Re: Testimony Regarding Bill 9 TIG Recommendations – Request to Include Maui Sands I in Exhibit 2 Exclusions
Aloha Chair and Committee Members,
I am writing as a homeowner at Maui Sands I to submit testimony regarding the current draft of the TIG recommendations for Bill 9. I respectfully request that the Committee re-evaluate the scope of Exhibit 2, as it currently includes the neighboring Maui Sands II complex for exclusion but omits Maui Sands I.
As a resident and property owner at Maui Sands I, I can attest that our complex shares the same location, environmental conditions, and development constraints as Maui Sands II. We are adjacent properties and are equally impacted by shoreline erosion, rising insurance costs, and the high cost of maintaining aging infrastructure in this area.
However, what further complicates the situation for Maui Sands I owners is the leasehold nature of the property. Each unit is subject to a monthly land lease fee, which in my case (a two-bedroom, one-bath unit) is approximately $1,300 per month. On top of that, HOA fees are close to $2,000, and my mortgage payment is another $2,000 per month, bringing my fixed monthly costs to over $5,000. This level of overhead makes it financially impossible to offer the unit as a long-term rental at a price point that is reasonable or sustainable for local families.
Long-term rental viability is one of the key goals of Bill 9, but leasehold properties like Maui Sands I are fundamentally different from other housing types. The additional financial burden placed on these units makes it unrealistic to expect that they could meaningfully contribute to long-term affordable rental inventory, especially when these costs are passed on to tenants.
Given this context, I urge the Committee to consider including Maui Sands I in the Exhibit 2 list of excluded properties, just as Maui Sands II has been. Excluding Maui Sands I would recognize the shared realities of our properties and help avoid unintended consequences that could disproportionately burden our already struggling homeowner community.
Mahalo for your time, attention, and your commitment to thoughtful policymaking.
Re: Testimony Regarding Bill 9 TIG Recommendations – Request to Include Maui Sands I in Exhibit 2 Exclusions
Aloha Chair and Committee Members,
I am writing as a homeowner at Maui Sands I to submit testimony regarding the current draft of the TIG recommendations for Bill 9. I respectfully request that the Committee re-evaluate the scope of Exhibit 2, as it currently includes the neighboring Maui Sands II complex for exclusion but omits Maui Sands I.
As a resident and property owner at Maui Sands I, I can attest that our complex shares the same location, environmental conditions, and development constraints as Maui Sands II. We are adjacent properties and are equally impacted by shoreline erosion, rising insurance costs, and the high cost of maintaining aging infrastructure in this area.
However, what further complicates the situation for Maui Sands I owners is the leasehold nature of the property. Each unit is subject to a monthly land lease fee, which in my case (a two-bedroom, one-bath unit) is approximately $1,300 per month. On top of that, HOA fees are close to $2,000, and my mortgage payment is another $2,000 per month, bringing my fixed monthly costs to over $5,000. This level of overhead makes it financially impossible to offer the unit as a long-term rental at a price point that is reasonable or sustainable for local families.
Long-term rental viability is one of the key goals of Bill 9, but leasehold properties like Maui Sands I are fundamentally different from other housing types. The additional financial burden placed on these units makes it unrealistic to expect that they could meaningfully contribute to long-term affordable rental inventory, especially when these costs are passed on to tenants.
Given this context, I urge the Committee to consider including Maui Sands I in the Exhibit 2 list of excluded properties, just as Maui Sands II has been. Excluding Maui Sands I would recognize the shared realities of our properties and help avoid unintended consequences that could disproportionately burden our already struggling homeowner community.
Mahalo for your time, attention, and your commitment to thoughtful policymaking.