Following the Lahaina fire, Hawaii sits at a pivotal moment, reconsidering the role of tourism in both its economy and community. Today’s anniversary is again bringing global media attention to the tragedy. This journey invites us all to rethink and rebuild toward a better future for Hawaii.
Unintended consequence – When all these condominiums are no longer STR’s we will be laying off all employees, maids, room checkers office staff, maintenance staff, window washers, the hula dancers, yuke player and maybe leave 1 employee on site. If it is not run as a resort we won’t need them.
We had one full time employee during the Covid shut down this will be the same except we won’t be hiring them back. During Covid , most of the employees relocated to California and Nevada and never came back. It’s already happening now not because of the STR’s but because there is no affordable housing, something you can rent for 2-3K a month on West Maui, these is plenty of land but the politicians are too busy flying to Japan on boondoggle at our expense, wake up.
We are longtime timeshare owners on Maui. It was a tragic situation when Covid hit, and another tragic situation with the fires a year ago. Our hearts broke for the people of Maui. We donated to the food bank a few times during the past year (like we do at home) and went back in February because it’s our favorite place. We were treated kindly and felt welcome. We are headed back next week for our makeup trip that was cancelled last year due to the fires. Now, we are not wealthy visitors but we just want to hang out on the beach, do a sunset sail, go to some local restaurants like Mala Tavern and Star Noodle and get a beer at Maui Brewing. Is that being ‘mindful’? I hope we are still welcome. Our son and his family just got back from a trip to Maui and had a lot of fun. My brother and his family are on Oahu right now and just hanging out at the beach. We just want to go on vacation and de stress. I don’t want any angst about vacation.
The Mayor’s STR ban is a destabilization of the real estate market for all Maui properties. We have already seen an owner sell a unit for less than half of the last sale of a like kind unit, still sold for a little over a million and the AOAO fees are over $7,000. A month, so not affordable and wasn’t resold to a local. The other owner’s are filing appeals to the current real estate tax valuations based on the sale.
I’m sure the banks in Hawaii are thinking how many of the unit owner will walk away from their under water condo’s. We will see some owners buy lower priced units with possibly better locations, close escrow and let the other condo be foreclosed on by the banks.
After this is all over and if the mayor is successful in banning str’s the property taxes for the str properties will go way down, 10% of what there are now and county will loose all those millions of tax dollars and they will need to replace the income and your taxes are going up.
This is Maui’s chance to build a beautiful new Lahaina! If they prefer it could be built with a charming old fashioned facade.
Each island has similar but different needs. For Maui, needs to fix its electrical power and water infrastructure problems and find ways to attract other industries. PPP (Public Private Partnerships) is a proven model that should be implemented. Affordable housing and streamlining permitting and inspections need to be included. The quickest way Maui citizens can help is to elect public officials that are focused on these subjects instead of the same old tax and spend approach. That includes county officials as well as state legislators and the governor.
Repealing the hundred year old Jones Act would dramatically improve the cost of living and the cost of doing business in Hawaii. But this topic is like the thousand pound gorilla in the attic. Everybody knows its there, but nobody wants to talk about it!
I used to be a property owner in Maui. Mys sister still owns a place there. It was always my favorite go to, easy to get to, vacation place. No longer.
The toursim industry decided there was no limit to what they could charge, the goose would always lay golden eggs. Locals began to resent the tourists taking over the islands, Nice laid back attitudes began to evaporate.
Too many other places in the world to visit at less money and more love.
So the government and the locals want to dial back the dependence on tourism…what else you got? You need to go back to the turn of 1900’s and what have you got there? Plantations exploiting workers. It is a false narrative to think simplier times pre-tourism will sustain the population.
Hawaii created the tourism boom and now they regret it. Maybe there is an eco-tourism element that can be put forth but I doubt the islands will want to go back to poor workers and rich property owners
I can’t see anything getting better until your elected officials stand up and start accepting that ‘they’ are the major reason for the present problems. Another scapegoat idea,”tax the tourists even more to pay for disasters”, as if we aren’t already being taxed up the okole. How about the billions of dollars you receive each year from tourism be used for the purpose they were collected, instead of frivolous spending. How about building more affordable housing, getting rid of the thousands of cesspools that pollute your kai and aina, controlling some basic food costs so your people don’t have to work 2 and 3 jobs. I’ve always believed, no matter the government, it’s always easy to spend someone else’s money.
Before the Lahaina fires, tourism was already in crisis on Maui. Too many tourists literally loving Maui to death, all at the expense of the local population that continued to get priced out their homes.
I firmly believe the answer is moratorium on all new residential development aimed at visitors. No more condo complexes for the STR market, no more luxury homes for the obscenely wealthy. Build workforce housing and take care of all those displaced by the Lahaina fires. Then and only then, reassess.
I’m always amused when someone strongly puts forth an idea that has already been implemented. There is already a moratorium on STRs. No new ones can be built. No new ones can even be started, as there is a cap on all of the permits in all zones except Hotel. As far as no building for the wealthy…well…good luck with that.
And as far as “loving Maui to death”…don’t worry, it’s not happening anymore, and that expression is but a distant memory.
It used to be sugar and pineapple. Now it’s the military and tourism.
The biggest block to diversification is our local governments. They make it almost impossible to do anything. They appoint their political supporters and family to run the business of the islands. How did that work out for Lahaina? You got what you paid for.
People with good ideas that might diversify the economy soon find this out and go elsewhere. If you’re not in the club, you’re out.
Before the fires, there was obviously not enough affordable housing for the locals, as several families were all living under one roof. Now they are saying the Short term rentals are the problem. These rentals have brought and nourished their islands and gave job opportunities to the locals for decades. The government needs to take care of their locals, build more affordable housing. Bring back tourism so that they can afford living in their own homes. Without it, I feel, the island will be impoverished and people will have to leave. Other than tourism you have nothing else to sustain your island, no sugar cane fields, pineapples, etc. What will happen to the resorts, hotels, small businesses? If locals don’t have jobs, how are they to sustain the island. Less opportunities, no tourism, no jobs, supply business will fail…nothing good will come out of this. The trickle effect is real and we see it coming. The governor needs to take of your islands and your people, js.
54 years ago, living on Oahu, (now on Kauai), downtown Lahaina street skyline looked like a third world country with tangles of various utility wires over the streets. City officials ignored warnings from the fire chief & the building code enforcement. They were partner with their real estate developments for self-enrichment.
Families told me of relatives who advised of the danger were told, “If you don’t drop this issue, you will be looking for another job!” In other words, “Get out of the way of my money!”. It was a quiet little secret & several did not like was happening & were vocally quashed. Even the press was told to, “Drop the story”. Real estate people were threatening to pull their advertising from the newspaper. There is no “free press”. Several walked away because of the known risk & officials who did not want anything done. It continued for years.
Now that the body count is in, they have to start over. Hopefully with adherence to building & fire codes!
The fire was totally tragic. But, Hawaii was already out of control. From hotels to dining, everything is overpriced. It feels like only the wealthy can afford it now, which is disappointing for those like me who have loved and visited the islands for years.
Sadly it took the fires to be a catalyst for changes.
I’ve always tried to be a conscious Hawaii visitor, but this really drives home the importance of balanced tourism. It’s great to see these issues being brought to the forefront. Hopefully, it will encourage the industry and visitors in the right direction.
Glad to see this discussion happening. Hawaii’s unique culture and environment deserve thoughtful tourism management. Not sure if this can get anywhere, but hopeful.
My wife and I are visiting Riudoso, New Mexico and can really see a contrast between how they have delt with disaster compared to Maui. They had several Major forrest fires here that destroyed over 1400 structures, then major floods (caused by burn scars) that destroyed at least another 1400 structures. The only thing I found on their websites is notes apologizing for the mess, asking visitors to “be careful” and stating they were open for business. No one admonishing tourists to avoid the disaster areas. No one asking me to help clear debris. No one asking me to adopt American Indian religion and culture during my visit. Did we stay away from destruction and gawking at others misfortune? Of course. Might there be a few bad apples that go where they shouldn’t? I’m sure, but the locals here did not have a chip on their shoulders daring everyone to mis step. We have had a wonderful time here. We are sad for what has been lost, and we’re happy to inject some capital.
You said that one of the goals is to “promoting lesser-known destinations”? I hope they’re careful with that, because that’s how tourists have been getting into trouble. On Maui, locals have been becoming enraged when tourists go “off the beaten path” and attempt to visit areas that might be frequented by locals. They much prefer visitors remain sequestered in “designated resort areas”.
It would be nice if some of the super rich people that have invested (bought) Hawaii would help to jump start some new businesses. It’s hard start new enterprises, but these people know how to do it. There are opportunities in Healthcare, Education, Music and Performing Arts, Defense, Climate Research, Agriculture. But until these things get going you better keep your tourism model.
The governor and Mayor are being very effective at lowering the tourist numbers, our resort is like a ghost town with only a few units occupied. The association dues (7,100 a month) are still due and I just sent off the property taxes for 6 months over 11,000. We continue to lose employees to mainland jobs. Can it get any worse for the business owners and employees.