County-level legislation was announced Thursday to phase out thousands of transient vacation rentals, or TVRs, on Maui.
The policy, announced by Mayor Richard Bissen and grassroots advocacy group Lahaina Strong, is intended to free up housing for displaced families devastated by the August wildfires.
More than 12,000 displaced residents have added to Maui's housing crisis over the past several months. Under the new bill, TVRs — which include condos, apartments and planned developments that are not hotels — will be unable to legally operate as short-term rentals.
Lahaina Strong advocates are pleased with the legislative actions and stated they will end their over 170-day occupancy on Kāʻanapali Beach.
“We are grateful to Maui County Mayor Bissen for his partnership and leadership, and the many who worked before and alongside us," said Jordan Ruidas, founder and campaigns coordinator of Lahaina Strong, in a statement.
The group is now calling on the Maui County Planning Commissions and county council to "swiftly" support the measure to "ensure dignified housing for fire survivors and return our communities to local people.”
The county will have the authority to enact this policy due to the state Legislature's final approval Wednesday of Senate Bill 2919, which allows counties to phase out short-term rentals of any classification — even those with non-conforming use permits.
Gov. Josh Green is expected to sign the state measure on Friday.
Non-conforming use permits for TVR units were given to properties decades ago and allow certain properties to operate as short-term rentals, even in residential areas.
The state measure also explicitly outlines that counties would be able to control the time, place, manner and duration in which uses of land and structures take place.
This provision targets a 2022 court decision that stopped Honolulu from enforcing its law that requires rentals to be leased out for a minimum of 90 days.
Opponents of the bill and short-term rental owners have said the law violates their property rights and could potentially push them into foreclosure.
Lahaina Strong will speak on the latest county-level bill at 3 p.m. on Thursday. The conference can be viewed on their Facebook page.
HPR's Ashley Mizuo contributed to this story.
