Aloha, My name is Rachel Coles. I live in Pukalani. I want to support Bill 9. There is a housing crisis on Maui and this is a needed solution to addressing it. The word crisis cannot be overemphasized. Our residents have to take precedence over pleasure-seekers and tourists. People have to be able to live here viably. Every day, the number of houseless are growing, people who are just like you and I and they are being treated like garbage simply because they have nowhere they are allowed to exist, because there is nowhere they can live here. Many of them were born here. Why should they be forced to live like that to satisfy the whims of moneyed vacationers? There is nothing wrong with tourism itself, but it cannot supplant the welfare of the people who need to live and work here. It is immoral to price people whose home this is, out of Maui, simply so the tourism business can rake in more money. There has to be a balance, and what I am seeing is toxic capitalism, not balance. Every day, I'm seeing people hungry and exposed to the elements with nowhere to go, and being swept from place to place as if they don't matter. For people concerned about losing the money from tourism, I think that is a too-expedient stance. Work harder to foster other means to generate income for Hawaii. The local agricultural sector has been working for a long time in trying to get Maui to diversify away from pure pleasure tourism, and we saw the effects of relying purely on pleasure tourism and catering to resort interests during COVID, and now is the time to diversify and set boundaries with those interests. Tourism needs to be responsible. Other countries and states manage it, so can Maui. Please show more care for your residents and pass Bill 9 to limit short term rentals and provide more sustainable housing for your residents. Mahalo.
If you want A-1 and A-2 condos to be more financeable, not less, you should support Bill 9. The investor-driven STVR model is what made them non-warrantable in the first place. By restoring these buildings to residential use, Bill 9 directly increases their eligibility for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-backed loans, making them more accessible to local homebuyers.
From Rocket Mortgage website:
Warrantable condos require more effort
A warrantable condo is one that potential home buyers can finance and underwrite using a conventional mortgage. First, though, the condo must meet minimum guidelines laid out by traditional mortgage investors like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. For example, sample guidelines include stipulations such as:
No single entity can own more than two units in projects consisting of five to 20 units, or 20% of units in projects consisting of 21 or more units.
At least 50% of the units are owner-occupied as opposed to being investment properties.
Less than 15% of total units are 60 days or more in arrears on association dues.
The homeowners association (HOA) is not named in any lawsuits.
Commercial space accounts for 35% or less of the total building square footage.
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae consider non-warrantable condos a risky acquisition because they’re harder to buy and sell. You may have to seek other financial assistance beyond what traditional lenders offer if you want to buy a non-warrantable condo. Feel free to speak to one of our Home Loan Experts about your options.
Aloha Chair Kama
I am a realtor, sold plenty of stvrs before they were so lucrative. I support bill 9 for every reason it is opposed, because it is now necessary.
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Bill 9 is not simply a zoning reform; it is a humanitarian relief measure, a course correction for failed housing policy, and a legal and ethical obligation under Maui County’s public trust responsibilities.
The Lāhainā wildfire disaster exposed the deep flaws in Maui’s dependence on short-term vacation rentals (STRs) in residential Apartment Districts (A-1 & A-2). Despite a declared housing emergency, STR operators converted only ~10% of their units to long-term housing for fire victims, even with tax incentives offered by the State. This refusal underscores why voluntary market solutions have failed and why legislative action is necessary.
Bill 9 corrects decades of speculative abuse of zoning laws, returning residential housing to residents, stabilizing communities, and safeguarding Maui’s future against further displacement and economic collapse.
Who can predict the future? No one. But we can learn from the past—and the past has failed. Bill 9 is Maui’s chance to choose people over speculation.
⸻
II. HOUSING MARKET & ECONOMIC FACTS
A. STR Impact on Housing Availability
• 61% of current Maui condo listings are STR-approved units in Apartment Districts.
• These are residentially zoned properties, not resort or hotel zones.
• Returning these to long-term residential use could immediately rehouse over 500 families.
B. Market Trends Support Bill 9
• Average condo prices have dropped ~14% since mid-2024.
• Median condo prices have fallen ~19%, now ~$725,000, creating opportunities for local buyers.
• Condo sales are projected to drop ~22% in 2025, indicating speculative demand is already weakening.
• Without Bill 9, these declining prices risk being snapped up by new speculative buyers rather than residents.
C. Overpriced Rents & STR Profits
• STR-driven speculation pushed rents far above sustainable levels, forcing local families into:
• Overcrowded multigenerational housing,
• Long commutes from off-island relocations,
• Homelessness and car dwelling.
• Emergency housing requests for fire victims were stalled due to STR owners holding out for higher tourist rates, even with State tax incentives.
⸻
III. HUMANITARIAN RELIEF & EMERGENCY PROCLAMATIONS
A. Housing Emergency Post-Lāhainā
• Governor Josh Green’s Emergency Proclamation on Housing declared a housing shortage a public emergency, emphasizing the need to repurpose housing for residents.
• Despite this, only 10% of STR operators volunteered to convert units to long-term housing for fire victims, even when incentivized.
• This failure proves market reliance alone will not solve humanitarian housing needs—Bill 9 is necessary.
B. Bill 9 as Humanitarian Relief
• Immediate impact: Over 535 STR-approved units in A-1 and A-2 zones could return to long-term residential use.
• Direct beneficiaries: Fire victims, displaced residents, workforce housing (teachers, nurses, first responders).
• Disaster resilience: More local housing stock available in future emergencies.
⸻
IV. LEGAL & ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY
A. Public Trust Doctrine & Zoning Authority
• Zoning exists to protect public welfare—Apartment Districts were never intended for hotel-like operations.
• The County has a legal duty to ensure zoning serves residents, not speculative investors.
B. Minatoya Exemption Misuse
• The Minatoya Exemption (2001) was intended as a limited grandfathering measure, not permanent authorization for hotel-like use in residential zones.
• Continued misuse violates the original intent of zoning laws and the County’s public trust obligations.
C. Ethical Responsibility
• Property rights end where community harm begins.
• It is not the County’s kuleana to protect investor ROI while residents suffer from:
• Displacement, overcrowding, homelessness, and housing insecurity.
• Bill 9 restores ethical governance by prioritizing community welfare over speculative profits.
⸻
V. HISTORICAL LESSONS & FUTURE DECISIONS
• The past has failed:
• Decades of STR-driven speculation worsened housing insecurity and made disaster recovery nearly impossible.
• Emergency proclamations and voluntary tax incentives failed to repurpose STR housing for residents when it mattered most.
• The future requires bold action:
• Who can predict the future? No one. But we can learn from the past—and the past has failed.
• Bill 9 is not a gamble—it’s a necessary correction to restore housing stability, community integrity, and disaster resilience.
⸻
VI. CONCLUSION
Bill 9 is humanitarian relief, sound economic policy, and a fulfillment of the County’s legal and ethical obligations.
• It provides immediate housing relief for residents and disaster victims.
• It strengthens Maui’s long-term disaster resilience.
• It restores zoning integrity and corrects decades of failed policy.
✅ Bill 9 = Housing Relief + Community Stability + Ethical Governance.
✅ Maui’s future depends on choosing people over speculation.
Name withheld for fear of;
Litigation
Special interest scrutiny
Harassment from realtors and RAM
No wonder Alice Lee didn’t get a birthday lei. Pooka pooka
Aloha, My name is Rachel Coles. I live in Pukalani. I want to support Bill 9. There is a housing crisis on Maui and this is a needed solution to addressing it. The word crisis cannot be overemphasized. Our residents have to take precedence over pleasure-seekers and tourists. People have to be able to live here viably. Every day, the number of houseless are growing, people who are just like you and I and they are being treated like garbage simply because they have nowhere they are allowed to exist, because there is nowhere they can live here. Many of them were born here. Why should they be forced to live like that to satisfy the whims of moneyed vacationers? There is nothing wrong with tourism itself, but it cannot supplant the welfare of the people who need to live and work here. It is immoral to price people whose home this is, out of Maui, simply so the tourism business can rake in more money. There has to be a balance, and what I am seeing is toxic capitalism, not balance. Every day, I'm seeing people hungry and exposed to the elements with nowhere to go, and being swept from place to place as if they don't matter. For people concerned about losing the money from tourism, I think that is a too-expedient stance. Work harder to foster other means to generate income for Hawaii. The local agricultural sector has been working for a long time in trying to get Maui to diversify away from pure pleasure tourism, and we saw the effects of relying purely on pleasure tourism and catering to resort interests during COVID, and now is the time to diversify and set boundaries with those interests. Tourism needs to be responsible. Other countries and states manage it, so can Maui. Please show more care for your residents and pass Bill 9 to limit short term rentals and provide more sustainable housing for your residents. Mahalo.
If you vote NO on bill 9, include your RESIGNATION
I can't believe that Chair Kama wants to extend the effective date for Bill 9 to 2030. It should be effective in 2026. Housing is an emergency in Maui
If you want A-1 and A-2 condos to be more financeable, not less, you should support Bill 9. The investor-driven STVR model is what made them non-warrantable in the first place. By restoring these buildings to residential use, Bill 9 directly increases their eligibility for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-backed loans, making them more accessible to local homebuyers.
Warren Buffet, Part Time Wailea Resident
These Condo will be difficult to finance.
From Rocket Mortgage website:
Warrantable condos require more effort
A warrantable condo is one that potential home buyers can finance and underwrite using a conventional mortgage. First, though, the condo must meet minimum guidelines laid out by traditional mortgage investors like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. For example, sample guidelines include stipulations such as:
No single entity can own more than two units in projects consisting of five to 20 units, or 20% of units in projects consisting of 21 or more units.
At least 50% of the units are owner-occupied as opposed to being investment properties.
Less than 15% of total units are 60 days or more in arrears on association dues.
The homeowners association (HOA) is not named in any lawsuits.
Commercial space accounts for 35% or less of the total building square footage.
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae consider non-warrantable condos a risky acquisition because they’re harder to buy and sell. You may have to seek other financial assistance beyond what traditional lenders offer if you want to buy a non-warrantable condo. Feel free to speak to one of our Home Loan Experts about your options.
Aloha Chair Kama
I am a realtor, sold plenty of stvrs before they were so lucrative. I support bill 9 for every reason it is opposed, because it is now necessary.
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Bill 9 is not simply a zoning reform; it is a humanitarian relief measure, a course correction for failed housing policy, and a legal and ethical obligation under Maui County’s public trust responsibilities.
The Lāhainā wildfire disaster exposed the deep flaws in Maui’s dependence on short-term vacation rentals (STRs) in residential Apartment Districts (A-1 & A-2). Despite a declared housing emergency, STR operators converted only ~10% of their units to long-term housing for fire victims, even with tax incentives offered by the State. This refusal underscores why voluntary market solutions have failed and why legislative action is necessary.
Bill 9 corrects decades of speculative abuse of zoning laws, returning residential housing to residents, stabilizing communities, and safeguarding Maui’s future against further displacement and economic collapse.
Who can predict the future? No one. But we can learn from the past—and the past has failed. Bill 9 is Maui’s chance to choose people over speculation.
⸻
II. HOUSING MARKET & ECONOMIC FACTS
A. STR Impact on Housing Availability
• 61% of current Maui condo listings are STR-approved units in Apartment Districts.
• These are residentially zoned properties, not resort or hotel zones.
• Returning these to long-term residential use could immediately rehouse over 500 families.
B. Market Trends Support Bill 9
• Average condo prices have dropped ~14% since mid-2024.
• Median condo prices have fallen ~19%, now ~$725,000, creating opportunities for local buyers.
• Condo sales are projected to drop ~22% in 2025, indicating speculative demand is already weakening.
• Without Bill 9, these declining prices risk being snapped up by new speculative buyers rather than residents.
C. Overpriced Rents & STR Profits
• STR-driven speculation pushed rents far above sustainable levels, forcing local families into:
• Overcrowded multigenerational housing,
• Long commutes from off-island relocations,
• Homelessness and car dwelling.
• Emergency housing requests for fire victims were stalled due to STR owners holding out for higher tourist rates, even with State tax incentives.
⸻
III. HUMANITARIAN RELIEF & EMERGENCY PROCLAMATIONS
A. Housing Emergency Post-Lāhainā
• Governor Josh Green’s Emergency Proclamation on Housing declared a housing shortage a public emergency, emphasizing the need to repurpose housing for residents.
• Despite this, only 10% of STR operators volunteered to convert units to long-term housing for fire victims, even when incentivized.
• This failure proves market reliance alone will not solve humanitarian housing needs—Bill 9 is necessary.
B. Bill 9 as Humanitarian Relief
• Immediate impact: Over 535 STR-approved units in A-1 and A-2 zones could return to long-term residential use.
• Direct beneficiaries: Fire victims, displaced residents, workforce housing (teachers, nurses, first responders).
• Disaster resilience: More local housing stock available in future emergencies.
⸻
IV. LEGAL & ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY
A. Public Trust Doctrine & Zoning Authority
• Zoning exists to protect public welfare—Apartment Districts were never intended for hotel-like operations.
• The County has a legal duty to ensure zoning serves residents, not speculative investors.
B. Minatoya Exemption Misuse
• The Minatoya Exemption (2001) was intended as a limited grandfathering measure, not permanent authorization for hotel-like use in residential zones.
• Continued misuse violates the original intent of zoning laws and the County’s public trust obligations.
C. Ethical Responsibility
• Property rights end where community harm begins.
• It is not the County’s kuleana to protect investor ROI while residents suffer from:
• Displacement, overcrowding, homelessness, and housing insecurity.
• Bill 9 restores ethical governance by prioritizing community welfare over speculative profits.
⸻
V. HISTORICAL LESSONS & FUTURE DECISIONS
• The past has failed:
• Decades of STR-driven speculation worsened housing insecurity and made disaster recovery nearly impossible.
• Emergency proclamations and voluntary tax incentives failed to repurpose STR housing for residents when it mattered most.
• The future requires bold action:
• Who can predict the future? No one. But we can learn from the past—and the past has failed.
• Bill 9 is not a gamble—it’s a necessary correction to restore housing stability, community integrity, and disaster resilience.
⸻
VI. CONCLUSION
Bill 9 is humanitarian relief, sound economic policy, and a fulfillment of the County’s legal and ethical obligations.
• It provides immediate housing relief for residents and disaster victims.
• It strengthens Maui’s long-term disaster resilience.
• It restores zoning integrity and corrects decades of failed policy.
✅ Bill 9 = Housing Relief + Community Stability + Ethical Governance.
✅ Maui’s future depends on choosing people over speculation.
Name withheld for fear of;
Litigation
Special interest scrutiny
Harassment from realtors and RAM