Maui’s vacation rental battle has dragged on for well over a year. This week’s Council committee hearing ended with no vote, no timeline, and no resolution—just more uncertainty for everyone involved.
Update: Bill 9 passed its committee vote on July 24. For details on the surprise 6–3 decision and what happens next, read our follow-up: Shock Vote: Maui Committee Passes Rental Ban Proposal.
With Bill 9, the controversial rental ban proposal, back in committee after yet another high-stakes hearing, the situation has become more than a zoning dispute. It’s becoming a fundamental reckoning about who can live on Maui, who can visit, and whether the island is slipping into some permanent limbo.
The stakes are huge, and the effects are already being felt, particularly by travelers planning their next trip.
What Bill 9 means for Maui vacation rentals.
The legislation at the center of the crisis, known as Bill 9, seeks to phase out short-term vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts across Maui. This includes thousands of units that have operated for decades under the “Minatoya list,” which granted legal non-conforming use to many older condominium buildings, especially in West and South Maui.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen introduced the bill shortly after the Lahaina wildfire, framing it as a necessary response to a growing housing emergency. In public statements, he said, “Housing isn’t a speculative asset, it is a basic human need.” His administration argues that short-term rentals have tipped the housing balance too far, making residents feel like strangers in their own neighborhoods.
If passed, Bill 9 would not shut down all vacation rentals. Properties with hotel or resort zoning would remain unaffected. However, it could eliminate a significant portion of the thousands of mid-range visitor lodging options that many travelers depend on. As currently revised, Bill 9 would allow up to three years for full implementation. Council members are now expected to propose amendments, but the outcome is unclear.
Travelers face uncertainty over Maui vacation rentals.
If you’re planning a Maui trip, here’s what this could mean for you. Bill 9 is not yet law, but the debate surrounding it has already created instability. Condo owners say they’ve received a wave of inquiries from concerned guests asking whether their reservation is still valid. Some are canceling outright. Others are waiting for legal clarity before booking anything at all.
As we covered in Maui Backs Off Rental Ban As Tourism Stalls Out, the Council delayed its vote again in July, retreating behind closed doors in executive session just as the Hawaii summer travel season peaked. That uncertainty alone has been enough to spook visitors.
In recent reader comments, one traveler wrote, “We had our eye on a rental in Kihei for next May, but now we’re backing off. We won’t take a chance on something getting shut down.”
Another added, “We don’t want a resort vacation. We want a kitchen, a washer-dryer, and a beach we can walk to. That’s what made Maui feel personal to us.”
Why Bill 9 is dividing Maui.
The public reaction has been sharp on both sides. Councilmember Gabe Johnson argued in favor of the bill, saying, “We have to stop the bleeding, of people leaving the islands, and Bill 9 will do that.” The county’s housing department estimated the proposal could free up thousands of units for long-term use.
However, even officials acknowledge that the transition won’t be easy. Communications Director Laksmi Abraham acknowledged during hearings that the average price of these units, around $500,000 and often paired with very high monthly fees, puts them out of reach for most first-time buyers.
One mortgage banker testified that low-down-payment borrowers will face immediate rejection due to risk.
Meanwhile, many commenters are questioning whether these units will ever be realistically attainable. One noted, “With AOAO fees exceeding $3,500 a month and sometimes spiking to $7,000, how is this going to become affordable housing?”
Another added, “If these properties don’t convert, they’ll just sit empty, and that’s no win for anyone.”
The cost of Maui’s housing crisis.
According to a report by the state’s research arm, UHERO, even if prices drop by 25 percent, 80 percent of Maui’s population would still be unable to afford these units. The report concludes that many buildings were never designed for long-term occupancy, and some require costly upgrades to meet those needs.
The bigger concern is that without a coordinated strategy, the county could convert some units into legal limbo—vacant, unsellable, and unrentable. As we reported in Maui Gets $1.6B—Can Vacation Rentals Survive What’s Coming?, new federal housing funds have added political pressure, but not necessarily a clear plan.
One commenter said, “This whole dim discussion acts like these units will magically become homes. But they won’t. They were built as vacation condos, always were.”
Tourism and real estate brace for impact.
UHERO also warned of the economic fallout if visitor accommodations disappear. Its analysis suggests that Maui could lose up to 3,800 jobs and approximately $900 million in annual visitor spending. Those losses would cascade into air service cuts, workforce reductions, and other unintended consequences.
Many owners suspect the county is trying to avoid lawsuits by stalling any decision. As one put it, “They know this won’t hold up in court, so they’re dragging it out hoping people just walk away.” Others blame powerful hotel unions for influencing policy behind the scenes.
Supporters of the bill argue that it remains a necessary correction to an overgrown industry that has driven up prices for residents. At the same time, critics view it as part of a broader anti-visitor trend.
This is not the first time tensions have spiked. Back in June, we tracked this same emotional split in Maui Vacation Rental Ban Moves Forward Amid Growing Outrage, when many visitors began rethinking whether they felt welcome.
What travelers should consider next.
If you’ve already booked a condo rental on Maui for future travel, reach out to the property manager or owner. Ask them whether their unit is on the Minatoya list and how they plan to handle changes in the event Bill 9 passes.
Please note that hotel-zoned properties are not affected by the proposal in any way. If you’re unsure, ask about zoning status before finalizing any new reservation.
As of this writing, Bill 9 remains in committee. You can follow legislative updates, submit written testimony, and view archived meetings at https://www.mauicounty.us/bill-9-2025-overview/.
For broader context, our prior article Vague Laws, Big Consequences: Uncertainty Chokes Maui Vacation Rentals breaks down how unclear rules and confusing enforcement are creating planning fatigue across the visitor market.
Right now, the most common phrase we hear from both travelers and owners is the same: “Enough already.” Residents, too, are asking when relief will arrive, and whether any of these proposals will result in housing they can afford.
With no vote scheduled and no resolution in sight, Maui’s rental standoff keeps getting harder to ignore. Whether you’re coming to the island for two weeks or staying for good, this battle touches you. And the future of Maui travel may hinge on what happens next.
We invite your comments. Has this changed your desire to visit Maui?
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I love flying to Maui. I love kihei and use rental accommodation, usually a condo in what I hope is a quiet and friendly building. I am 81 years old so do not know how many more years I will be able to fly there.
All this controversy is disturbing. I have not booked a condo for this Winter as yet, in case visitors are not welcome.
I hope to make a 2 or 3 month reservation but am waiting.
Maui is a wonderful island, with its clean ocean for swimming, its warm climate, beautiful areas to hike, friendly residents and great food at many restaurants.
Please Maui welcome quiet visitors, those who appreciate your beauty and spend lots of money that is saved for the Hawaii vacation. I appreciated the relaxed feeling while on Maui and do not want to miss that experience.
I am optimistic about returning and will soon try to get a reservation in a quiet condo building. I have a friend who lives in Kihei and will meet with her after my arrival.
Time to stop the speculation. Stop the SVR/Airbnb scammed. Tax the outside owners heavily. Save the community from land sharks
STR properties are already very heavily taxed. Much higher real property tax rates. Income, excise and accommodations taxes. The County already did that. It translates into higher rental rates. The Mayor and County Council are extremely incompetent – prohibiting STRs in the Apartment Zone will hurt the local economy by reducing tourist expenditures.
Calling Maui STRs a “scam” and owners “land sharks” ignores facts. STR guests already pay nearly 18% in lodging taxes (4.712% GET, 10.25% state TAT, 3% county TAT) plus steep property taxes of $12.50–$15 per $1,000 value, far above owner-occupied or long-term rental rates. UHERO projects phasing out STRs would cut about $900M in visitor spending and $75M+ in tax revenue annually, with up to 1,900–7,800 jobs lost. That loss would force more locals off-island for work. STRs are a small share of housing stock and mostly owned by families, not “land sharks.” Ending STRs won’t make million-dollar condos affordable. Respectful debate should focus on facts and trade-offs, not insults.
We are nearing the end of a 10-day vacation to Oahu and Maui, six of the days on Maui. We came here to Maui eight years ago and loved it, this time it feels like people don’t want us here and that we’re being nickled and dimed everywhere we look. I don’t think we’ll be returning, so many other options where I don’t have to pay $30+ for a visit to the beach and people actually want us here.
I come to Maui every year for 4 to 6 weeks. If the condo I prefer isn’t available because of Bill 9 I will no longer come to Maui. It’s already 50% higher cost than Mexico. I don’t want a hotel vacation, I want a condo with a kitchen and easy beach access without the hotel crowds. I already spend close to $12000 for my stay including air, a hotel would increase that substantially
Yes, it is changing the way we feel about Maui. We have come for a month each year since retirement (8 years).
I believe a much better solution is to charge each visitor a fee ($50?). Use all of the funds to build low income apartments/ housing for permanent residents.
We would prefer not to look for a new location and feel sorry for the owner of our condo with all the uncertainty.
Ok phase one is done, now on to the city council for approval and the Mayor for his signature than let the litigation begin, we get this off island to a mainland judge, maybe Supreme Court at some point and we will kill this before it get implemented, we do have laws in America and the taking of property isn’t allowed. Lots get the class action suit rolling as soon as the council approves this bill 9
Bill 9 passed 6-3. people can seek a zoning change in the few years before it becomes effective.
Dragging this out. Really. IMO one has to define what Hawaii Time really is. Locals are used to this slow pace so what’s the problem. IMO a resident tax rate being occupied versus a non occupied rate won’t fly. Don’t really think one could be penalized for living in one state and paying a higher rate because you own property in another. IMO discrimination against non residents could be a factor in that issue.
I’ve said it time and time again. At least there needs to be an exemption for locals who own STRs on Maui. For many of us that are retired, it’s our only source of income. It’s only 15% of the 7000. To not make an exemption for us is unconscionable. Our properties have already lost hundreds of thousands in value thanks to being demonized by Bissen’s edict.
Bissen may know the law (barely) but he certainly doesn’t understand math. The grandstanding and posturing to appease the loud, but small vocal group is amplifying his bias for all to see. This is a wash exercise and even people close to him know this.
Native Americans would love to have their land back, too.
Hi Guys, After yet another non-resolution to Bill 9, I think both visitors and residents are fed up with the whole idea. Maui will continue to suffer from no visitors because it’s too uncertain to travel there. Meanwhile, all of the other islands are picking up the slack and are being over burdened with hordes of visitors putting wear and tear on their island. So with all that traffic, fees, shortages of rental cars, why would anyone even want to go visit there. They really know how to mess travel up and their economy over there in Maui. Such a shame!!
The Bishop Estate/Kamehameha Schools holds vast land and financial power—yet where’s the leadership in solving our housing crisis? The Trust was created to uplift locals, but affordable housing remains out of reach while they sit on billions. They could lead real change now—not decades from now—but choose not to.
Instead, local officials target STVRs, claiming they’ll solve the crisis. That’s a smokescreen. Unless the county buys those STVRs and makes them affordable (unlikely), it’s just talk. Investors still outbid locals. Without land trusts, major funding (like from Bishop Estate), and real planning, we’re going nowhere, except to financial ruin.
STVRs didn’t cause the crisis. Poor leadership and profit-over-people policies did. We need accountability—starting with those who have the power, land, and money to help but won’t.
The SVR’s are the problem and did destroy affordable housing for working class locals. Sell the property or tax the outsiders triple at least. The island is overrun. 70 year resident.
People are unclear. I’ve been asked if Maui’s chages will have effect on Hawaii as well as Maui. OK so, visitors don’t understand the county autonomy in Hawaii. Nevertheless Mauis indecision is hurting more than Maui.
On a less dramatic note, would it be better to check the MInatoya List directly & independently from what any/agent owner may advise before deciding on a vacation property ?
Are you claiming that the average resident of Maui can afford to purchase, pay HOA fees, maintenance and taxes for these units? If so, what evidence do you have to support this claim? Who will be cleaning & maintaining the units? The folks employed by these condo associations will no longer be employed. Thus putting more unskilled folks out of work, hence spending less for basic necessities and generally creating more homeless people or people depending on the government for support . I’m shocked at hearing this proposal.
There is only one point. Bans are the issue.
From my perspective, albeit living in San Diego with longings to live in Maui (my wife and kids have Hawaiian blood, but I’m 100% haole), it would be a nice place to live. We can afford to, unlike many.
But Hawaii is overrun by who are running into the predictable issues associated with catering to the unions and the federal government. Unions keep those elected in power. The Feds keep the money that Hawaiian politicians squander (with union support) flowing. Stop one and you may have a chance at stopping the other. At 66 years old, I’m almost certain this will not happen in my lifetime. If not, wither on the vine of tourism (your lifeblood for decades$). You are your only enemies. Stop. Voting. In. To. Office.
Tamara Paltin thinks sitting on the County Council beats sitting in a lifeguard tower! The next three years will be filled with litigation and reconsideration of whether to actually implement this.
As shown in Jesse Wald’s recent video containing actual Mayor’s staff commentary during the last Maui Council Committee deliberation, the Mayor’s initiative is not about affordable housing and never was. Instead, the staff clarified that it about “obtainable housing”. Let that soak as your mind wonders about the antics that the Mayor has up his sleeve to “obtain housing” using this backdoor method of devaluation, with at least partial support by certain Council persons.
The Mayor has followed the wishes of a small group of people that leveraged a disaster to promote a socialistic agenda. Let’s hope the Justice Departments steps in and cleans out the County government.
Bill 9 was a knee-jerk response by an idiot mayor who never fully thought out the consequences. The county council is equally at fault for not calling out the bills’ obvious flaws from the start. You can’t undo decades of incompetence and poor planning with the stroke of a pen.
What should have happened was for Maui government to leverage Kamehameha School’s liability for not removing the dry grass on their land that contributed to the severity of the fire. They should have forced KS to negotiate long-term leases for the immediate development of workforce housing.
Yes they dry grass was there. However the afternoon fire happened because the fire captain decided “let’s all go eat lunch” instead of leaving behind firemen to monitor the site for sparks reigniting under red alert conditions. Maui County is 100% responsible for the fire and 100 deaths. Read the report that no one talks about.
Are you kidding? Fire Captains do Not say “let’s go eat lunch” when there is work to be done. In fact the island was overwhelmed by multiple fires and they made the decision to try to save lives and property and were under immediate threat in other areas.
Bissen is a man educated proven on the bench for years. A man of the people.
The idea you dictate for the Bishop Estate shows lack of knowledge in Hawaiian culture. Auwe.
Last March, worried about the staus of Bill 9, I did write to the property manager as you suggest above asking about how this affected the property i wanted to make reservations. I recieved no answer whatsoever. I took the plunge and made reservations for the last week of May through June 3. Until i actually went I did not know what was happening. The only source of information has been BOH but through no fault of BOH, that information has been vague. I am trying to plan anohter getaway for Sept or Oct but again the Property Manager will not answer my queries. I did notice that after my trip in May, the property manager broker did raise rates substantially for the rest of the year. I have been staying at the exact same complex yearly since 2001 – there is no reward for loyalty.
Maybe it’d be better to avoid any interaction with any entity that will not have the courtesy to respond to inquires….. And hope that this would avoid future financial loss as well as stress … Aloha !
Well Jim, I certainly hope that you took that info of no response to find another spot to vacation in.
I have questions.
I looked up an STVR ( short term vacation rental) condo unit that recently sold, as I was finalizing a vacation rental and doing due diligence. The property taxes for this one unit were in excess of $10,500 yearly. Condo fees are another matter.
What will happen to Maui finances when the condos deemed not legal as STVRs convert and the taxes drop from the current huge tax levels levied on STVRs?
How much of a hole will Maui dig itself into without the huge tax $$ from STVR’s?
One unit, one year, $10,500 x how many units? Versus tax $$ from owner occupied or regular rental unit tax rates?
I really am asking….
Try this link to mauicounty.legistar.com/ to check out lots of testimonials. The lost monies estimated in billions plus lost jobs, plus lost progress. Just a badly formed piece of legislation.
Income, excise and accomodations tax revenues will also decline. Business revenues and taxes and jobs will suffer with fewer vacationers. The County wants a new tax on unoccupied homes which has a legal risk. They think that they will cross that bridge when they get to it.
I believe one of the alternatives on the table for recouping the tax loss is to raise the non-owner occupant tax rate to equal the STR tax rate. Win-win for them. If owners convert to LTR, it will be a political glory. If owners just leave their condo vacant for most of the year, it will be no different tax-wise than it is now.
The bigger issue I see is what this will do to all of the business owners, big and small, whose businesses were built on serving the surrounding vacation rentals. Restaurants, shops, property managers, tourist attractions, cleaners, handymen, etc. etc. That is a significant consequence, intended or unintended, of Bill 9.
I guess they will have 3-5 years to experience the carnage, and then they can decide from there.
Thank you PatG for the insight. Seems simple enough…just twig the tax code. Taxation without representation at its best.
What a mess…no one is asking the “And Then What?” with regards to the un/intended consequences on people’s livelihoods.
You’re right – they are not asking “And then what?”, which is why the 3 council members voted no. I guess the other ones are just hoping things will be better after all the carnage.
“raise the non-owner occupant tax rate to equal the STR tax rate”
Really? Transfer the high taxes on STRs from vacationers(bringing $$ into Hawaii) to residents renting as LTRs helps no one. certainly not the resident renters.
A non-owner-occupant is an owner who doesn’t live in the unit full-time, and doesn’t rent it out as an STR either. This is as opposed to an owner-occupant.
Owners that rent their units as an LTR do get a reduced tax rate, lying somewhere between an owner-occupant and an STR.
Here are the tax rates for 2025-2026:
mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/153866/2025-Tax-Rate
I am not a Maui resident, but first visited in 1988. I have since visited a dozen+ times, plus other islands for 30+ total visits. I love each island, but Maui is special to me….Locals need affordable housing and livable wages. Visitors need affordable rentals. All of this needs to work together. Bring in a third party to figure it all out if local politicians cannot provide an acceptable solution. My last visit was a month after the Lahaina fire. I was to cancel, but owner convinced me to come by discounting my condo, unasked for. AA did the same as well as Avis. I never expected any discounts. I also realized how reliant visitors were to Maui. We spent all our savings, plus more, at each local business we could. We were so welcomed and thanked. That trip was a true connection. Please, Please find a workable solution for All. The world is watching.
Loved you statement 🩷
“Housing isn’t a speculative asset, it is a basic human need.” Richard Bisson. He is wrong. In Hawaii about 39% of housing is owned by speculators who own up to five properties. Surprisingly this is not a corporate venture but is driven by individuals. As long as our economic system is underwritten by capitalism this will be in effect. I am one of those who does not believe the ban of properties as short-term rentals will stand a court challenge. I’m sure the council thinks the same. A slower but legal solution to the problem will need to be developed and implemented.
Bill 9 is intended to create additional supply of homes for rent and purchase by the locals. There has been virtually no analysis whether they will want or can desire these properties. Many of them are studio and one bedroom homes and virtually all have one one parking stall. A one bedroom condo in Napili will not serve a couple who work in Kihei and Wailuku with two teen age children. While some owners may sell or rent long term if this Bill passes, many will continue their current practice of living in their homes for several months in the winter. How can one vote in favor of this Bill without an analysis of how many local families will actually benefit? And whether the loss of income, property, excise and accommodation taxes and the loss of business revenues and jobs from fewer visiting tourists is justified and more than offset by the increased housing opportunities.
Many thanks for your article but failed to clarify these vacation rentals are legal, where they were built even today, ever since the application to build was approved by the County circa 1970/1980s. The Minatoya list only put one more stamp of approval on complexes which were granted approval before the developers even broke ground. The housing shortage is a result of lack of construction over the last years. It’s the government’s own fault. STRs are not the problem.
What your article confirms, and yesterday’s hearing confirmed, is those residents want reduced rent, they do not necessarily want to buy these expensive properties, which are a drive away from their families and friends. Maui’s Department of Housing admitted among other things, they did not survey the residents for amount they could afford or location. Such a shame the Mayor allowed a measure to be introduced without proper analysis. They’ve wasted the last two years of impacted groups on both sides.
Avoid Maui hassles and just explore the Big island, simple solution 🤙🤙
‘Ditto’ … WaS thinking the same thing…. Seems counterproductive to plan a ‘vacation’ to an area embroiled in such a controversy, no matter how beckoning the Island’s ambiance ….. Fortunately there are alternatives (although not identical) immediately close by !
Sorry to tell you this, but the Big Island is embroiled in its own controversies regarding STRs.
No one ever discusses the impact on the local families that own the property under all these condo’s. If the county is successful at driving down the value of these condo’s. When the lease comes due, the appraisals show the values down 50% more or less their family income will be cut in half.
We are frequent Maui visitors, but we generally stay with my son’s family. After returning from a visit, I am often questioned by people about Maui “being closed” or “no condos being available” or other such bits of mis-information. Certainly we all need to help clarify the current situation about business being open and vacation rentals being available.
The council seems paralyzed. They are afraid to move in any direction. This non decision is actually a decision to drive away more visitors with this uncertainty. It hurts everyone and the members aren’t upholding their oath of office by dragging this out. Maybe they now realize that many STR owners will resist selling or renting out long term. Maybe legal counsel has told them they are on very shaky ground and on the hook for millions in these taking of properties.
This is intentional.
They are sending a clear message:
Stay in a hotel. If you choose a STR, your res might be cancelled.
I doubt they can be sued for considering to ban 7,200 STR’s.
While they drag this out, Maui’s people & economy suffer.
The members of the Council are generally uneducated, inexperienced and unintelligent. For example, Tamara Paltin who represents the west side was a County lifeguard before her current position. Gabe Johnson held odd jobs on Lanai. They have little capacity for critical thought and analysis.
But, at least this is all good $$ news for ‘legal counsel’ !
…. lol
The goal of the Maui County Council is to create sufficient uncertainty about the future of short term rentals in the Apartment District to cause their owners to sell at lower prices which adds inventory at lower prices that are affordable to local residents.
Dumb question- and I didn’t read the whole article. I’ve been to beautiful Maui 15 times and have seen lots of empty land, why are they not building homes or apartments just for residents.
Can’t build on sacred ancestral lands that someone’s ancestors possibly came around 1,000 AD from the Marquesas and took the lands from the Menehune. If you don’t know who they are read and truely understand Hawaii or any history for that matter.
Everyone needs to stop playing identity politics and start understanding the big picture.
Educate yourselves
The land is either privately owned by large developers such as Alexander & Baldwin, state-owned, or part of the Kamehameha Schools Princess Pauahi Bishop Trust. Very little of it is county-owned, where the county council could simply move quickly to develop it. Also, the development cost is likely beyond the county’s budget, and they would need the assistance of developers to build.
Based on the questions last night, the math finally hit reality here. People supporting this bill have a hard time understanding the math that makes these condos work, even mortgages are hard to get for the majority of people.
Absolutely has affected our desire to spend winters in Maui as renters in our usual ocean front West Maui condo. Instead, we’re now booked to return to SE Asia in Feb 2026, where the people really want visitors, rather than 10 weeks in Maui, paying crazy high prices, with local governments (and some residents) who appear to despise us….
BOH, there really isn’t any reason to create uncertainty for anyone booking a condo within the next 3 years. The mayor, who introduced the bill, has changed Bill 9 to become effective Three Years from now. Anyone booking for stays within the next 3 years does not have to worry about their STR getting banned.
Please don’t create unnecessary worry for our potential visitors. It just adds more pain to an already-ailing economy, which has already had a negative impact on everyone living on Maui.
That’s a great point.
I do not believe BOH has created the uncertainty, if anything they attempt to clarify. It is the general news media that often provides just enough information that causes doubt in people’s mind.
BOH’s clarification is incorrect. The only advice BOH should be giving to people trying to book a condo today is “Don’t worry about it”. People do not have to worry about the condos they book being banned for another 3 years, and that’s only if Bill 9 passes and all resulting lawsuits fail.
That is not true. If the Bill is effective in 3 years a substantial number of property owners will rush to sell to
non-STR buyers because they don‘t want to be part of the larger exodus as the three year deadline approaches. The market for these homes has been declining. While some rental customers will continue coming the next few years, others will not or will transition to legal STR properties. The market to sell is during the high season which is coming up.
The “rush to sell” folks are already trying to sell. No one is buying.
I believe the mayor proposed a three year phase-in, not wait three years then implement. If they wait three years it will never happen. If they try a phased implementation they will be faced with another contentious decision process to determine what condos get banned when. They’ve gotten themselves in a pickle and they know it.
No, the mayor is proposing to set the last day for Minatoya owners to be able to rent their condos out short-term to July 1, 2028. Don’t be confused by the word “phase-out”. It’s more like a “drop-dead date”.
So, in consideration of the dire, immediate need for housing, the mayor is proposing a three year delay in implementing the ban? And that satisfies his LS constituents? So this three-year overhang destroys the housing market and continues to drive down tourism, wirh no near term benefit. The mayor is a strategic thinker indeed.
But at the very least, vacationing in an area smack in the middle of such a contentious issue has indirect, negative fallout unfortunately.
There are plenty of alternative without this unnecessary ‘baggage’.
It’s really sad to see the damage to Lahaina that has brought so much pain and suffering to the people of Maui. Our family has been a Maui visitor for decades. We have made many friends and consider so many as part of our family. In addition, with tourism taxes already in the double digits along with other fees it might be time to scratch Hawaii off of our list. Maybe the people of Maui should consider trying new leadership in the city and county areas.
This is poor leadership. It’s a complicated issue but effective leadership would have made a decision by now. Instead this council has left so many in limbo while values plummet, jobs are already lost and uncertainty reigns.
Many of the questions council members asked in the meeting yesterday should have been answered by now. This is classic case of keeping all options open while many suffer at the hands of ineffectual leadership.
It’s obvious this is Not the solution to Maui’s housing crisis. Passage of this bill will be nothing more than a symbolic victory that threatens to do far more damage than good.
We have been to Maui each year January through February for the past 20 years. Bill 9 does not make sense for several factors: 1. It will definitely affect tourism by reducing the yearly number of visitors; thus, 2. Will have a major financial impact on Maui’s economy; this impact will affect 3. Local businesses, including employment, and will take a significant hit; 4. Thousands of vacation rentals will remain vacant; thus, 5. have an impact on those condo owners who rent out to vacationers for years. (I could go on…….)
We just returned from a 16 day trip to Maui. We have zero intention of returning under this cloud of government ignorance and complete uncertainty. Count me as part of the $900 million in lost projected tourist dollars.
As someone who has lived, worked and vacationed in Hawaii (Maui mostly) since 1976, I can tell you that matters like these move Glacially in the Islands. Pat G is correct in that STR’s are not going to dry up overnight. The three year deadline is one reason. The other is that litigation will drag this out for years. Polynesian Paralysis, in action if you will. Projects like the H-3 highway on Oahu took Decades to come to fruition (literally since the Eisenhower administration). Oahu light rail was being bandied about when I lived in Honolulu 1976-79. And it’s still not finished. Hyperbole by the media and tone-deaf politicians will keep this one from resolution for a very long time. So make those reservations, if you can still afford them. The only winners in the foreseeable future will be the law firms.
Thanks for noting that hotel-zoned condos will not be affected by this vote, however it goes. Maui Banyan in Kihei is one of the hotel zoned condo complexes where you can book without worries.
Yes, there are some hotel zoned condo accommodation choices. Sometimes, it is mentioned in the property description, sometimes it isn’t.
For the unit I have just booked for January in Kihei, the airbnb blurb doesn’t mention the hotel zoning but the listing information from the recent sale does list the hotel zone designation. This likely adds to the ongoing confusion and hesitation, zoned as hotel or not….
Thanks for pointing this out. My condo building, Island Surf, is also one that is zoned commercial and will never be affected by this crazy legislation, if it passes. But people are too afraid to even book a condo vacation right now. They shouldn’t be, but they are. Very sad.