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.
Whenever we are talking about making a governmental rule change change from the status quo that we all know will have major financial impacts in a community, the likely impacts of this change need to be studied as closely as possible in order to ensure that preventable and catastrophic mistakes aren't made. Every single person who cares about Maui and its residents should want to shed more daylight on the realities that Bill 9 is likely to bring. Anyone arguing against pursuing the questions proposed by the TIG is seeking passage of this bill for the wrong (or for very misguided/misinformed) reasons.
Let's make double, triple, quadruple sure we know the likely real-world impacts of Bill 9 BEFORE (not after) passage. The mayor and council will surely be held accountable by voters at the ballot box for any negative fallout that befalls Maui residents from the passage of Bill 9, so both the Mayor and every council member should be very keen on studying its likely impacts - positive and negative alike, in a neutral, unbiased, facts and numbers-based manner. For these reasons, I fully support the formation of the TIG and the research it proposes to conduct.
I will add that it really seems like we've put the cart before the horse here - the bill was proposed by the Mayor without really any proof that it will accomplish its initial stated goal of freeing up affordable housing for residents. More recently, during testimony in front of the HLU Committee, the Mayor's office admitted they are going after units they know are not affordable, but rather units they view as "obtainable" (direct quote), an admission which is not likely to go over well in the inevitable legal battle that will occur over Minatoya List condo owners' property rights. Investigating the likely legal ramifications and the County's potential legal and financial liability arising out of passage and implementation of BIll 9 is a key element of this analysis. Otherwise, Maui taxpayers could at some point find themselves on the hook financially for a massive legal error made by the County. Due diligence is so important in all areas of public policy. In this case because there seem to be many potential negative impacts of this Bill, including putting at risk the livelihoods of so many Maui residents who work in the vacation rental industry and the service/tourism industries more broadly, the more diligence, the better.
My family moved to Maui when I was 6 years old. My mom and dad created a cleaning business. Now that I have graduated, I also work for our family business. I have 3 younger siblings, as well. This is our families sole source of income. 90% of our business is from short term rentals. Since the recent downturn in tourism, we have been struggling to make ends meet. The rental units we service used to be very busy and now only have 1-2 bookings a month. Because of this, we are struggling to pay our bills and will soon need to rely on government assistance and we risk losing our home. If bill 9 passes, I don’t know what we will do. I am scared. My parents are scared. We have worked so hard to build our business and we are now at risk of losing everything we have. Bill 9 will NOT create housing for locals. Most of the owners we work with say that they will keep their condos as a vacation homes. Others plan to sell, but those will likely be bought by foreign investors who will rent them (for far more than many/any of us can afford). PLEASE. PLEASE reconsider and DO NOT PASS Bill 9. Our families livelihood (and so many of our friends and family members as well) will be destroyed. NOTHING GOOD WILL COME OF THIS. Please. I beg you. (Staying anonymous due to fear of retaliation…which is also why we can not testify in person. We are scared.)
We Support the Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) specific to the proposed passage of Bill 9, the proposed closure of legal Transient Vacation Rentals codified into law via the Minatoya List.
• How much will the tenants pay in “renter’s use taxes” directly to the County to cover lost property tax, or
• What would be new or increased taxes for resident homeowners as homeowners already pay GET to the county for long-term rentals.
At a minimum, these increases are not clearly publicized. Once potential increased taxes are clarified, it will be prudent for the Council to count the numbers of voters as either property owners or tenants. Otherwise, the Council is inadvertently letting tenants spend landowners’ hard-earned money. Naturally, the property owner would need to increase rents to cover increased taxes. Please study this thoroughly.
Too many states permit tenants to vote in favor of increased property taxes which cause financial hardship to the resident property owner. Too many tenants are not versed in the cost of maintaining a property. Too many tenants ask for everything and give nothing to the property owner. Payment of “rent” is not giving something to a property owner.
Do not confuse increased property taxes between Maui resident property owners and non-resident property owners. Consider providing Maui resident property owner to be granted an additional tax exemption to any new tax increases created consequently if Bill 9 is passed.
I support a Temporary Investigative Group related to Bill 9 and TVR's. As a Hawaii resident and Maui small business owner outside the tourism industry, I am already seeing the negative financial effect the downturn in tourism in Maui is having on my business as well as my employees. No jobs will mean you can't afford housing. I think if the elected officials understand the significant impact the loss of income and jobs is already having on locals, they might pause the approval of Bill 9.
There is so much evidence that this bill will (and already has) negatively impacted residents and our economy. There is ZERO evidence that the bill will provide housing for fire victims or other residents. Tourism is our industry. If you want to get rid of that industry, you must first establish a new industry to take its place. Maui County has failed to show ANY evidence of their PLAN of how this will work….. because it WONT.
When elected officials refuse to take a stand, and instead create investigative groups as cover, they show that their loyalty lies with donors, not voters.
I want to clear up a misunderstanding about what A-1 and A-2 apartment zoning was meant for. These areas were always created for people to live in — families, kūpuna, young workers — not for tourists.
The County’s zoning law says the purpose of apartment districts is to provide housing close to jobs, schools, and services. The list of permitted uses includes apartments, townhouses, boarding houses, and similar housing. Nowhere does it say these districts were designed for vacation rentals.
The only reason some condos in these zones ended up as short-term rentals is because of a narrow exception from the past. That exception was meant to protect a few existing uses, not to open the door for thousands of units to become hotels. Over time, real estate marketing and weak enforcement turned that loophole into a business model — but that was never the original intent.
People sometimes argue that these condos are too small for long-term living. But that’s not true in Hawaiʻi. We don’t live locked inside during long winters. Life here is mostly outdoors. A studio or one-bedroom can absolutely work for residents. These apartments were built as entry-level housing stock, not hotel rooms.
When we say A-1 and A-2 were “meant for vacationers,” that’s rewriting history. The reality is they were always meant to house Maui residents. Allowing them to stay as vacation rentals takes homes away from the people who live and vote here, at a time when we’re already in a housing crisis.
The law is clear, the history is clear, and the ethical responsibility is clear: Apartment districts are for housing our people, not for tourism.
When corporations threaten lawsuits to preserve speculative profit, and elected officials entertain those threats, what we are witnessing is not governance — it is surrender.
When multinational corporations like Airbnb and VRBO threaten to sue our County for passing housing laws, that is not democracy. That is economic intimidation.
Aloha Chair Kama and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee, attached is written testimony providing comments on the establishment of a TIG. Mahalo for your time and consideration.
The TIG is not about transparency; it is about delay. Bill 9 has already been reviewed and approved by the Mayor, the Planning Commission, and the Housing and Land Use Committee. To now create a TIG is not responsible governance — it is an abdication of duty and a stall tactic to buy time for investors.
Ethics demand that conflicts of interest be avoided. The Realtor associations and their leadership are on record as being vehemently opposed to this bill. Opposition has been so intense that the former association president resigned after threats tied to Bill 9. Allowing realtor associations into a TIG would not only create the appearance of bias, it would be a direct violation of Article 13 of the Maui County Charter, which prohibits special treatment for private gain. Realtors are not neutral parties; many are already advising STVR owners and condominium associations to sue the County. Their participation would erode public trust and expose this Council to more ethics complaints.
Integrity requires consistency. Councilmembers cannot claim to serve residents while indulging stall tactics that benefit absentee investors over Maui families who live here year-round. Most short-term rental owners in the Apartment District are not registered Maui voters and spend only a few weeks per year on island. To weigh their speculative investments equally — or above — the needs of residents undermines the purpose of this Charter and this Council.
The real solution is already available under the law: approve Bill 9 as written. If condominium associations believe they deserve exceptions, they can apply to the County for zoning variances or amendments. In doing so, they must pay the proper fees, fines, and taxes. That is the transparent, lawful process, and it ensures that speculative use compensates the public rather than draining it.
Every day of delay is another day of displacement. With the two-year memorial of the 2023 wildfires now behind us, the urgency is greater than ever. Thousands remain without permanent housing, while the County debates whether to protect the investments of absentee owners. That is not leadership; it is negligence.
The TIG is not a safeguard — it is a backroom deal waiting to happen. Ethics and integrity demand that this Council reject it. The duty of this body is clear: uphold the Charter, follow the Sunshine Law, and approve Bill 9 as written, without carve-outs, without delay, and without bowing to special interests. Anything less will be remembered as a failure of courage, integrity, and duty to the people of Maui.
Anthony Simmons
Kula Resident
STVR Owner
Deleted User
29 days ago
Ethics demand that conflicts of interest be avoided. Realtor associations that openly oppose Bill 9, and whose members are advising owners to sue the County, cannot be allowed to dictate policy under the pretense of neutrality.
Deleted User
29 days ago
The TIG is not about transparency — it is about delay. Bill 9 has already been vetted and approved by the Mayor, the Planning Commission, and the Housing and Land Use Committee. Anything further is an abdication of responsibility.
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 the politics of lost income, wealth extraction, transient housing policies and special interests.
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, regardless of how their testimony is received. To silence one group because their approach is uncomfortable or unpopular is to set a dangerous precedent that undermines democracy itself.
It must be noted that most short-term rental owners in the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 zones) are not registered voters in Maui County. Many spend only a few weeks a year on island, while the people bearing the brunt of this crisis live here year-round. To weigh their voices equally, or even more heavily than residents, would be to ignore the spirit of the Charter and the duty of this Council to serve its constituents.
The Maui County Charter (Art. 4, Sec. 4-2) requires the Council to legislate by ordinance “in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in this charter.” Article 13 further requires all officials to avoid conflicts of interest and prohibits granting special consideration, treatment, or advantage to any person beyond what is available to the public. Forming a TIG without first adopting clear, written standards for exceptions to the short-term rental ban is a direct invitation to favoritism, backroom influence, and potential ethics violations. The people of Maui have already seen councilmembers come under ethics review. If this process is not handled openly and appropriately, more complaints will follow.
With the two-year memorial of the 2023 wildfires behind us, this Council cannot continue to delay or distract. The County has not yet issued a formal acknowledgment of its failures in wildfire prevention and response, despite its clear duty under the Hawaiʻi State Constitution’s public trust doctrine to protect life, property, and natural resources. Continued silence erodes public trust and undermines healing. To now compound that by allowing special interests to dilute Bill 9 behind closed doors would only deepen the perception that this Council protects investors over residents.
The duty of this Council is not to indulge slander, delay, or political games. Councilmembers have the authority under the Charter to raise points of order, appeal rulings of the chair, or call for recess when the process slips into dictatorship. The tools exist to keep government honest. What is required now is the courage to use them.
The people of Maui deserve clarity and accountability. The Council must act under the Charter, the Sunshine Law, and the highest ethical standards to ensure that Bill 9 is implemented for the benefit of residents—not to preserve the speculative investments of absentee owners.
Lore Menin
STVR Owner
Maui Bus Rider
Senior Citizen
I support TIG. Need thorough investigation on proposed bills and its negative effect. Bill 9 economic impact can not be ignored. Fact needs to be told prior any major decisions.
Absolutely this should be done. We are taking a big part of our economy and things should be done in a well thought out process.
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.
Why would you not want to understand the impact that then allows for decision-making that achieves the best outcome for all constituents.
Whenever we are talking about making a governmental rule change change from the status quo that we all know will have major financial impacts in a community, the likely impacts of this change need to be studied as closely as possible in order to ensure that preventable and catastrophic mistakes aren't made. Every single person who cares about Maui and its residents should want to shed more daylight on the realities that Bill 9 is likely to bring. Anyone arguing against pursuing the questions proposed by the TIG is seeking passage of this bill for the wrong (or for very misguided/misinformed) reasons.
Let's make double, triple, quadruple sure we know the likely real-world impacts of Bill 9 BEFORE (not after) passage. The mayor and council will surely be held accountable by voters at the ballot box for any negative fallout that befalls Maui residents from the passage of Bill 9, so both the Mayor and every council member should be very keen on studying its likely impacts - positive and negative alike, in a neutral, unbiased, facts and numbers-based manner. For these reasons, I fully support the formation of the TIG and the research it proposes to conduct.
I will add that it really seems like we've put the cart before the horse here - the bill was proposed by the Mayor without really any proof that it will accomplish its initial stated goal of freeing up affordable housing for residents. More recently, during testimony in front of the HLU Committee, the Mayor's office admitted they are going after units they know are not affordable, but rather units they view as "obtainable" (direct quote), an admission which is not likely to go over well in the inevitable legal battle that will occur over Minatoya List condo owners' property rights. Investigating the likely legal ramifications and the County's potential legal and financial liability arising out of passage and implementation of BIll 9 is a key element of this analysis. Otherwise, Maui taxpayers could at some point find themselves on the hook financially for a massive legal error made by the County. Due diligence is so important in all areas of public policy. In this case because there seem to be many potential negative impacts of this Bill, including putting at risk the livelihoods of so many Maui residents who work in the vacation rental industry and the service/tourism industries more broadly, the more diligence, the better.
My family moved to Maui when I was 6 years old. My mom and dad created a cleaning business. Now that I have graduated, I also work for our family business. I have 3 younger siblings, as well. This is our families sole source of income. 90% of our business is from short term rentals. Since the recent downturn in tourism, we have been struggling to make ends meet. The rental units we service used to be very busy and now only have 1-2 bookings a month. Because of this, we are struggling to pay our bills and will soon need to rely on government assistance and we risk losing our home. If bill 9 passes, I don’t know what we will do. I am scared. My parents are scared. We have worked so hard to build our business and we are now at risk of losing everything we have. Bill 9 will NOT create housing for locals. Most of the owners we work with say that they will keep their condos as a vacation homes. Others plan to sell, but those will likely be bought by foreign investors who will rent them (for far more than many/any of us can afford). PLEASE. PLEASE reconsider and DO NOT PASS Bill 9. Our families livelihood (and so many of our friends and family members as well) will be destroyed. NOTHING GOOD WILL COME OF THIS. Please. I beg you. (Staying anonymous due to fear of retaliation…which is also why we can not testify in person. We are scared.)
We Support the Temporary Investigative Group (TIG) specific to the proposed passage of Bill 9, the proposed closure of legal Transient Vacation Rentals codified into law via the Minatoya List.
• How much will the tenants pay in “renter’s use taxes” directly to the County to cover lost property tax, or
• What would be new or increased taxes for resident homeowners as homeowners already pay GET to the county for long-term rentals.
At a minimum, these increases are not clearly publicized. Once potential increased taxes are clarified, it will be prudent for the Council to count the numbers of voters as either property owners or tenants. Otherwise, the Council is inadvertently letting tenants spend landowners’ hard-earned money. Naturally, the property owner would need to increase rents to cover increased taxes. Please study this thoroughly.
Too many states permit tenants to vote in favor of increased property taxes which cause financial hardship to the resident property owner. Too many tenants are not versed in the cost of maintaining a property. Too many tenants ask for everything and give nothing to the property owner. Payment of “rent” is not giving something to a property owner.
Do not confuse increased property taxes between Maui resident property owners and non-resident property owners. Consider providing Maui resident property owner to be granted an additional tax exemption to any new tax increases created consequently if Bill 9 is passed.
I support a Temporary Investigative Group related to Bill 9 and TVR's. As a Hawaii resident and Maui small business owner outside the tourism industry, I am already seeing the negative financial effect the downturn in tourism in Maui is having on my business as well as my employees. No jobs will mean you can't afford housing. I think if the elected officials understand the significant impact the loss of income and jobs is already having on locals, they might pause the approval of Bill 9.
There is so much evidence that this bill will (and already has) negatively impacted residents and our economy. There is ZERO evidence that the bill will provide housing for fire victims or other residents. Tourism is our industry. If you want to get rid of that industry, you must first establish a new industry to take its place. Maui County has failed to show ANY evidence of their PLAN of how this will work….. because it WONT.
When elected officials refuse to take a stand, and instead create investigative groups as cover, they show that their loyalty lies with donors, not voters.
Every councilmember knows this industry thrives because of political protection — not because it was ever the intent of our zoning laws.
I want to clear up a misunderstanding about what A-1 and A-2 apartment zoning was meant for. These areas were always created for people to live in — families, kūpuna, young workers — not for tourists.
The County’s zoning law says the purpose of apartment districts is to provide housing close to jobs, schools, and services. The list of permitted uses includes apartments, townhouses, boarding houses, and similar housing. Nowhere does it say these districts were designed for vacation rentals.
The only reason some condos in these zones ended up as short-term rentals is because of a narrow exception from the past. That exception was meant to protect a few existing uses, not to open the door for thousands of units to become hotels. Over time, real estate marketing and weak enforcement turned that loophole into a business model — but that was never the original intent.
People sometimes argue that these condos are too small for long-term living. But that’s not true in Hawaiʻi. We don’t live locked inside during long winters. Life here is mostly outdoors. A studio or one-bedroom can absolutely work for residents. These apartments were built as entry-level housing stock, not hotel rooms.
When we say A-1 and A-2 were “meant for vacationers,” that’s rewriting history. The reality is they were always meant to house Maui residents. Allowing them to stay as vacation rentals takes homes away from the people who live and vote here, at a time when we’re already in a housing crisis.
The law is clear, the history is clear, and the ethical responsibility is clear: Apartment districts are for housing our people, not for tourism.
Geri Anne Cabato
Kahului
When corporations threaten lawsuits to preserve speculative profit, and elected officials entertain those threats, what we are witnessing is not governance — it is surrender.
When multinational corporations like Airbnb and VRBO threaten to sue our County for passing housing laws, that is not democracy. That is economic intimidation.
Aloha Chair Kama and Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee, attached is written testimony providing comments on the establishment of a TIG. Mahalo for your time and consideration.
By entertaining stall tactics, the Council robs residents of their right to stability while rewarding absentee owners with more time to profit.
Aloha Council Members and Committee Chair
The TIG is not about transparency; it is about delay. Bill 9 has already been reviewed and approved by the Mayor, the Planning Commission, and the Housing and Land Use Committee. To now create a TIG is not responsible governance — it is an abdication of duty and a stall tactic to buy time for investors.
Ethics demand that conflicts of interest be avoided. The Realtor associations and their leadership are on record as being vehemently opposed to this bill. Opposition has been so intense that the former association president resigned after threats tied to Bill 9. Allowing realtor associations into a TIG would not only create the appearance of bias, it would be a direct violation of Article 13 of the Maui County Charter, which prohibits special treatment for private gain. Realtors are not neutral parties; many are already advising STVR owners and condominium associations to sue the County. Their participation would erode public trust and expose this Council to more ethics complaints.
Integrity requires consistency. Councilmembers cannot claim to serve residents while indulging stall tactics that benefit absentee investors over Maui families who live here year-round. Most short-term rental owners in the Apartment District are not registered Maui voters and spend only a few weeks per year on island. To weigh their speculative investments equally — or above — the needs of residents undermines the purpose of this Charter and this Council.
The real solution is already available under the law: approve Bill 9 as written. If condominium associations believe they deserve exceptions, they can apply to the County for zoning variances or amendments. In doing so, they must pay the proper fees, fines, and taxes. That is the transparent, lawful process, and it ensures that speculative use compensates the public rather than draining it.
Every day of delay is another day of displacement. With the two-year memorial of the 2023 wildfires now behind us, the urgency is greater than ever. Thousands remain without permanent housing, while the County debates whether to protect the investments of absentee owners. That is not leadership; it is negligence.
The TIG is not a safeguard — it is a backroom deal waiting to happen. Ethics and integrity demand that this Council reject it. The duty of this body is clear: uphold the Charter, follow the Sunshine Law, and approve Bill 9 as written, without carve-outs, without delay, and without bowing to special interests. Anything less will be remembered as a failure of courage, integrity, and duty to the people of Maui.
Anthony Simmons
Kula Resident
STVR Owner
Ethics demand that conflicts of interest be avoided. Realtor associations that openly oppose Bill 9, and whose members are advising owners to sue the County, cannot be allowed to dictate policy under the pretense of neutrality.
The TIG is not about transparency — it is about delay. Bill 9 has already been vetted and approved by the Mayor, the Planning Commission, and the Housing and Land Use Committee. Anything further is an abdication of responsibility.
To the Maui County HLUC;
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 the politics of lost income, wealth extraction, transient housing policies and special interests.
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, regardless of how their testimony is received. To silence one group because their approach is uncomfortable or unpopular is to set a dangerous precedent that undermines democracy itself.
It must be noted that most short-term rental owners in the Apartment District (A-1 and A-2 zones) are not registered voters in Maui County. Many spend only a few weeks a year on island, while the people bearing the brunt of this crisis live here year-round. To weigh their voices equally, or even more heavily than residents, would be to ignore the spirit of the Charter and the duty of this Council to serve its constituents.
The Maui County Charter (Art. 4, Sec. 4-2) requires the Council to legislate by ordinance “in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in this charter.” Article 13 further requires all officials to avoid conflicts of interest and prohibits granting special consideration, treatment, or advantage to any person beyond what is available to the public. Forming a TIG without first adopting clear, written standards for exceptions to the short-term rental ban is a direct invitation to favoritism, backroom influence, and potential ethics violations. The people of Maui have already seen councilmembers come under ethics review. If this process is not handled openly and appropriately, more complaints will follow.
With the two-year memorial of the 2023 wildfires behind us, this Council cannot continue to delay or distract. The County has not yet issued a formal acknowledgment of its failures in wildfire prevention and response, despite its clear duty under the Hawaiʻi State Constitution’s public trust doctrine to protect life, property, and natural resources. Continued silence erodes public trust and undermines healing. To now compound that by allowing special interests to dilute Bill 9 behind closed doors would only deepen the perception that this Council protects investors over residents.
The duty of this Council is not to indulge slander, delay, or political games. Councilmembers have the authority under the Charter to raise points of order, appeal rulings of the chair, or call for recess when the process slips into dictatorship. The tools exist to keep government honest. What is required now is the courage to use them.
The people of Maui deserve clarity and accountability. The Council must act under the Charter, the Sunshine Law, and the highest ethical standards to ensure that Bill 9 is implemented for the benefit of residents—not to preserve the speculative investments of absentee owners.
Lore Menin
STVR Owner
Maui Bus Rider
Senior Citizen
I support TIG. Need thorough investigation on proposed bills and its negative effect. Bill 9 economic impact can not be ignored. Fact needs to be told prior any major decisions.