Housing and Short Term Rentals on Maui

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Governor Green of Hawaii plans to force owners of short-term rentals to rent to displaced Maui residents to solve the housing crisis on the island. It sounds like a quick fix. According to the Maui news, there are 6,297 residents living in hotels because of the Maui wildfire. The Governor wants 3,000 condos and homes rented to Maui tourists to go to long-term housing for the displaced residents from the Maui wildfire.

Let's say the Governor uses his executive powers to force individual property owners to step in line to solve the housing crisis on Maui. The short-term housing crisis is solved. Next, the state needs to tackle the homeless population; there is another executive order to force all landlords in Hawaii to provide housing to all people experiencing homelessness in the state to have housing by the state. The landlords receive a reduced subsidy to house all people experiencing homelessness in the state.

It could happen. The executive order sets a precedent. It does solve the homeless problem, but it creates more problems. All landlords in the state will need to accept the subsidies from the state.

Here is a thought. How about revisiting the 1961 land use law and increasing the land so people can build on it? Instead of restricting the supply, increase the supply and reduce the price of homes in the state. I can see the other argument that says Hawaii wouldn't be Hawaii. You would see buildings everywhere. The countryside would no longer be the countryside.

Final Thoughts

There are no easy answers, but is using an executive order forcing homeowners who use their second home as income to provide housing to people of the state choosing the correct solution? It could happen. That's the next step.

As of July 1, 2022, Hawaii's population was 1,440,196. The price of housing is only going to increase. Is an executive order by the Governor the only solution to solve the housing crisis on Maui and the state of Hawaii?

I'm not sure that the short-term fix will not cause other problems. Who's to stop other counties from asking the state to solve their housing crisis? It's easy. If you ask one landlord to pitch in, why not ask other landlords to pitch in?