Maui Short Term Rental Update
Maui’s burning issue and current debate is over whether or not to roll back the law that allows some 7000+ apartment zone condominiums to do short term rental.
. For years and years, Maui has had a housing crisis. The crisis was heightened by the Lahaina and Kula fires in August 2023. In response to outcries for housing, especially in West Maui, Maui mayor, put forth a bill to repeal the right of condominiums in apartment zones to do short term housing with the aim of converting those short term rentals into longterm rentals or owner occupied condos.
These condos were in fact purpose built for short term rental, and have always had the right to use their property for vacation rentals. That right was codified into law in by ordinance adopted in 2014 and 2016.
Earlier this week county the Maui planning commission heard testimony from 130 of the 200 Eventually, the planning commission deferred any action and will hear additional testimony now scheduled for July 9.
According to estimates 30 and 40% were in favor of the bill to roll back, the STR‘s. 60 to 70% of those testifying opposed to rolling back STR‘s.

But even in the polarized atmosphere of those expressing concern that either the continuation or the rollback of these STR‘s posed an existential threat to them there was one point of agreement.
The agreement is the need for affordable dignified housing on Maui.
In comments on why we are facing a housing crisis, Mayor Bissen cited, “ a myriad of complex issues that have challenged our community for decades.“ He went on to state “this is a consequence we cannot and should not accept. Our system is broken and long overdue for change.“
Hallelujah.
For decades, it has been somewhere between very difficult and impossible for builders to build workforce housing. The US census Bureau noted that housing growth on Maui was “essentially zero” from 2018 to 2022.
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