Gov. Josh Green has opted not to institute a ban on short-term vacation rentals on Maui. He said 60% of the people in hotels have been connected with longer-term rentals.
The governor had warned he would institute a moratorium if not enough landlords converted their short-term rental units to long-term to help the families displaced by the wildfires. Green said Wednesday such a moratorium won’t be necessary.
He said the state has contracts for 1,300 units and that the number of households in hotels has dropped to under 1,300. One issue now, Green said, is that many available rentals are not in West Maui, and some Lahaina residents have refused them because they want to stay near their jobs and their children’s schools.
Speaking to The Conversation, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen shared his reaction to Green’s decision and reflected on his State of the County address on March 15, in which he outlined a path forward for a “heartbroken” community.
Read the full State of County address here.
This story aired on The Conversation on March 28, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 am on HPR-1.
