Regulate, Don't Ban Vacation Rentals on Maui!

Maui Residents Petition Signatures

#	Name	What City or Town Do You Live In?	Comments
851	Robin Riley	Hana	I am shocked at the situation here on Maui. I have many friends with lovely accommodation for visitors, lists of repeat and happy customers who would not choose to stay in a impersonal hotel, but prefer the friendliness of a B&B, and they are out of business, struggling to pay their mortages and keep their homes. To me, this is an unexcusible situation, and to blame it on the need for affordible housing is rediculous! These are accommodations in peoples homes, certainly not suitable for long term tennants. I hope this situation will be resolved soon so the situation can return to sanity.
852	Teresa Cartwright	Lahaina	I strongly support MVRA's position to regulate, but allow property owners in ag and residentially zoned neighborhoods to provide short term vacation rental accommodations to Maui visitors.
853	Robert Bowlus	Paia
854	Leann Strasen	Lahaina	We have had short term vacation rentals at Puamana ever since the sproperty was built and many owners were vacationers that fell in love with Maui. We employ many local people and LOVE to share our Paradise with our guests! We want to continue.
855	Lori Lugo	Lahaina
856	Catherine Hurlock	Wailuku
857	Anonymous	Kihei
858	Rachel Domingo	Kihei
859	Ann Fielding	Haiku
860	Robert Lohle	Kula	This short sighted policy to shut done vacation rentals is not beneficial for anyone. Most visitors cannot afford the high prices of the hotels and resorts and will chose more affordable destinations other than Maui. This decision will have long term negative consequences in an already slowing economy.
861	Mien Yap	Kula
862	Teri Leonard	Kihei
863	JERRY PALMER	LAHAINA
864	john stockham	Lahaina	Maui needs to stay with the times. The world wants tvr, just make sure that he county gets the tax $$ on the tvrs. Make the permit easy to obtain and make the tvrs renew it annually. If a person does not have proper permit then you should shut them down.
865	Rev. Lorraine Barrie	Kihei	Dear Mayor Tavares -- Many friends I know who rent B&Bs to afford to come to Maui will not be coming this year, if ever, because without B&Bs they can't afford to. Also, I run a vacation rental (legal) and tourism has dropped since the TVR ban. It's hurting legal rentals and the whole economy of Maui, as well (by decreased income from tourism). It has accomplished nothing but send an anti-Aloha (non welcoming) message to the world. Especially now, with airlines going out of business and travel costs rising, we need to encourage every tourist dollar we can. Please allow a the return of a fundamental part of Maui's economy and grant variances to those who have been operating TVR's before this ban went into effect. ... Deepest thanks for your consideration ... Rev. Lorraine Barrie
866	Carol Brock	Makawao	When friends from the Mainland visit Maui, they want true island style living, not a hotel, resort, or the tourist area. They simply won't come to Maui if the short term vacation rentals disappear and have said so vehemently. Upcountry Maui NEEDS short term vacation rentals and it brings much needed revenue to Maui. Now, with te airlines going bankrupt, is NOT when we need to be lessening the options for visitors. This entire situation has been very badly handled and although you say that most people don't want short term rentals, everyone I know DOES want them (and none of us are connected with any short term rentals, by the way.)
867	Anonymous	KIHEI	TVR'S AND B&Bs ARE A BIG BENEFIT TO OUR COUNTY ECONOMY IN MORE WAY THAN ONE. THEY SHOULD STAY AND PERMITING SHOULD BECOME EAY FOR THEM.
868	Anonymous	Haiku	So it's legal for a stranger to rent my rental unit for a month. But I will be fined and possibly incarcerated if you only want to stay for a week? What ever happened to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"? Or does that apply to just about everywhere else in the U.S. and the world? Maui is certainly earning it's reputation as a "People's Republic" where the "5-year Plan" still rules while potholes don't get fixed (because there's no tax money left over after a percentage of the private property is "purchased" ("nationalized") by the local government. It's outrageous! FYI, the "ohanas" could be next as if you look up the un-enforced regulations, there are only two types of "legal" tenants -- "immediate family" and "farm workers" -- so don't be surprised when these regulations get dusted off to further make housing on Maui "more affordable" (as in the purchase price of what the "governing class" has to pay for a property versus the monthly rents a tenant will be facing if these, too, get "shut down").
869	Anonymous	San Francisco	I don't know what everyone is complaining about. Hopefully prices at places like Puamana will drop down to around $1m or so, so all the local people can afford to live there instead of having all the damn tourists around. Then it will be a great community of locals like it should be. Oh wait... is $1M affordable? Gee... maybe it isn't? So then it will still be unaffordable for locals, but affordable for the rich to buy for their own use, even if they only come 2-3 times/year? That sounds like a great solution! It will be empty most of the time, the restaurants and shops will be a lot easier to get reservations at, the tour operators should have extra seats, and my stock in the big hotel chains should be going up as all that money flows to them since there is no choice to stay. Next thing is they will get tired of all those damn surfers walking on their property and put armed guards up protecting the beach as well. The rich get richer, the hotels have no competition, less local jobs - nice work! The best part about this... from what I read, over half of the units at Puamana were vaca rentals... so clearly the majority were not for this... who was? Sure hope sugar-cane production starts its recovery soon.
870	Stephanie	LA	Please keep Maui the great place it has become..and tourism should be looked upon as your greatest resources..why take away so much from the experience of the islands to so many..who want to explore and be apart of the true islands...I dont mean big hotels and commercialism..
871	Steven Bard	paia	Don't kill vacation rentals. Our neighborhood is at stake.
872	joseph sturdivant	haiku	This action is an infringement on the rights and liberties of all Maui county residents. This is bad for business and harmful to the people of Maui. Needless to say, it is expensive to live here, attacking well meaning citizens, and in so doing favoring the large hotel chains, in no way serves the public good These B&Bs are a valuable asset for both small businesses and property owners, they fill a niche and bring needed income to a large segment of the population (especially upcountry). The elected officals of Maui should represent the PEOPLE, and be concerned for their well being - trades people, service enterprises,part time workers property owners, visitors, all benefit, along with the county itself (tax dollars). It is not the duty of the government to adjudicate every facet of our lives, it is the duty of government to serve and assist.
873	Anonymous	Haiku	I have lived in Haiku for the past 4 years and watched several businesses in Haiku and Paia close, sadly. The visitor traffic in Paia is down. The jobs are being lost, dreams of business owners crushed. All because these vacation rentals have been forced to close their doors. The politicians need to take off the blinders!
874	Roman Stalder	KÃ¤giswil	The world is one big family. You live on the same planet. so where is the problem? Greets from Switzerland
875	laura	this island thrives on tourism and business why make the economy harder.
876	Elizabeth Smith	Paia
877	G. A. Adair	Maple Valley, Washington
878	Terri Ashcraft	Kihei
879	Kathy Rose	Keokea