Maui’s vacation rental ban has ignited fierce debate, with locals and visitors weighing in on the island’s housing crisis, tourism dependency, and government missteps. While some believe the ban could alleviate housing shortages, others see it as a misguided policy that risks damaging the economy without providing any meaningful solutions for residents.
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Hi, just a quick question. We have traveled to Maui multiple times. Our last trip was canceled due to Covid. We have stayed at Puamana every visit. We are in the beginning stages of planning a trip for May of 2025 and saw that some units in Puamana are again available for rent. So I guess my questions are whether or not visitors are welcome in that area yet? We love Puamana and would like to support the local economy but we also want to be respectful and not intrusive and with Puamana being in the fire zone, we are worried that we may not be welcome. If you have any insight or advice, we would appreciate it.
(Sigh)Study after study shows that when you ban or restrict short term rentals, tourism spend goes Way down and ownership of those formerly short term rentals transfer through property sales to the wealthy who can afford 2nd homes without having to rent them out. The new owners aren’t there all the time (unlike a busy short term rental) and therefore the spend per visitor (and all related tax dollars going to the State, including room taxes, sales taxes, etc) goes WAY down. Maui will see this happen just as Palm Springs, Idyllwild, New York City and other Short Term Rental banning or restricting cities are currently seeing it happen. The Only real solution to the housing crisis is building more affordable units. Nothing more, nothing less.
Wife and I bought a small condo on the windward side of Oahu, one bedroom,
600 sq. ft., after falling in love with Hawaii after visiting the 4 major islands. When we’re not there we were STR it, or manager had staff that she pays to clean, $25-$30, per hour, now Honolulu County is trying to shut STR down and they’ll lose their jobs, and a family wouldn’t fit in our small place let alone afford it, Hawaii is quickly losing its “Aloha”!
I sincerely doubt that Maui will become the new Florida. Just the difference in state taxes is enough to keep retirees away. Florida has no state income tax, what is it in Hawaii? 9% 10%? And then there’s the cost of living in general. How much more does it cost to buy a car in Hawaii and it doesn’t Florida? And then there’s the fact that you can drive in one day from Chicago or Washington DC to Florida where Hawaii requires expensive airline flights.
Florida is filled with Retired people and tourist. Maui is pretty much filled with retired people and tourist. I believe this is what HB is referring to. The only difference is the economic class of the tourist and retirees. Maui is filled with rich ones. Florida is not. But both have many similarities.
We need a lot of new basic housing on Maui… Maybe 5000 simple basic houses. How about 1/2 acre lots. One sq mile is 640 acres or about 1300 home per sq mile. That is about 10 sq mile area or an area of 3 miles by 3 miles. Not a very big area. Make 3or 4 smaller towns? On a 1/2 acre lot you have room for a Ohana unit too. Get Building Maui. Force the Government to do something. STR. are cash cows and we also need jobs!
Stating that Florida is no longer a go to State for retirement is a farce. Unaffordable Florida are the gated communities where the Wealthy live, these exist and don’t take up vast expanses of the State. Most of the State varies depending upon whether or not its proximity to larger Cities or Disney. Those retired people moving to Florida, Most of which are Not Millionaires, seek tax benefits, better weather, beaches, and sunshine. Never will Hawaii be a Florida retirement destination, not even similar. Maybe, possibly, some Wealthy people will purchase a getaway, that’s inevitable. Lowering the cost of STR’S to the point where typical residents can afford, mostly Laughable. That’s Not what any of this is really about. Diverting Attention from what’s really going on is the goal. Keep pressuring the Hotel and Resort Industries!
This is the sanest response that I’ve seen so far. Pointing the finger at mom and pop businesses is absolutely a diversion technique. And so far, the hotel lobby is winning with this smoke and mirror technique. The uber wealthy are making those of us who are not uber wealthy fight amongst ourselves, getting us to do their dirty work for them. To go along with it is beyond sad.
Many can afford Florida, almost no one can afford Maui.
The comments here seem to have veered off-topic into the familiar STR arguments. If I’m not mistaken, the point of this story was about the risk of Maui becoming overrun with part-time snowbirds.
The influx of affluent snowbirds risks further diluting or destroying the local culture, which, for those of us who live here full-time, is the true beauty of Hawaii.
If you’re going to live in Hawaii, learn the customs, culture, and language. Become part of the culture, not contribute to diluting or destroying it.