The actions and commitment of the people of Maui County, backed by a majority of Councilmembers and Mayor Richard Bissen, epitomize leadership and democracy in action.

It’s absolutely true that Kaua`i, Honolulu, and Hawai`i County are all doing some excellent work eliminating single-use plastic food containers, banning disposable boogie boards, speaking out against the policies of ICE and in support of due process, and more.

But without question, Maui County’s Bill 9 is the biggest, best, most impactful, and most challenging to get across the finish line – of any county policy initiative to pass into law during 2025.

Bill 9 represents systemic change that will have direct, tangible, and positive impacts on regular everyday people. It’s definitely NOT the sort of nibbling-around-the-edges “incremental change” that has become the norm for most risk-averse political bodies.

According to Mayor Bissen, “The passage of Bill 9 corrects a long-standing zoning exemption that allowed transient vacation rentals (TVRs) to operate in apartment-zoned districts — areas originally intended to provide long-term housing for local families. By phasing out…TVRs in these districts, the legislation is expected to return more than 6,000 units to long-term residential use, significantly expanding Maui County’s housing inventory without the need for new construction.”

The passage of Bill 9 follows nearly two years of extensive public engagement, policy review, amendments and deliberation.

The pressure and lobbying efforts against Bill 9 by big money, tourism-related businesses, and real estate interests were relentless.

But the people’s support never faltered. Mayor Bissen and core support on the Council also stood strong, negotiating the rough spots as needed, united in purpose and commitment to their community.

The scale of this win goes far beyond the unfathomable potential of 6,000 housing units being returned to long-term residential use — without the turn of a single shovel of dirt.

Even if the final number is reduced to just 50% of that 6,000, it’s still an incredibly large amount of new housing units going back into the hands of local residents as renters or owners.

Maui County’s communities are now more organized than ever, and further prepared and empowered to take on the next big issue – be it water management, food self-sufficiency, housing the unsheltered, economic diversification, shoreline preservation or all the above.

This my friends, is what democracy looks like.

To be absolutely clear, Bill 9 would not have happened if not for the people of Maui stepping up. For two years, they showed up at Council meetings, sat through hours of discussion and debate, and offered testimony that was both informed by facts and clothed in real-life experience.

Early vocal and articulate advocates of reducing TVRs in residential areas, Councilmembers Tamara Paltin and Keani Rawlins-Fernandez introduced bills in 2021 that also sought to regulate the industry. Discussion on those measures provided the essential foundational conversations that culminated in the passage of Bill 9, introduced by Mayor Bissen.

Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez summed it up well in her remarks before voting, “Bill 9 is about getting closer to a quality of life we promised our residents… Profits are replaceable. Generational communities are not. We need to prioritize the people that love our home.”

Voting YES on Bill 9 were Councilmembers Gabe Johnson, Tamara Paltin, Keani N. W. Rawlins-Fernandez, Shane M. Sinenci and Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins. With Mayor Bissen, all five deserve strong public recognition for not giving in to outside monied interests.

Personally, I am inspired and deeply thankful.

The people of Maui County have done it once again. They’ve shown the rest of us what a people united in purpose AND engaged in the process can accomplish, and what democracy can, should, and MUST look like.

Regardless of the island, town, or community you might call home, please join me in sending out best holiday wishes and deep appreciation to everyone on Maui who showed up and made Bill 9 a reality.
Gary Hooser

Councilmembers:
Gabe Johnson
Gabe.Johnson@mauicounty.us
Tamara Paltin
Tamara.Paltin@mauicounty.us
Keani N. W. Rawlins-Fernandez
Keani.Rawlins@mauicounty.us
Shane M. Sinenci
Shane.Sinenci@mauicounty.us
Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins
Nohe.Uu-Hodgins@mauicounty.us

Mayor Richard Bissen
Mayors.Office@co.maui.hi.us