Maui County Council Advances Plan to Phase Out Short-Term Vacation Rentals

12/2/2025

The Maui County Council advanced Mayor Richard Bissen’s Bill 9, aiming to phase out thousands of short-term vacation rentals to increase housing availability for local residents, with a 5-3 vote. Supporters argue the legislation will help fire survivors and long-term residents regain housing, while opponents warn it could harm the tourism-driven economy, reduce tax revenue, and threaten jobs tied to the rental industry. A companion proposal to create new hotel zoning districts could allow more than half of the roughly 7,000 affected properties to continue operating as vacation rentals. The council will take the bill up for final reading on December 15.

Honolulu Civil Beat (12/01/25) Erin Nolan