Aloha,
I'm in support of this bill. I work at a business on Lehuakona Street and for years we've been having to clean up the rubbish they throw on the property, clean up the broken glass, having to deal with the smell of pee, and clean up human feces in our property and the sidewalk. The rubbish that they leave behind include needles, hazardous chemicals, and other dangerous rubbish. Having to deal with their dogs wanting to attack us when we walk by and the dog poop that we have to clean up as well. They also threaten us with violence when we try to ask them to move along. Who wants to go to a business that has all of these things in front of it? There's was a business that would walk special needs kids on the sidewalk, but they can't anymore because of this. We pay our taxes and contribute to society, and they don't. Why do they have more rights to being safe than we do? Why is the clean up our responsibility? We have a right to travel on County sidewalks and roads safely, without literal crap on the sidewalk, without being threatened, or bitten, and injured. Moving them doesn't solve their issue, but it solves ours. Sorry, but not sorry. This has been going on for years and we're tired of calling the police and running in circles. I STRONGLY SUPPORT this bill.
Mahalo.
To: Chair Cook and Members of the Maui County Council
Water and Infrastructure Committee
Re: Bill 49 (2026) – Parking Prohibitions for Certain Streets and Highways
Position: STRONG OPPOSITION
Chair and Committee Members,
I am in strong opposition to Bill 49 (2026), which seeks to prohibit overnight parking on Lehuakona, Ala Makani, and Ohekani Streets in Kahului between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m
First, the Bill summary does not clearly describe the 104 multi-island streets and highways numbered in the Bill language. Perhaps because Councilmember Batangan is new, he is unaware of the history of the safe sleeping parking lot and the lawsuits in the State of Hawaiʻi and Maui County.
The mere introduction of this bill is deeply disappointing and morally indefensible given the current reality facing Maui’s houseless and vehicle-dwelling residents. Maui County has failed to establish adequate safe sleeping parking programs, sanctioned overnight vehicle areas, or meaningful emergency alternatives for residents who have nowhere else to go. Yet instead of creating solutions first, the County is attempting to criminalize survival.
This proposal is particularly alarming because Maui County and the Mayor are already involved in active litigation regarding unlawful sweeps and the treatment of houseless individuals. Introducing additional enforcement-based measures while those legal challenges remain unresolved, demonstrates a disturbing disregard for constitutional rights, due process, and human dignity. The County should be exercising caution and restraint - - - not expanding punitive policies that will almost certainly expose taxpayers to further legal liability.
You cannot ethically or legally eliminate places where people are surviving in their vehicles without first creating realistic, accessible, and safe alternatives. The County has not done that.
This bill will not solve homelessness. It will simply push vulnerable residents from one street to another, increasing instability, trauma, and conflict with law enforcement while making life even more dangerous for working families, kūpuna, disaster survivors, and individuals already struggling to survive Maui’s severe housing crisis.
If public safety is truly the concern, then the County should immediately prioritize:
1.Establishing safe overnight parking programs with sanitation and security;
2.Creating designated safe sleeping areas for vehicle dwellers;
3.Expanding emergency shelter and transitional housing capacity;
4.Investing in outreach, mental health support, and housing-first strategies; and
5. Developing lawful, humane policies i n c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h i m p a c t e d c o m m u n i t i e s.
Only after those systems exist should the Council even contemplate additional parking restrictions that directly impact houseless residents.
The County should be ashamed to advance punitive enforcement measures before creating compassionate and lawful alternatives. Maui residents deserve leadership rooted in humanity, legality, and practical solutions - - - - not ordinances that continue to criminalize poverty while the County remains under scrutiny for its treatment of the houseless community.
I’ve mentioned before, the DOT has new rules that have not been fully distributed and learned by security officers. In short, anytime you want to make a change to a highway that is in the purview of the DOT, you must have a public hearing for Native Hawaiians individuals and organizations, 60 days before any decision making. I saw Maui County staff at the Maui meetings and DOT personnel were present at the O’ahu meetings. The dissemination of this information needs to be accelerated, and you, the Council, should advise your administrative staff to find more info, so you do not get into this position again.
I respectfully urge the Council to reject Bill 49 (2026).
Most Seriously, Faith Chase
Deleted User
at May 18, 2026 at 3:00pm HST
My name is Jolee Bindo, and I strongly support Bill 49 with strict enforcement.
The conditions on these 3 streets have become unacceptable for the businesses, employees, contractors, and customers who rely on these industrial areas every day. Business owners have already installed gates, fencing, lighting, and security systems at their own expense, yet the problems continue because enforcement has remained inconsistent.
Industrial corridors are not intended to function as unmanaged overnight encampments or long-term vehicle habitation areas. The County has an obligation to maintain public order, safe access, sanitation, and security in areas critical to commerce and employment.
I also believe this issue highlights a larger structural problem within Maui County government. Representatives from Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi, who do not live with the direct impacts of these conditions in Kahului, still hold voting power over issues that affect Maui residents, businesses, infrastructure, and public safety on this island alone. That is one more reason serious discussion about redistricting and representation within Maui County needs to occur.
I fully support Bill 49 and consistent enforcement, including towing and impound where necessary.
I strongly support Bill 49 and strict enforcement. These industrial streets were built for businesses, employees, deliveries, infrastructure access, and public safety — not unmanaged overnight vehicle habitation that places workers, property owners, and surrounding operations at risk.
Edward Codelia, Maui Resident
Aloha, Lance K. Gilliland General Manager Lehua Linen (commercial laundry business) 393 Lehuakona street, Kahului, HI 96732. I am in support of this bill. This bill is about the health and safety of the employees who work in this area and security of my business assets. The issues are centered around and connected with "unknown persons" and their vehicles parked on County roadways adjacent to my businesses overnight. These parked vehicles that have been allowed to remain on the street for an indefinite period of time, has created a concern for the safety of my business and employees. My business has suffered 2 attempted break ins, 2 vandalisms, 1 trespass citation and just last night my mailbox was graffitied.
My employee's no longer feel safe to wait outside for their rides. Now they stay in the building until their ride arrives. For those who walk to work. We schedule them to start and finish during daylight hours. They specifically feel most comfortable walking in the middle of the road rather than the sidewalk. We are also challenged with the safe operation of our business, caused by the congestion created by these vehicles. Often these vehicles are double parked creating a one lane road. Other noteworthy facts. There are no public restrooms or trash receptacles. Our landscape has become both public restroom and trash can, at times a communal shower.
Aloha,
I'm in support of this bill. I work at a business on Lehuakona Street and for years we've been having to clean up the rubbish they throw on the property, clean up the broken glass, having to deal with the smell of pee, and clean up human feces in our property and the sidewalk. The rubbish that they leave behind include needles, hazardous chemicals, and other dangerous rubbish. Having to deal with their dogs wanting to attack us when we walk by and the dog poop that we have to clean up as well. They also threaten us with violence when we try to ask them to move along. Who wants to go to a business that has all of these things in front of it? There's was a business that would walk special needs kids on the sidewalk, but they can't anymore because of this. We pay our taxes and contribute to society, and they don't. Why do they have more rights to being safe than we do? Why is the clean up our responsibility? We have a right to travel on County sidewalks and roads safely, without literal crap on the sidewalk, without being threatened, or bitten, and injured. Moving them doesn't solve their issue, but it solves ours. Sorry, but not sorry. This has been going on for years and we're tired of calling the police and running in circles. I STRONGLY SUPPORT this bill.
Mahalo.
Renee P Kaiama, Maui Resident, Small Business Owner
To: Chair Cook and Members of the Maui County Council
Water and Infrastructure Committee
Re: Bill 49 (2026) – Parking Prohibitions for Certain Streets and Highways
Position: STRONG OPPOSITION
Chair and Committee Members,
I am in strong opposition to Bill 49 (2026), which seeks to prohibit overnight parking on Lehuakona, Ala Makani, and Ohekani Streets in Kahului between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m
First, the Bill summary does not clearly describe the 104 multi-island streets and highways numbered in the Bill language. Perhaps because Councilmember Batangan is new, he is unaware of the history of the safe sleeping parking lot and the lawsuits in the State of Hawaiʻi and Maui County.
The mere introduction of this bill is deeply disappointing and morally indefensible given the current reality facing Maui’s houseless and vehicle-dwelling residents. Maui County has failed to establish adequate safe sleeping parking programs, sanctioned overnight vehicle areas, or meaningful emergency alternatives for residents who have nowhere else to go. Yet instead of creating solutions first, the County is attempting to criminalize survival.
This proposal is particularly alarming because Maui County and the Mayor are already involved in active litigation regarding unlawful sweeps and the treatment of houseless individuals. Introducing additional enforcement-based measures while those legal challenges remain unresolved, demonstrates a disturbing disregard for constitutional rights, due process, and human dignity. The County should be exercising caution and restraint - - - not expanding punitive policies that will almost certainly expose taxpayers to further legal liability.
You cannot ethically or legally eliminate places where people are surviving in their vehicles without first creating realistic, accessible, and safe alternatives. The County has not done that.
This bill will not solve homelessness. It will simply push vulnerable residents from one street to another, increasing instability, trauma, and conflict with law enforcement while making life even more dangerous for working families, kūpuna, disaster survivors, and individuals already struggling to survive Maui’s severe housing crisis.
If public safety is truly the concern, then the County should immediately prioritize:
1.Establishing safe overnight parking programs with sanitation and security;
2.Creating designated safe sleeping areas for vehicle dwellers;
3.Expanding emergency shelter and transitional housing capacity;
4.Investing in outreach, mental health support, and housing-first strategies; and
5. Developing lawful, humane policies i n c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h i m p a c t e d c o m m u n i t i e s.
Only after those systems exist should the Council even contemplate additional parking restrictions that directly impact houseless residents.
The County should be ashamed to advance punitive enforcement measures before creating compassionate and lawful alternatives. Maui residents deserve leadership rooted in humanity, legality, and practical solutions - - - - not ordinances that continue to criminalize poverty while the County remains under scrutiny for its treatment of the houseless community.
I’ve mentioned before, the DOT has new rules that have not been fully distributed and learned by security officers. In short, anytime you want to make a change to a highway that is in the purview of the DOT, you must have a public hearing for Native Hawaiians individuals and organizations, 60 days before any decision making. I saw Maui County staff at the Maui meetings and DOT personnel were present at the O’ahu meetings. The dissemination of this information needs to be accelerated, and you, the Council, should advise your administrative staff to find more info, so you do not get into this position again.
I respectfully urge the Council to reject Bill 49 (2026).
Most Seriously, Faith Chase
My name is Jolee Bindo, and I strongly support Bill 49 with strict enforcement.
The conditions on these 3 streets have become unacceptable for the businesses, employees, contractors, and customers who rely on these industrial areas every day. Business owners have already installed gates, fencing, lighting, and security systems at their own expense, yet the problems continue because enforcement has remained inconsistent.
Industrial corridors are not intended to function as unmanaged overnight encampments or long-term vehicle habitation areas. The County has an obligation to maintain public order, safe access, sanitation, and security in areas critical to commerce and employment.
I also believe this issue highlights a larger structural problem within Maui County government. Representatives from Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi, who do not live with the direct impacts of these conditions in Kahului, still hold voting power over issues that affect Maui residents, businesses, infrastructure, and public safety on this island alone. That is one more reason serious discussion about redistricting and representation within Maui County needs to occur.
I fully support Bill 49 and consistent enforcement, including towing and impound where necessary.
Jolee Bindo, Waikapu Resident
I strongly support Bill 49 and strict enforcement. These industrial streets were built for businesses, employees, deliveries, infrastructure access, and public safety — not unmanaged overnight vehicle habitation that places workers, property owners, and surrounding operations at risk.
Edward Codelia, Maui Resident
Aloha, Lance K. Gilliland General Manager Lehua Linen (commercial laundry business) 393 Lehuakona street, Kahului, HI 96732. I am in support of this bill. This bill is about the health and safety of the employees who work in this area and security of my business assets. The issues are centered around and connected with "unknown persons" and their vehicles parked on County roadways adjacent to my businesses overnight. These parked vehicles that have been allowed to remain on the street for an indefinite period of time, has created a concern for the safety of my business and employees. My business has suffered 2 attempted break ins, 2 vandalisms, 1 trespass citation and just last night my mailbox was graffitied.
My employee's no longer feel safe to wait outside for their rides. Now they stay in the building until their ride arrives. For those who walk to work. We schedule them to start and finish during daylight hours. They specifically feel most comfortable walking in the middle of the road rather than the sidewalk. We are also challenged with the safe operation of our business, caused by the congestion created by these vehicles. Often these vehicles are double parked creating a one lane road. Other noteworthy facts. There are no public restrooms or trash receptacles. Our landscape has become both public restroom and trash can, at times a communal shower.