential use—not transient vacation accommodations. By ending the misuse of these zones for STVRs, Bill 9:
• Increases housing supply for long-term renters and residents by removing over 2,200 units from speculative short-term use.
• Deters real estate speculation by clarifying that the County will no longer protect STVRs as a high-yield, investor-focused use of Apartment-zoned land.
• Reduces upward pressure on rental prices, which are currently inflated by competition with lucrative short-term rentals.
• Strengthens land-use consistency and zoning integrity, creating space for lawful planning and future affordable housing development.
The Reality of Housing Displacement
Maui’s people are not displaced by a lack of effort, but by a perverse incentive system that rewards absentee ownership, vacation rental conversion, and extractive wealth flows. If we wait for outside investors to solve the affordable housing crisis, we will be waiting forever. Bill 9 interrupts that cycle.
It may not build a single affordable unit overnight—but it reclaims over 2,000 dwellings from the tourist economy and redirects them to the community economy. That is real, measurable impact.
I strongly oppose bill 9. This bill will do NOTHING to provide affordable dignified housing for the locals who need it the most.
The arguments opposing Bill 9 often rely heavily on anecdotal stories and emotional appeals rather than grounded data or sound public policy. One recurring claim is that local residents cannot afford to buy homes on Maui without the supplemental income generated from short-term vacation rentals. This argument fundamentally misunderstands the nature of the housing crisis and the intent of Bill 9.
If ownership is only possible by turning a residence into a business, this reveals a broken housing market—one driven by speculative investment rather than providing affordable, long-term shelter for residents. The assumption that locals must depend on short-term rental income to “afford” homeownership is not a solution; it is a symptom of the systemic failure Bill 9 seeks to address.
Moreover, the reliance on vague anecdotes—friends, relatives, or acquaintances struggling to buy homes unless they operate short-term rentals—lacks the rigor necessary for serious policy debate.
It is also important to recognize that opposition frequently comes from individuals such as realtors with vested interests in maintaining the current market dynamics that favor investment properties and short-term rentals over affordable housing. The continuation of this status quo benefits a small segment of the market at the expense of Maui’s working families and full-time residents.
Bill 9 is a critical step toward rebalancing Maui’s housing market, prioritizing long-term residents’ access to affordable housing, and reducing the outsized influence of speculative real estate practices. Opposition based on anecdotal, emotionally charged but logically weak claims must be critically examined and weighed against the urgent need for sustainable housing solutions.
Tryson Kaiama
Haiku Resident
My name is Steve Fuller. I recently received this message from my daughter, who grew up in Lahaina (a "Luna" graduate). It provides a bit of perspective from someone that is not an owner on Maui but wishes to be:
"I was chatting to 'XX" while she was here and we had a pretty open and honest chat about how local (grew up on Maui) people our age feel about it and she was very much in agreement with us. Her sister has actually been thinking about buying a place back home but won't be able to afford to do so if this passes. So, as we discussed, it's actually preventing Maui people from doing exactly what it says it wants to do. I'd be similar...think most people would be...no one can afford those homeowner fees if they can't supplement it with rentals."
Food for thought. Please feel free to contact me for more perspective or information... (808)283-2420
Best regards and aloha,
Steve Fuller