This proposed ban is one of the most significant Hawaii regulatory changes we’ve witnessed. It touches on a myriad of potent issues, legal, economic, and social. The changes afoot will in part define the future of Hawaii tourism and more.
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I live in Kihei. The Kihei economy depends on visitors. If you take away the condos where visitors stay, you kill the local economy which translates into Job Loss. So, it doesn’t matter how affordable the housing is, it’s not affordable if you don’t have any job!! It’s a dumb plan.
Hopefully the law will get laughed out of court in 10 minutes.
Do owners of these vacation rentals Have to rent to citizens of Maui or can they leave them empty? For instance, as personal use for owners. If they chose to leave them empty, isn’t that going to hurt the tourism economy?
All the well-meaning remarks and sincere conjecture aside, thr real decision as to what “magic bullet” will solve this housing availability and affordability crisis will in the end be made by the housing marketplace unless all parties lead the dynamics of real estate, begin seriously to work together and above all —- listen and shut up. Or as Judge Judy tells it, our Lord intentionally gave all of us two ears but only one mouth for a reason! Jim E
Given the jones act, that stops shipping from Ex-US to Hawaii,
Hawaii has only limited exploitable resources, once water and labor rates make sugar and pineapple to expensive to farm.
Cost for everything is just going to be higher in Hawaii.
No legal band aids will help.
Old rich retired will replace the locals. Hawaii would have to go full “socialism” with an 50% top state tax rate to change this, and that won’t work either.
Sadly, this not-too-distant scenario will likely be the reality of Hawaii’s future. Locals will be forced to compete with wealthy non-islanders for resources including housing. Most locals won’t stand a chance.