Regulate, Don't Ban Vacation Rentals on Maui!

Maui Visitors Petition Signatures

#	Name	Where are you from: City, State, Country	Comments
1	Michael Huttner	Denver, CO 80202	let me know how I can help
2	Wayne Matteson	Anaheim, CA, USA	Why are you closing B & B's. They are part of the charm that makes we want to come to Maui. I don't want to stay in a Hotel. If B & B's are closed I will no longer make my annual stay in Maui!
3	Peggy Pennington	Hacienda Heights, CA USA	I have visited a B&B in Maui and can't wait to return. The big, commercial, noisy hotel is not for me. If I can't get what I want in Maui, I'll go somewhere where I can. Please do not prevent Americans from, including local merchants, churches, etc., from free enterprise!
4	Chris Bondurant	San Diego, Ca USA	You need to regulate, not ban rentals on Maui. Who is running the show, Hotel and Time share companies. Shame on you
5	Heather Heintz	San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675	I am very disappointed to hear of your plan. I am originally from Hawaii and have family on Maui. I prefer to support the local business on the island than the corporate businesses who are taking over.You are taking away the true spirit of Hawaii which most visitors want to see. I know several people who are choosing to take their vacations elsewhere because of the commercialism. They no longer feel the aloha spirit. I would appreciate your decision to adjust the zoning regulations.
6	Lena Rasmussen	Tempe, AZ, USA	Honestly, tell me where I can find a hotel in Haiku, Paia, Kuau, Pauwela.......this is utterly ridiculous to limit B & B's to 2 in that area. What is happening to my home island of Maui?
7	Andre Gauthier	Lacey, Washington, USA
8	Sandra Wright	Dana Point, CA
9	Carol Ludovise	San Clemente, CA USA
10	Mary L. Lanphear	Mill Creek, WA USA
11	suzanne narducy	san juan cap., ca usa	i have spent 20 years traveling to beautiful maui and always look for the best place to stay that is also economical. i appreciate the variety that has been available to me and would encourage you to reconsider this inconvenient limitation.
12	Anonymous	Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA	Please keep the private rentals available - banning would not solve the solution, regulations may be required - not everyone wants to stay in a big noisy hotel.
13	Nancy Pirozzi	Mission Viejo, CA
14	Craig T. Stevens	Tustin, CA USA	I do not think you should pass this law.
15	April Buchner	Santa Ana, CA - USA
16	Beth Vandevelde	Boulder CO.	I come from CO . I stay only in homes or B&BS when I travel. I would never come back to Maui if I had to stay on the touist side. I stayed in Haiku the last time. I loved the people the weather etc. They took such good care of all my needs. There knowelge of the Island gave us a true experience we will never forget. The real Maui, The real aloha.
17	Thom Polson	Seattle, WA
18	Paul Bracken	Paris, KY, USA
19	Ronald Christoffel	Port Orchard, WA 98366	Sounds like restraint of trade planned by corporate hotels.
20	Paul Edwards	Los Angeles, California, USA	This is horrendous. How could you even think of doing this? The best vacations on Maui are in Vacation Rental Homes. I will never come to Maui again if I can't go and rent where I please for my vacations. Paul Edwards
21	Judy Johnson	Austin, TX USA	Not all of us want to stay in a commercial hotel. We, as travelers, should be able to have a choice of accommodations. Whether or not there are vacation rental by owner avaliable in an area will make a difference in my choice of places to vacation. Please don't eliminate this important part of the vacation/travel business. Judy
22	terimarenger	portland, or	I agree with the above stated
23	Drew Rudman	Roseville, CA, USA
24	Deborah Urban	Diamond Bar, CA, USA	I have concluded a few wealthy NIMBYs and the hotel industry has to be (quietly in the case of the hoteliers) behind this. Hotel revenues down? Yes. Look at the price of a hotel room. Why stay in a cramped hotel in a tourist ghetto when you can have an entire house for the same or a lesser amount. No wonder a select group of individuals are pushing for shutting these small businesses down. Who loses? More individuals and businesses than you'd think... the people that have mortgages to pay and families to feed and educate, those individuals that seek and desire this type of accommodation, the managers, housekeepers, gardeners, restaurant owners, cooks and servers, the shop and grocery owners and their families trying to make ends meet in an expensive place to live ... so many people will be on the losing end of this push to close down this type of visitor accommodation. Past visitors that no longer are able to find what they want will become fickle. Out of frustration they will begin to visit other beach/tropical destinations that WILL cater to what they want. Maui and the state of Hawaii will lose in the end. Once you lose these unique visitors to another destination they may never return. Does Maui County really want to risk this? The word is out... the word is that Hawaii is happy to get your tourist dollars but the people of Hawaii want to corral you into visitor-only areas. No one wants to be thought of as undesirable, yet this is the strong message being put forth on internet travel sites, in newspaper editorials and in news stories, all over the world. Come to Maui, Oahu, Kauai and Molokai but only stay in tourist-designated ghettos. I urge everyone to consider the repercushions down the line. License and regulate B&Bs and vacation rentals. Consider heavy fines and closure if there are valid complaints that are not corrected. Demanding that visitors stay only in state designated tourist ghettos will have negative repercussions on the entire state.
25	Anonymous	Palm Desert, Ca 92211
26	Anonymous	Palm Desert, CA 92211
27	Anonymous	Friday Harbor, Wa 98250
28	Tom Christenson	Herriman, Utah, U.S.A.	This is an absolute outrage to see the beautiful state of Hawaii, especially the island of Maui, attempting to limit the choice of vacation accommodations by closing shop on small lodging businesses. The only way we can afford to come to Hawaii is to find low airfare when possible (or use reward miles) and stay at lodging in vacation rental homes that allow one-week stays. I do not know what reality you are living in there on the island but most people these days cannot take off more than one to two weeks at a time for vacation. Most times the "resort" side of Hawaii is not the experience we are looking for. I would much rather stay at a 2-3 bedroom condo right across from a public beach than at a resort. Resorts are over-rated, and many of the existing condo and vacation homes in Maui are in much cleaner, prettier and more comfortable locations. I hate resorts for the fact that I cannot cook my own meals, I have to always tip for work that does not deserve a tip, and the number of activities are limited. I, like millions of others that visit your island, enjoy stay at a condo/vacation home and renting a car and exploring the island. I do not want to waste my hard-earned money on resort fees and over-priced services. I spend my money on the water doing excursions and expolring the island. If you take away the ability to find great, affordable housing outside a resort on the island you will lose millions of dollars. We travel to Hawaii about every other year - this ould be impossible if I were required to stay at a resort. I will travel to Key West, Florida and stay at a condo/vacation home before I pay to stay at a resort on the island of Maui. Please reconsider your decisions to limit our choices for vacation accommodations on the island of Maui. The resorts I am sure want you to do this because it is for their benefit. There are plenty of corporations that pay for their employees to stay at these resorts no matter how lousy or overpriced the accomodations. Do not turn the whole island into a resort - that will ruin the adventure and the beauty. Keep the variety alive - different people like different experiences; you will lose millions of dollars from tourism if you continue down this path. Thank you for hearing me out.
29	Anita Bohn	Bloomington, IL	I will never return to Maui if I am not able to stay in quiet, private quarters well integrated into the community. You are selling Maui out to the highest bidders. Shame on you!
30	Kathleen Falero	Miami,Fl, USA	I have been vacationing in Maui for the last 10+ years. It is only afforadable for me to rent the vacation rental studios were I can cook alot of my own meals. I still shop at the local grocary stores and feel I am helping support local families. If there are no more vaction rentals I will not be able to visit Maui yearly as I do now. Please make some kind of rules. I know I pay sales tax on my vacation rental 11 1/2 percent that also has to help. I love Maui and pray to be able to come again
31	Dell Tush	Dewey Beach, Delaware USA	As mayor of a resort beach town, this ban will hurt tourism and your economy. People assume they will be able to rent vacation homes when coming to your island. Why advertise as a resort and not provide different styles of accomodations. Not everyone wants to stay ion hotels and there is enough tourism to go around.
32	Sean Cohen	Dublin, CA USA	As a former Travel agency owner, and very frequent visitor to Maui over the past 25 years, I have been following this fiasco for quite some time. I am appalled at the way Maui's regulatory agencies have handled this issue, and truly hope Mayor Tavares and the governmental agencies responsible for this travesty come to their senses in the very near future! I do not believe I've witnessed a more blatant deception of constituents by a public official than that which ensued at the hands of Mayor Tavares.
33	Anonymous	Denver, CO	The kind of visitor who seeks out a bed and breakfast or vacation rental home outside of urban, hotel and business zoned areas limits is not a rowdy party-goer. It's the person who craves a quieter and more authentic Maui experience. By closing down these establishments, you are turning away these kinds of visitors and increasing the cost of Maui accommodations for everyone.
34	Kim Offenburger	Metropolis	IL, USA I was a student at the University of Hawaii. I have returned to the islands 3 times in the last several years. I think you are doing a disservice to the tourism industry which is such a big part of Hawaii's financial base. The vacation rental business is a growing industry and is the lodging of choice for many travelers. Instead of banning vacation rentals you should be looking to make this segment of your tourism economy larger, with regulations and zoning. This is one of the fastest growing segments of the lodging industry, and for a very good reason. Please re consider your ban on vacation rentals in Maui. Sincerely, Kim Offenburger www.isle-of-view.net www.isladevista.com www.bigfishcabin.com
35	Anonymous	Lemars, IA USA	It would such a loss to ban the wonderful upcountry homes in Maui. It is so great to visit Maui and then be able to go to the countryside and stay in a beautiful family home. I believe Maui as a whole would lose visitors if this ban gets put in place. There is nothing better than having Maui residents share their piece of paradise with us who enjoy it so much.
36	Neil G. Anderson	Cody, WY USA	Please allow the continuation of small homes for short term vacation rentals. It was the main attraction for where we chose to stay on our visit.
37	Jamie Woerz	Newburgh, IN, USA	We loved seeing two different sides of Maui on our honeymoon - we spent several days in a small bed and breakfast in the upcountry and several days on the beach at a large resort. Please do not take away our option of returning to the upcountry bed and breakfasts. Thank you!
38	Dave Arnold	Columbus, Ohio, USA	Staying with friends in the country is so much better than staying in the urban areas. We came because of this and want others to enjoy what we have done. It certainly does not interfere with anyone to allow visitors to stay in these types of areas. Thank you.
39	Matt Woerz	Newburgh, IN, USA
40	Angela Lee	Joliet, Iliinois USA	My husband and I spent our honeymoon at Tradewinds in Maui a little less than two years ago and were very pleased and much satisfied. It's a clean and relaxing environment and the owners catered to our every need. These kinds of rentals is what attracts visitors, and keeps people vacationing in Hawaii.
41	Tracey Robertson	Carmel, NY, USA	I am saddened by the news that vacation rentals in the countryside could become a thing of the past in Maui. I had a wonderful, peaceful stay in upcountry Maui...I would go back to the same place again ...the peace and outdoors are what I look for in a vacation. I have always chosen this option wherever I travel and if it the option becomes obsolete in Maui I would be forced to go elsewhere.
42	Glen J. David	Amarillo, TX	Greetings, Just a note to say how much we enjoy staying the Maui County upcountry while spending our money all over the island. Because we do not stay in over-congested commercial areas, but rather rural bed and breakfast settings, we would have no choice but to choose other vacation destinations. Thanks for your consideration.
43	Ivars Blums	San Juan, PR	As a multi-time visitor to Maui, I can tell you that my visits will stop if a large selection of B&Bs are not available for me. I will not stay in crowded tourist ladend areas and will take my business elsewhere.
44	Joyce A Bell	Alpine, CA USA	I personally would not return to Maui if I am unable to rent a vacation home in the countryside. The large resort hotels are equivalent to zoos, complete with all the noise and not my idea of a peaceful vacation.
45	ramy kurdi	Pontiac, MI USA	we loved staying in the countryside, it was amazing. i believe visitors have as much a right to visit the countryside as do the residents, as we are all american and should not have such restrictions, it is not democratic. commercializatjon should have some restrictions, not independent vacation homes.
46	Bob & Tanya Hawkins	Edinburgh,IN USA	We stayed at a rural home for our honeymoon & were assured by the owners that they would continue to own the home & make it available so we could return on future wedding anniversaries. I strongly urge you not to fix something that was not broken. We were promised future availability of this property. If you want to stop future rentals from being placed in service, that's one thing. But to deprive us of already promised future pleasure on your fair Island is a rather gross display of poor judgement. I strongly urge you to abandon this ill advised course that you appear to be hell bent on taking. I assure you that if we can not return to this property, we will NOT choose another in your county. We'll take our thousands of dollars elswehere. You have your vote...and I have mine. Your vote will either get you more of my money or none at all...that will be your choice.
47	Brandon & Valerie Holman	Westerly, RI, USA	My wife and I went to Maui on our honeymoon and stayed with a wonderful family in the upcountry area of Maui. It was absolutely beautiful and sooooo peaceful! It was exactly what we wanted: peaceful, quiet, and very private. When we wanted, It almost felt like we were the only ones on the island. It was everything we had hoped!! We were able to enjoy the natrual splendors of Maui away from the comercialized areas. We were also able to enjoy the comercialized tourist areas even more, because once we were done visiting all the shops, stores, restaurants, and attractions we were able to return to the peaceful serenity of the upcountry area and relax. We wouldn't have traded 2 days at our accomodation for a week at a large hotel. Thank you for your time and I implore you, please don't place a ban on vacation rentals.
48	Anonymous	Denver, Colorado	Every spring for 10 years, we have stayed in a variety of Paia-area vacation homes. We are very disappointed that we may not be able to continue our visits. We prefer not to stay in resort high-rises and love the north shore homes that we have stayed in.
49	Anonymous	Miami, Florida, USA	I used to own 2 homes in Hawaii, one on Gail Street on Diamond Head in Oahu and one in Kehei, Maui on the Ocean (wish I still owned them). When I go back to Hawaii I much prefer to stay in a home rather than a hotel. Please help keep these lovely homes available.
50	stacey boyle	stratham, nh	This is an issue that I feel very strongly. Our best Hawaiin experience was at a local vacation rental home outside of an urban area. Please don't take this experience away from travelers.