Maui just moved one step closer to its planned major rental crackdown. Travelers, owners, and residents are now watching what happens next and wondering what today’s surprise vote really means.
In a late 6–3 vote on Thursday, Maui’s Housing and Land Use Committee approved Bill 9, the controversial proposal to phase out thousands of the island’s short-term vacation rentals in apartment-zoned areas. See the proposed timeline below.
After weeks of stalled action, long meetings, and divided testimony, the committee abruptly advanced the bill to the full Council, where final approval would attempt to reshape Maui’s visitor lodging landscape for years to come.
We previously covered the lead-up to this vote, including what visitors were already experiencing amid the uncertainty, in This Battle Over Maui Rentals Just Hit A Boiling Point.
The surprise vote many didn’t expect.
Until now, Maui’s political handling of Bill 9 has been defined by indecision. Hearings lasted for more than a year, and multiple meetings concluded without a vote. Earlier this week, most observers only expected more delays, and no final vote was expected.
Instead, the full nine-member committee, which includes all Maui County Council members, voted to recommend passage despite strong reservations expressed by several members. Council Chair Alice Lee described the proposal as “half-baked,” and Councilmember Tom Cook warned it could backfire.
“I want people in homes,” Cook said. “But I hesitate to be supportive of jumping off a cliff, having faith that this is going to work out. This is a huge legislative issue that is going to affect our economy in many, many ways.”
Still, the bill advanced.
What Bill 9 would do if enacted.
The current version of Bill 9 seeks to phase out short-term rentals in apartment-zoned properties built or approved before 1989—many located in West and South Maui and commonly referred to as “Minatoya list” units. These condos have operated as legal vacation rentals for decades. As we’ve stated many times, the bill does not affect hotel-zoned or resort-zoned properties in any way.
While earlier drafts of the bill were thought to impact more than 6,000 units, Mayor Bissen has since clarified that the immediate focus is on approximately 2,000 of some of the most actively used short-term rentals. Those units are expected to be phased out first, beginning in West Maui.
If enacted as currently written, Bill 9 would give affected West Maui owners up to three years to transition, either by converting their property to long-term housing, seeking a zoning change, or selling it. Some owners may also pursue hotel zoning if eligible. For those properties, the message is clear: the clock is ticking.
South Maui and other areas would be phased out subsequently, with a countywide deadline currently set for 2030.
Maui’s rental map being redrawn.
The vote is the most significant step yet in a multi-year effort to reduce Maui’s short-term rental footprint, which has expanded significantly over the past several decades as visitor demand surged.
As we previously reported in Maui Vacation Rental Ban Moves Forward Amid Growing Outrage, this debate has triggered emotional reactions from every side. Owners say they’re being unfairly targeted. Residents say they’ve waited too long for change. Loyal visitors are caught somewhere in between. Supporters of the bill say it’s a necessary reset, and a place to begin.
Councilmember Gabe Johnson called it “emergency medicine” for a housing crisis that has forced many families to leave the island. “We have to stop the bleeding,” he said during deliberations. “Our people are leaving. We have to stop the commodification of homes.”
Opponents argue that it’s a rushed solution that may not benefit anyone. The properties in question often cost $500,000 or more, with very high maintenance fees that make them unaffordable to most Maui residents. One mortgage banker testified that low-down-payment buyers would likely be denied loans on these units.
Visitors are left with more questions.
For Maui visitors planning to stay in a vacation rental, the passage of Bill 9 through committee could create a new layer of confusion. While the bill isn’t law yet and still faces multiple obstacles, many are now wondering whether they should reconsider their plans.
As we explored in Maui Backs Off Rental Ban As Tourism Stalls Out, uncertainty alone has led to booking slowdowns and dropped occupancy in condo-heavy areas like Kihei.
One reader said, “We had our eye on a rental in Kihei for next May, but now we’re backing off. We won’t take a chance.”
What’s still unclear and what’s next.
Even with the committee vote, significant parts of the bill remain undefined. Councilmembers acknowledged during the meeting that they still don’t know how many owners will convert their units to long-term use, whether residents will be able to afford those units, or what the full economic fallout might be for tourism and county tax revenues.
Councilmember Alice Lee questioned whether enough analysis had been done. Others pointed out that major lawsuits are likely, with some owners already exploring legal action. That could mean a drawn-out court battle before anything ever changes on the ground.
As we reported in Maui Gets $1.6B—Can Vacation Rentals Survive What’s Coming?, billions in housing-related funds are now flowing into the county, adding urgency, but not necessarily clarity.
Economic impact could be massive.
The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) previously estimated that eliminating a large portion of Maui’s visitor rental supply could cost the island up to 3,800 jobs and nearly $900 million annually in lost visitor spending.
Supporters argue that hotels will fill the gap. However, critics say that Maui’s infrastructure and employment base are closely tied to the vacation rental model, and that the transition could bring more pain than progress.
Some worry that high-priced units may sit empty. Others say the bill’s passage in and of itself will drive away visitors who prefer Maui’s more personal, condo-based vacation experiences.
Momentum shifts, but nothing is settled.
Thursday’s vote was the breakthrough many didn’t see coming. Just days ago, most expected another delay. Instead, the bill advanced and now heads to the Council for further debate and amendment.
Still, no final vote is scheduled. And no one knows how this ends.
Travelers, residents, and owners are all left waiting. The questions are piling up. The tension hasn’t gone anywhere.
Has today’s vote changed anything for you? Let us know.
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Notice the band doesn’t include hotel zones and resort zones, making sure they get all the money in residence who try and survive with their vacation rentals are kicked out of Maui, sure can tell who puts money in the palms of council
Need a guide of where to seek rentals: type, seasonality costs, approximate availability by season.
North, S, E, West.
Add a guide to donate for helping local residents.
Any reporting on Maui should include this while decisions are made and dates of possible changes. ( ie check back for more info dates) This will encourage tourism to lesser known locations and $ support for those. Aloha
It is sad to read about visitor problems. I don’t see how families can live in condos that were STRs.
They don’t have facilities for people who have school going children. They were built for guests who come and go, living out of suitcases/luggage. Not for people living in condos long term.
Housing needs to be built for resident families. That is a decision for councils and state authorities as to locations. It seems that those decisions were procrastinated for a long time.
Without the large spending by visitors the island loses huge income. The island has survived on tourist dollars for years, loss of that income would cause lots of hardship to the state, loss of tourist dependent jobs, loss of tax dollars , among other issues.
So sad and confusing to a tourist who loves Maui.
It seems to me, that 30 years ago, someone (Minatoya) did their due diligence, and made a list of properties to exempt.
They’ve had over a year. Why haven’t any of the council members done their due diligence, and gone through the list to see what properties would actually work to provide affordable housing for locals? Then they could reshape the list, instead of throwing the whole thing away.
It would be a much easier fight for them to win.
A vacation to another land is a relationship. The folks providing for your comforts (laundry service, room cleaning, food preparation, surf lessons, etc…) deserve to be properly compensated so they can also live comfortably, which includes a clean home and home ownership.
STVRs have always existed, but with the advent of the internet, these businesses have rapidly grown and are now an impediment to the cost of living for those locals attempting to provide those tourism services.
Maui City Council did what was right for its residents. Good job here, now fix your infrastructure.
And where will these residents work? Restaurants closing, hospitality jobs gone, how will they pay the $1,000/month HOA fees in addition to rent on a 500 square foot condo.? This bill was not well thought out… long term housing needs real solutions . Not stealing from Peter to pay Paul.
My 500 square foot condo was never intended to be full time housing. If this ridiculous bill passes as is, our ocean front unit that is currently a STR paying all the taxes that includes will sit empty. We will not rent it long term because that means we can no longer enjoy our own property. This bill was not well researched and will only hurt the already struggling Maui economy.