Join Us for a Special In-Person Meetup!
MVRA is excited to host an exclusive gathering for everyone involved in the short-term rental industry on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:30pm at Maui Brewing Company in Kihei! This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with MVRA Board Members, Airbnb’s policy and advocacy team, and your fellow hosts within the Maui community.
Enjoy great food, refreshing beverages, and engaging conversation as we come together to discuss Mayor Bissen’s proposal to phase out legal short-term rentals. This is your chance to hear the latest updates, ask questions, and share your insights with industry leaders.
Whether you're an industry professional, seasoned host, or new to the community, your voice matters. Join us for an evening of collaboration, camaraderie, and shared commitment to protecting the future of short-term rentals on Maui.
We look forward to seeing you there! Space is limited - please register below.
Island Alliances Unite to Shift the Narrative on Short-Term Rentals
Along with the other island alliances and statewide organization HIMAST, MVRA will be collaborating with a PR specialist to reshape the negative narrative surrounding our industry and to educate the public on why mid- and short-term rentals are beneficial for both our residents and our local economy. With professional guidance and the continued efforts of our lobbyist, we aim to level the playing field against the powerful hotel industry.
By uniting as one strong voice, we can amplify our message and increase our impact. Collaboration between the various island alliances not only strengthens our efforts but also ensures that our collective reach extends to a broader audience. This unified approach allows us to protect and promote the future of short-term rentals across Hawaii, showing the positive contributions we make to the community and local economy.
MVRA to Represent at Key Panel Discussion
with Local Lawmakers
Caitlin Miller, Executive Director of Maui Vacation Rental Association, along with Kelly Lee, Executive Director of Oahu Short-term Rental Alliance (OSTRA), will be panelists in an important discussion on short-term rentals with local lawmakers this September. The conference, hosted by Chair Waters of the Oahu County Council extended this invitation to OSTRA as a recognition of the trust and respect they have cultivated with local leaders over the past year. MVRA & OSTRA are preparing to present vital information on our industry and priorities to ensure our voice is heard in these crucial discussions.
Information on the HSAC Conference
As we await the upcoming Maui County Council hearings on Mayor Bissen's bill to phase out short-term rentals and prepare for the fast-approaching state legislative season, it is more important than ever for us to stay unified. We need your help in encouraging other owners and industry professionals to join or donate to MVRA, allowing us to amplify our voice and expand our reach.
Your crucial funding directly supports MVRA's efforts to advocate for the short-term rental community. It enables us to expand our reach through the work of our dedicated lobbyist, PR firm, and administrative support. It also helps us to attend key conferences, participate in community events, and ensure we have a strong presence at important decision-making forums. Every contribution empowers us to elevate the conversation, build relationships with elected officials, and shape the narrative about the value of our industry.
With over 13,000 STRs on Maui, we still have a long way to go in connecting with our entire community—but we are stronger together.
MAHALO NUI LOA to everyone who has supported MVRA. Your contributions have been vital to the impact we're making, and we couldn’t do it without you!
Register to Vote
Please take a moment to register to vote
For more information on some of the Council Candidates, click on the links below:
Molokai - John Pele
South Maui - Tom Cook
Kahului - Tasha Kama
Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu - Alice Lee
Makawao-Haiku-Paia - Nohe U'u Hodgins
Upcountry - Yuki Lei Sugimura
Full List of Candidates
FULL REPORT HERE
Just 10% of voters support bans on all short-term rentals.
KAHULUI – The Maui Vacation Rental Association (MVRA) today released the results of a statewide poll of registered Hawai‘i voters to gather opinions on proposals aiming to ban short-term rentals, such as Mayor Bissen’s bill to phase out existing, legal short-term rentals on the Minatoya List in Maui. Hawai‘i firm SMS Research conducted the survey of more than 500 registered voters statewide from May 23-26, 2024.
According to the poll results, the vast majority of Hawai‘i voters do not support proposals like Mayor Bissen’s with just 10 percent of voters (12 percent on Maui**) saying they support banning all short-term rentals.
Residents instead support a more balanced approach to regulating short-term rentals with 73 percent of Hawai‘i voters (65 percent on Maui**) saying they prefer a policy that would maintain existing, legal short-term rentals and ban illegal short-term rentals.
Short-term rentals are also not among the issues that Hawaiʻi voters consider most pressing. Only 28 percent (24 percent on Maui**) of respondents reported they think that short-term rentals are a “big problem.” In comparison, 75 percent of voters (76 percent on Maui**) consider cost of living a “big problem,” 67 percent (56 percent on Maui**) consider homelessness a “big problem” and 34 percent (40% of Maui voters**) consider government corruption a “big problem.”
What’s more, Hawaiʻi voters are concerned about measures that could negatively impact the state’s tourism economy and, in turn, government funding. According to the poll results, 77 percent (68 percent on Maui**) of respondents are concerned about State and County governments’ ability to provide basic services if tax funding declines due to a drop in visitors.
“By phasing out existing, legal short-term rentals as Mayor Bissen seeks to do, leaders in Maui and Hawaiʻi are gambling both their political careers and the economic wellbeing of their communities,” said Caitlin Miller, executive director of MVRA. “The poll confirms that the overwhelming majority of Hawaiʻi voters don’t support overly restrictive short-term rental policies, while numerous studies illustrate how such policies jeopardize billions in economic activity and tens of millions in tax revenue. Since counties can’t legally mandate short-term rentals be converted to long-term housing, it’s shocking to watch local leaders pursue risky, unpopular policy proposals without any guarantee that they will address housing concerns.”
You can read the full poll results from SMS Research here
KEY FINDINGS:
Short-Term Rental Policy Preferences
● Just 10% of voters statewide support banning all short-term rentals, including existing, legal short-term rentals. (12% of Maui voters**)
● 73% prefer a policy that would maintain existing legal short-term rentals and ban illegal rentals. (65% of Maui voters**)
● 10% prefer no regulations at all. (17% of Maui voters**) Magnitude of Problem
● Just 28% of voters statewide believe short-term rentals are a “big problem” in Hawai‘i. (24% of Maui voters**)
● Issues that ranked higher as a “big problem” for voters include:
o 75% Cost of Living (76% of Maui voters**)
o 67% Homelessness (56% of Maui voters**)
o 34% Government Corruption (40% of Maui voters**)
Short-Term Rental Support
● 60% of Hawai‘i voters support allowing property owners to rent out their housing as short-term rentals (65% of Maui voters**)
Reasons for Supporting Short-Term Rentals
● The top reasons voters support short-term rentals include:
o 56% It’s their property to do as they wish (65% of Maui voters**)
o 54% They provide low-cost alternatives to hotels (61% of Maui voters**)
o 51% Short-term rentals keep money in the hands of locals (55% of Maui voters**)
Concern About Visitor Declines and Government Finances
● 77% of voters statewide are concerned about State and County governments’ ability to provide basic services if tax funding declines due to a drop in visitors. (68% of Maui voters**)
** Maui survey results are derived from 57 respondents and are likely to include more sampling error than larger sample sizes.
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About Maui Vacation Rentals Association:
MVRA is the leading advocacy organization supporting Maui’s vacation rental industry. Our members include owners, managers, and small businesses that participate in the vibrant vacation rental industry on the island.
We are dedicated to advancing responsible regulations and fostering economic opportunities for the benefit of the Maui community. Learn more at: https://mvra.net/
About SMS Research:
For as long as Hawai'i has been a state, SMS Hawai'i has been at the forefront of spotting trends, pinpointing issues, and unlocking insights. SMS prides itself on combining the industry's latest research and survey techniques with insider knowledge of Hawai'i to give clients a comprehensive view of the local issues that matter most. Learn more at: www.smshawaii.com