Maui committee takes hours of public testimony on Bill 9 to phase out short-term rentals in apartment districts

The Maui County Housing and Land Use Committee on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, took several hours of public testimony on Bill 9, a proposed ordinance to amend chapters of the Maui County Code relating to transient vacation rentals and apartment districts. Chair Tasha Karma presided over the recess meeting, which opened at 1:06 p.m. and closed oral testimony before the committee recessed at about 3:55 p.m. for further discussion and to reconvene July 2, 2025.

Bill 9, as described to the committee at the start of the session, would amend chapters cited in the agenda as "19.219 0.32 and 19.37, Maui County Code," targeting short-term vacation rentals listed on the county’s so-called Minutoya list in apartment-zoned complexes. The hearing was dominated by public comment; no formal vote on the ordinance was taken. Committee members requested that the administration and planning staff return with additional information at the next scheduled meeting.

Supporters of the bill told the committee the measure would restore housing for residents displaced or priced out of the market. "The future for lineal descendants of Lahaina is in your hands. Please pass Bill 9," said 14-year-old Kaliko Kalani Turia, who identified herself as a Lahaina student and a descendant of a long-time Lahaina family. Romeo Lucas, who said he had been displaced by the Lahaina fire, said he often sees empty vacation units in places where locals once lived and urged passage: "We are in a housing crisis," he said.

Several speakers who identified with labor and community groups also urged action. Jimmy Fernandez, speaking for ILWU members on Lāna‘i, said he supported Bill 9 and offered the union’s assistance "to keep these things moving for our people here in Maui County." Stephanie Smythe and Poppy Hudson, who said they live in Lahaina and Napili respectively, also testified in support, urging council members to pass the bill and then resolve implementation details such as homeowners association fees.

Opponents argued the ordinance would harm small businesses and workers who rely on short-term rental (STR) activity. Testimony opposing the bill included arguments that removing STRs would reduce income for housekeepers, tradespeople and local vendors, and could depress the island’s economy. Huynh Nguyen and Hunter Betts described their personal financial reliance on STRs and argued that the measure would disproportionately burden owners who are not wealthy. Bonnie Polly and Tom (last name not specified) warned of job losses for local workers and urged alternatives such as targeted purchases or incentives.

Several presenters shared research and neighborhood-level assessments. Lauren Rego of Art Hawaii summarized a one-year review of Minutoya properties and said most of the more than 100 properties on the list were built as residential units, not hotels, and that only a small fraction "looked anything like hotel operations, front desk, staff, lobbies, amenities," she said. Autumn Ness, executive director of Lahaina Community Land Trust, urged the committee to treat the ordinance as a "first step" and to use a phased approach to separate units that truly resemble hotels from apartment-style buildings where locals once lived.

Speakers on both sides raised specific implementation and legal concerns. Opponents warned of takings claims and litigation; one testifier proposed using existing STR tax revenues and federal HUD funds to purchase units for affordable housing rather than phasing out STRs. Supporters and organizers said the county already has data — including owner-occupancy filings and historic condominium documents — that justify a phase-out of STR allowances in apartment zones.

Committee members used the remainder of the afternoon to request additional material from staff and the administration. Requests included: counts of available rental units in West Maui and South Maui and price points; planning department enforcement records on illegal STRs and any fines collected; review of SMA (Special Management Area) permit records and original CC&Rs or condominium documents for properties on the Minutoya list; and a county housing report the committee expected from the Department of Housing.

The committee closed oral testimony, left the record open for written submissions, and recessed to reconvene at 9:00 a.m. July 2, 2025, in the same chamber and online. No formal motion or vote on Bill 9 was taken during Wednesday’s session.

Community groups that participated in the hearing included Lahaina Community Land Trust, Lahaina Strong, Art Hawaii, and multiple individual residents and labor representatives. The committee indicated it expects planning, housing and corporation counsel staff to appear at the next meeting to answer the requested follow-up questions and to provide the department reports members requested.