I fully support conducting a comprehensive economic impact study before any major decisions are made regarding short-term vacation rentals in Maui County. Understanding the financial implications on local jobs, small businesses, tax revenues, and overall community well-being is essential to making informed, responsible choices. This study will ensure transparency, protect our economy, and provide the data needed for balanced, evidence-based policy.
Non-residents, voters from other states, foreign corporations, PACs, and lobbyists all say: give us the TIG. Maui families — four generations crammed into one small house, a tiny home on a rural lot, or still living in temporary housing — say: approve Bill 9 as written.
Committee, please do a bus tour of all buildings. Community planning cannot be done successfully without standing on each parcel and walking around it to understand it's liveability.
What you are trying to achieve is called placemaking. Definition: Placemaking is the process of creating public spaces that foster community, connection, and a sense of belonging. It involves transforming or enhancing existing spaces into vibrant, inviting places where people want to spend time and interact with each other and their environment. This can include everything from designing parks and plazas to organizing community events and art installations.
This is a planning and development term/concept. Resetting uses of an existing community as you've seen and heard have its additional challenges. But placemaking starts by walking each site where decisionmakers can better make determinations for whether or not each complex satisfies the lifestyles, affordability, carry costs, and risks that are acceptable to those in favor of Bill 9. I think you will find that some buildings or communities wouldn't make sense due to limited ameniites (schools, stores, parking, flood/fire zone). Keep those as STR pockets.
The TIG is not an honest investigation; it is a farce designed to stall action and protect councilmembers from having to take a clear, transparent stand.
Dear Committee Chairperson and Vice Committee Chairperson;
Apartment zoning, A-1 and A-2, was always written to provide housing for Maui’s people — not to create hotel districts in disguise. The idea that these properties were “meant” for vacation rentals is a story that came later, shaped by loopholes, weak enforcement, and decades of political spin.
Over the years, real estate PACs and industry lobbyists turned a small exception into a massive business model that now controls a huge portion of Maui’s housing stock. What should have remained homes for working families, kūpuna, and young people were instead marketed to off-island buyers as investment properties. And while residents sounded the alarm, local government allowed the system to grow.
The truth is that this shadow hotel industry inside our apartment zones survives because of political protection, not because it was ever the intent of the law. PACs and lobbyists poured money and influence into maintaining these loopholes, and year after year, residents paid the price — through rising rents, overcrowding, and displacement from their own neighborhoods.
Every councilmember here knows the housing crisis cannot be solved if A-1 and A-2 properties continue operating as short-term rentals. This is no longer just about housing; it is about whether local government will resist corruption and act for residents instead of PACs and donors.
Maui families cannot afford more political delay or favoritism. Apartment districts were created to house people, not to enrich outside investors. Closing this loophole is a test of leadership. If this Council cannot do it, then the people will — through initiative, through the ballot box, and, if necessary, through the courts.
The political influence of PACs and lobbyists kept this system alive, even when residents testified year after year that they were being priced out of their own communities.
The narrative that A-1 and A-2 properties were designed for vacation rentals is revisionist history. The zoning code created apartment districts for residents, not tourists. What people call ‘intent’ today is actually a misreading of the Minatoya Opinion and decades of lax enforcement, not the legislative purpose when these complexes were built. The reality is, Hawaiʻi life is lived outdoors, and these apartments were always intended as livable housing stock for our community.
The TIG needs to consist of a fair and unbiased group. As it stands, the mayor (and others) have said if you don't like Bill 9, you should apply to change the zoning of your condo complex. However, the process to rezone is cumbersome, and takes up to many years. At the HLU meeting where the Bill was approved, they suggested that the TIG be formed to come up with a streamlined process. We would like to see this happen.
I write to express strong opposition to the influence of Airbnb, represented locally by Ms. Janel Cozzens, in matters relating to the Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) and Bill 9.
According to the official lobbyist registration statement filed with the County of Kauaʻi, Ms. Cozzens is registered as a lobbyist on behalf of Airbnb, Inc. using a business address in San Rafael, California. This fact underscores the central issue before us: Airbnb’s lobbying on Maui and throughout Hawaiʻi is being driven not by local residents or community stakeholders, but by corporate representatives and offices based on the U.S. mainland.
Bill 9 and the TIG process directly affect Maui residents’ housing stability, land use, and long-term community survival. Allowing lobbyists who reside and operate out of California to guide or shape this policy not only undermines local self-determination, but it also prioritizes the profit margins of multinational corporations over the needs of the people of Maui. Airbnb has already shown that its business model relies on extracting value from our limited housing stock, destabilizing neighborhoods, and fueling displacement. Their participation in the TIG is not neutral research—it is a coordinated effort to weaken regulation and preserve their inventory of short-term rentals, regardless of the consequences for residents.
The County’s kuleana is to its people, not to corporations headquartered thousands of miles away. To allow a California-based lobbyist to dictate or even unduly influence how Maui rebuilds after devastating wildfires, and how it governs its scarce housing resources, is to betray the public trust.
For these reasons, I urge this body to discount testimony and policy guidance from corporate lobbyists such as Ms. Cozzens and to ensure that the TIG and Bill 9 remain focused on the voices of Maui’s residents, not the profits of mainland corporations.
Airbnb’s support for creating a Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) is not about “research and education.” It is about delay. Bill 9 has already been through years of review, analysis, and public testimony. It has been approved by the Mayor, vetted and passed by the Planning Commission, and advanced by the Housing and Land Use Committee. To now claim that we need “more time” is nothing more than an attempt to stall and weaken a law that directly impacts Airbnb’s profit model.
The claim that a TIG would “build public trust” is disingenuous. Public trust is not built by prolonging decisions that should already be made. Public trust is built when the Council follows the Charter, applies laws fairly, and takes action to return apartment-zoned housing to the residents it was intended for. Delay erodes trust. Delay protects outside corporations and absentee investors at the expense of Maui families.
Airbnb’s reference to “balance” and “multiple perspectives” cannot be taken at face value. The company’s interests are financial, not community-based. The overwhelming majority of Airbnb’s short-term rental clients in the Apartment District are not registered Maui voters. Many spend only a few weeks a year on island, while residents face displacement, housing insecurity, and overcrowding. Elevating the voices of absentee owners above residents violates the spirit of the Charter and undermines local democracy.
Airbnb suggests that the TIG is needed for “accurate data.” Yet the data is already clear: short-term rentals in the Apartment District have reduced available housing stock, driven up costs, and displaced residents. This has been acknowledged in the Planning Department’s reports, the Planning Commission’s findings, and through countless hours of public testimony. Asking for more “data” is a delay tactic, not a genuine request for information.
The real path forward is simple and lawful: approve Bill 9 as written. If condominium associations or owners believe they should qualify for short-term rental use, they can apply for zoning variances or amendments and pay the required fees, fines, and taxes. That is the transparent, accountable process under law. A TIG is not.
The Council has already taken the hard steps of review and approval. To stall now would be to engage in what can only be called larceny against the residents — stealing time, housing, and trust to protect the profits of corporations and absentee owners. Ethics and integrity require that Bill 9 be passed now, without further delay and without manipulation disguised as “education.”
When Council members choose political safety over decisive action, they commit larceny against their own constituents by taking what belongs to the people — housing — and protecting investors instead.
Every day of delay is another day of displacement. With thousands still without permanent housing after the wildfires, excuses and task forces are unethical distractions from the real duty at hand.
The proper solution already exists: approve Bill 9 as written. If condo associations or owners want exceptions, they can apply to the County for zoning variances or amendments and pay the proper fees, fines, and taxes. That is the transparent and lawful process.
The recent suggestion that certain community groups should be excluded from participating in the TIG process is rooted not in law but in fear and politics. Hawaiʻi’s Sunshine Law (HRS Ch. 92) is unambiguous: public business must be conducted openly. Every resident and registered voter has the right to be heard. What cannot be allowed is for groups with direct financial conflicts—such as the Realtor associations and their leadership—to insert themselves into this process under the guise of neutrality.
The Realtors Association and its president are on public record as being vehemently opposed to Bill 9. The opposition has been so extreme that the previous association president resigned after receiving threats tied to this very bill. Realtors cannot be treated as neutral stakeholders when their organization is actively campaigning against this legislation. Their participation in a TIG would be a textbook conflict under Article 13 of the Maui County Charter, which prohibits special consideration or advantage being granted to any party with a direct financial interest.
Compounding this conflict, many realtors are already providing legal advice to short-term rental owners and condominium associations on suing the County of Maui. This is not impartial engagement; it is coordinated opposition with the goal of undermining the law. Allowing such parties into a TIG would be equivalent to inviting counsel for the plaintiffs to help draft the defense. It is fundamentally inappropriate and a breach of public trust.
The real solution is simple and fair: approve Bill 9 in its current form. If certain condominium associations or owners believe their properties should qualify for short-term rental use, the proper path is already available. They must apply to the County for zoning variances or amendments to their districts. In doing so, they should pay the associated fees, fines, and taxes required by law. This ensures that the public receives compensation for speculative use, and that any exceptions are granted only through an established, transparent, and accountable process.
We have already passed the two-year in memoriam of the Maui wildfires, with thousands of residents still displaced and housing insecurity at crisis levels. Meanwhile, most short-term rental owners in the Apartment District are not registered Maui voters and spend only a few weeks a year on island. To prioritize their speculative investments over the permanent housing needs of residents is contrary to the Charter, contrary to the public trust doctrine under the Hawaiʻi State Constitution, and contrary to the ethical duty of this Council.
The TIG must not be used as a backdoor to reward political allies, silence community voices, or dilute the intent of Bill 9. The Council has both the authority and the responsibility to ensure that this law is implemented with transparency, integrity, and accountability to the people of Maui—not to the outside investors and the associations that represent them.
Aloha Council Members,
For the record, the Maui County Charter is clear: the Council has a duty to act openly, fairly, and in the public interest. Article 4, Section 4-2 requires the Council to legislate “by ordinance in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in this charter.” That means decisions cannot be made on assumptions, private agreements, or vague promises to “figure it out later.” Any process that lacks transparency risks not only bad policy, but also violations of the Charter and Hawaiʻi’s Sunshine Law (HRS Chapter 92).
Article 13 of the Maui County Charter requires all officials to avoid conflicts of interest and prohibits the granting of special consideration, treatment, or advantage to any person beyond what is available to the general public. We have already seen members of this body come under ethics review, and the public is watching closely. If a Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) is formed without first putting in writing the standards and limits for exceptions to the short-term rental ban in the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 zones), it will raise serious questions of favoritism and potential violations of both Article 13 and HRS §92-2, which requires decisions to be made in full view of the public.
The original intent of Bill 9 is to return apartment housing to residents. If exceptions are to be made, they must be defined clearly by the Council up front, in a transparent manner, not left to a small group behind closed doors. To do otherwise creates the appearance—and likely the reality—of political favoritism for certain property owners. Weak leadership that plays to the audience of the day instead of following the Charter and the Sunshine Law is exactly what has caused distrust in government.
The Council has one responsibility: to serve the people of Maui openly, under the Charter, with clear rules and full transparency. Anything less risks breaching ethics, undermining public trust, and leaving this Council remembered for protecting investors instead of protecting the community.
It would be nice if the meetings could be closed to Lahaina Strong, who has been known to threaten the council members. How legit is this where a group can basically intimidate and terrorize a person so they change their vote or recommendations. Are we living in Russia? They say that Lahaina Strong doesn't care about losing their jobs (they say they can live off the funds they take in from lobbying, donations they have taken in for the Lahaina fire survivor, or from selling drugs). They say, Lahaina Strong doesn't care about losing their homes as they can afford expensive hotel rooms. We hope anyone who threatens a council member's property, family members or life, ends up in jail or prison. They say that a family member of one of the leaders of Lahaina Strong is in prison. Probably not a good role model? Many think a lack of ethics is responsible for illegal acts this group commits. Reading the different online reporting, comments at the end of online stories (so many are against Lahaina Strong) and news stories about their "businesses"...is eye opening.
We commend the brave council members who stood up to their threats, God Bless You. Hang in there, so many people support and care about you.
A study of the impact of bill nine is very important. The unwanted consequences can negatively impact Maui both now and into the future.
I fully support conducting a comprehensive economic impact study before any major decisions are made regarding short-term vacation rentals in Maui County. Understanding the financial implications on local jobs, small businesses, tax revenues, and overall community well-being is essential to making informed, responsible choices. This study will ensure transparency, protect our economy, and provide the data needed for balanced, evidence-based policy.
Non-residents, voters from other states, foreign corporations, PACs, and lobbyists all say: give us the TIG. Maui families — four generations crammed into one small house, a tiny home on a rural lot, or still living in temporary housing — say: approve Bill 9 as written.
Committee, please do a bus tour of all buildings. Community planning cannot be done successfully without standing on each parcel and walking around it to understand it's liveability.
What you are trying to achieve is called placemaking. Definition: Placemaking is the process of creating public spaces that foster community, connection, and a sense of belonging. It involves transforming or enhancing existing spaces into vibrant, inviting places where people want to spend time and interact with each other and their environment. This can include everything from designing parks and plazas to organizing community events and art installations.
This is a planning and development term/concept. Resetting uses of an existing community as you've seen and heard have its additional challenges. But placemaking starts by walking each site where decisionmakers can better make determinations for whether or not each complex satisfies the lifestyles, affordability, carry costs, and risks that are acceptable to those in favor of Bill 9. I think you will find that some buildings or communities wouldn't make sense due to limited ameniites (schools, stores, parking, flood/fire zone). Keep those as STR pockets.
The TIG is not an honest investigation; it is a farce designed to stall action and protect councilmembers from having to take a clear, transparent stand.
Dear Committee Chairperson and Vice Committee Chairperson;
Apartment zoning, A-1 and A-2, was always written to provide housing for Maui’s people — not to create hotel districts in disguise. The idea that these properties were “meant” for vacation rentals is a story that came later, shaped by loopholes, weak enforcement, and decades of political spin.
Over the years, real estate PACs and industry lobbyists turned a small exception into a massive business model that now controls a huge portion of Maui’s housing stock. What should have remained homes for working families, kūpuna, and young people were instead marketed to off-island buyers as investment properties. And while residents sounded the alarm, local government allowed the system to grow.
The truth is that this shadow hotel industry inside our apartment zones survives because of political protection, not because it was ever the intent of the law. PACs and lobbyists poured money and influence into maintaining these loopholes, and year after year, residents paid the price — through rising rents, overcrowding, and displacement from their own neighborhoods.
Every councilmember here knows the housing crisis cannot be solved if A-1 and A-2 properties continue operating as short-term rentals. This is no longer just about housing; it is about whether local government will resist corruption and act for residents instead of PACs and donors.
Maui families cannot afford more political delay or favoritism. Apartment districts were created to house people, not to enrich outside investors. Closing this loophole is a test of leadership. If this Council cannot do it, then the people will — through initiative, through the ballot box, and, if necessary, through the courts.
Riley Edwards
Puklani
The political influence of PACs and lobbyists kept this system alive, even when residents testified year after year that they were being priced out of their own communities.
The narrative that A-1 and A-2 properties were designed for vacation rentals is revisionist history. The zoning code created apartment districts for residents, not tourists. What people call ‘intent’ today is actually a misreading of the Minatoya Opinion and decades of lax enforcement, not the legislative purpose when these complexes were built. The reality is, Hawaiʻi life is lived outdoors, and these apartments were always intended as livable housing stock for our community.
The TIG needs to consist of a fair and unbiased group. As it stands, the mayor (and others) have said if you don't like Bill 9, you should apply to change the zoning of your condo complex. However, the process to rezone is cumbersome, and takes up to many years. At the HLU meeting where the Bill was approved, they suggested that the TIG be formed to come up with a streamlined process. We would like to see this happen.
I write to express strong opposition to the influence of Airbnb, represented locally by Ms. Janel Cozzens, in matters relating to the Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) and Bill 9.
According to the official lobbyist registration statement filed with the County of Kauaʻi, Ms. Cozzens is registered as a lobbyist on behalf of Airbnb, Inc. using a business address in San Rafael, California. This fact underscores the central issue before us: Airbnb’s lobbying on Maui and throughout Hawaiʻi is being driven not by local residents or community stakeholders, but by corporate representatives and offices based on the U.S. mainland.
Bill 9 and the TIG process directly affect Maui residents’ housing stability, land use, and long-term community survival. Allowing lobbyists who reside and operate out of California to guide or shape this policy not only undermines local self-determination, but it also prioritizes the profit margins of multinational corporations over the needs of the people of Maui. Airbnb has already shown that its business model relies on extracting value from our limited housing stock, destabilizing neighborhoods, and fueling displacement. Their participation in the TIG is not neutral research—it is a coordinated effort to weaken regulation and preserve their inventory of short-term rentals, regardless of the consequences for residents.
The County’s kuleana is to its people, not to corporations headquartered thousands of miles away. To allow a California-based lobbyist to dictate or even unduly influence how Maui rebuilds after devastating wildfires, and how it governs its scarce housing resources, is to betray the public trust.
For these reasons, I urge this body to discount testimony and policy guidance from corporate lobbyists such as Ms. Cozzens and to ensure that the TIG and Bill 9 remain focused on the voices of Maui’s residents, not the profits of mainland corporations.
Mahalo.
Allen J Cavata
PS: listen to Stan Franco
Aloha Committee Chair and Council Members
Airbnb’s support for creating a Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) is not about “research and education.” It is about delay. Bill 9 has already been through years of review, analysis, and public testimony. It has been approved by the Mayor, vetted and passed by the Planning Commission, and advanced by the Housing and Land Use Committee. To now claim that we need “more time” is nothing more than an attempt to stall and weaken a law that directly impacts Airbnb’s profit model.
The claim that a TIG would “build public trust” is disingenuous. Public trust is not built by prolonging decisions that should already be made. Public trust is built when the Council follows the Charter, applies laws fairly, and takes action to return apartment-zoned housing to the residents it was intended for. Delay erodes trust. Delay protects outside corporations and absentee investors at the expense of Maui families.
Airbnb’s reference to “balance” and “multiple perspectives” cannot be taken at face value. The company’s interests are financial, not community-based. The overwhelming majority of Airbnb’s short-term rental clients in the Apartment District are not registered Maui voters. Many spend only a few weeks a year on island, while residents face displacement, housing insecurity, and overcrowding. Elevating the voices of absentee owners above residents violates the spirit of the Charter and undermines local democracy.
Airbnb suggests that the TIG is needed for “accurate data.” Yet the data is already clear: short-term rentals in the Apartment District have reduced available housing stock, driven up costs, and displaced residents. This has been acknowledged in the Planning Department’s reports, the Planning Commission’s findings, and through countless hours of public testimony. Asking for more “data” is a delay tactic, not a genuine request for information.
The real path forward is simple and lawful: approve Bill 9 as written. If condominium associations or owners believe they should qualify for short-term rental use, they can apply for zoning variances or amendments and pay the required fees, fines, and taxes. That is the transparent, accountable process under law. A TIG is not.
The Council has already taken the hard steps of review and approval. To stall now would be to engage in what can only be called larceny against the residents — stealing time, housing, and trust to protect the profits of corporations and absentee owners. Ethics and integrity require that Bill 9 be passed now, without further delay and without manipulation disguised as “education.”
Tryson Kaiama
Haiku
When Council members choose political safety over decisive action, they commit larceny against their own constituents by taking what belongs to the people — housing — and protecting investors instead.
Every day of delay is another day of displacement. With thousands still without permanent housing after the wildfires, excuses and task forces are unethical distractions from the real duty at hand.
The proper solution already exists: approve Bill 9 as written. If condo associations or owners want exceptions, they can apply to the County for zoning variances or amendments and pay the proper fees, fines, and taxes. That is the transparent and lawful process.
Bill 9 / TIG Process
Aloha Council Members;
The recent suggestion that certain community groups should be excluded from participating in the TIG process is rooted not in law but in fear and politics. Hawaiʻi’s Sunshine Law (HRS Ch. 92) is unambiguous: public business must be conducted openly. Every resident and registered voter has the right to be heard. What cannot be allowed is for groups with direct financial conflicts—such as the Realtor associations and their leadership—to insert themselves into this process under the guise of neutrality.
The Realtors Association and its president are on public record as being vehemently opposed to Bill 9. The opposition has been so extreme that the previous association president resigned after receiving threats tied to this very bill. Realtors cannot be treated as neutral stakeholders when their organization is actively campaigning against this legislation. Their participation in a TIG would be a textbook conflict under Article 13 of the Maui County Charter, which prohibits special consideration or advantage being granted to any party with a direct financial interest.
Compounding this conflict, many realtors are already providing legal advice to short-term rental owners and condominium associations on suing the County of Maui. This is not impartial engagement; it is coordinated opposition with the goal of undermining the law. Allowing such parties into a TIG would be equivalent to inviting counsel for the plaintiffs to help draft the defense. It is fundamentally inappropriate and a breach of public trust.
The real solution is simple and fair: approve Bill 9 in its current form. If certain condominium associations or owners believe their properties should qualify for short-term rental use, the proper path is already available. They must apply to the County for zoning variances or amendments to their districts. In doing so, they should pay the associated fees, fines, and taxes required by law. This ensures that the public receives compensation for speculative use, and that any exceptions are granted only through an established, transparent, and accountable process.
We have already passed the two-year in memoriam of the Maui wildfires, with thousands of residents still displaced and housing insecurity at crisis levels. Meanwhile, most short-term rental owners in the Apartment District are not registered Maui voters and spend only a few weeks a year on island. To prioritize their speculative investments over the permanent housing needs of residents is contrary to the Charter, contrary to the public trust doctrine under the Hawaiʻi State Constitution, and contrary to the ethical duty of this Council.
The TIG must not be used as a backdoor to reward political allies, silence community voices, or dilute the intent of Bill 9. The Council has both the authority and the responsibility to ensure that this law is implemented with transparency, integrity, and accountability to the people of Maui—not to the outside investors and the associations that represent them.
Kimo & Jolee Bindo
Waikapū
Aloha Council Members,
For the record, the Maui County Charter is clear: the Council has a duty to act openly, fairly, and in the public interest. Article 4, Section 4-2 requires the Council to legislate “by ordinance in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in this charter.” That means decisions cannot be made on assumptions, private agreements, or vague promises to “figure it out later.” Any process that lacks transparency risks not only bad policy, but also violations of the Charter and Hawaiʻi’s Sunshine Law (HRS Chapter 92).
Article 13 of the Maui County Charter requires all officials to avoid conflicts of interest and prohibits the granting of special consideration, treatment, or advantage to any person beyond what is available to the general public. We have already seen members of this body come under ethics review, and the public is watching closely. If a Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) is formed without first putting in writing the standards and limits for exceptions to the short-term rental ban in the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 zones), it will raise serious questions of favoritism and potential violations of both Article 13 and HRS §92-2, which requires decisions to be made in full view of the public.
The original intent of Bill 9 is to return apartment housing to residents. If exceptions are to be made, they must be defined clearly by the Council up front, in a transparent manner, not left to a small group behind closed doors. To do otherwise creates the appearance—and likely the reality—of political favoritism for certain property owners. Weak leadership that plays to the audience of the day instead of following the Charter and the Sunshine Law is exactly what has caused distrust in government.
The Council has one responsibility: to serve the people of Maui openly, under the Charter, with clear rules and full transparency. Anything less risks breaching ethics, undermining public trust, and leaving this Council remembered for protecting investors instead of protecting the community.
Allin Bohba
Wailea Resident
It would be nice if the meetings could be closed to Lahaina Strong, who has been known to threaten the council members. How legit is this where a group can basically intimidate and terrorize a person so they change their vote or recommendations. Are we living in Russia? They say that Lahaina Strong doesn't care about losing their jobs (they say they can live off the funds they take in from lobbying, donations they have taken in for the Lahaina fire survivor, or from selling drugs). They say, Lahaina Strong doesn't care about losing their homes as they can afford expensive hotel rooms. We hope anyone who threatens a council member's property, family members or life, ends up in jail or prison. They say that a family member of one of the leaders of Lahaina Strong is in prison. Probably not a good role model? Many think a lack of ethics is responsible for illegal acts this group commits. Reading the different online reporting, comments at the end of online stories (so many are against Lahaina Strong) and news stories about their "businesses"...is eye opening.
We commend the brave council members who stood up to their threats, God Bless You. Hang in there, so many people support and care about you.