Organizers say this reclamation of housing inventory would directly address the pressing need for homes and remedy the housing crisis in the community with 3,000 people still living in the hotels.
In December 2023, Maui County had more available rental unit nights than any other county in the state, at 233,000 available nights this past month, per the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. This comes despite the fact vacation rental units in Lahaina continue to be inactive due to the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires.
Gov. Green announced a Housing Hawaiʻi’s ʻOhana plan, vowing to sign into law any legislation that will help move short-term rentals and vacant investment properties owned by non-residents into the local housing market. He also is said he would declare a moratorium on all short-term rentals in West Maui if he is unable to find enough housing for displaced families in the next six weeks.
“I do want to be blunt here, if we don’t get people stepping up, I’m going to drop the hammer on short-term rentals that aren’t able to be used by our people. It’s just not okay that we don’t have housing for our local people. And so, I will propose a moratorium on short-term rentals through emergency rules. I’m sure we will face litigation, but I will do it if we don’t get 3,000 units for our people who have been living in hotels because it’s not civilized to make people wait to get housing after they’ve lost their home in a fire,” said Gov. Green.